I cannot help but reflect on the past week and consider community... We've had global terror events across several countries, national progress in the areas of same-sex marriage and the removal of the confederate flag from South Carolina's State Capitol grounds, and in Chicago the past week started with PrideFest and culmintated with the Pride Parade over the weekend. We will follow all this up with our nation-wide celebration of independence, the 4th of July. 
This past week I have ridden a wave of emotions, some more strong than others. Some events have pulled my attention far from my local community while others have brought into sharp focus the individuality of my neighborhood and my responsibility in community. I feel a surge and swell to celebrate strangers coming together this past week to protect, redefine, change, and celebrate community. 

My intention: this coming week I will both listen and revel in my conversations with folks, making an effort to connect strangers. I will honor events, individuals, and conversations in my art-making. How will you celebrate community?

This month's blog post was written by Erin Owens, ATR, LCPC therapist at Art Therapy Studio Chicago Ltd

• Do you work through aspects of your life through art-making? 
• Are you the sort of person who is looking for experiences?
• Have you been in therapy and want to try something different?

Creativity and problem solving are experiences rich in personal learning and growth, as well as integrating helpful coping skills. The art making process aids in exploring and identifying values, emotions, thoughts and ideas. Making art is self-soothing and an important way to care for yourself.

Each week suggested exercises will be provided. Individual exploration of themes and materials are also welcomed and encouraged. It is not necessary to have previous instruction, knowledge of art processes, or prior engagement in art therapy. We will work through metaphor, themes, and storytelling, all as ways to help you integrate and process aspects of your life. There will be some introduction to materials, skill instruction, and education about the therapeutic aspect of art making. Our first group will include some discussion on group guidelines and confidentiality.

EVOLVE is an art therapy group led by Erin Owens, a licensed clinical professional counselor, registered art therapist, and artist. 

• 8 week group, slated to start July 20, pending registrations
• Mondays 7pm - 9pm at Art Therapy Studio Chicago (easy blue line access)
  
• Minimum of four registered participants and a maximum of eight
• Cost; $200/8 weeks, all materials included in price

You deserve the time and space for art! Consider taking the next course to help you connect to your creativity!
Course Learning objectives:

1.    Gain practical exercises to integrate art making into life and work

2.    Learn how to let go of criticism and allow oneself to play in art making

3.    Examine how art making can deepen everyday experiences.

Read what past participants have said about the course: 

"I liked that we were able to express ourselves and learned a lot more about ourselves, and it really did motivated me to reconnect with myself! the artist in me and now I'm trying to not leave it, and practice practice practice! :)"

"The book is a fantastic resource and I know I'll be going back to it over and over again. The experience of working with your text thru Mary's group is helping me move out of a narrow place I've been stuck in artistically into a much more open and loving place."

"Loved the book...a great contribution to the artist community. It motivated me and definitely gave me the push needed in order to reconnect with my creative self."

"The book is amazing. I will always be in a state of re-reading and highlighting. It is an amazing addition to the art therapy world. I will refer interested art therapists, artists, and the like to it any chance I get."

 About the Book:

Art Works: How Making Art Illuminates your life is filled with personal anecdotes and narratives providing inspiration and practical exercises to work through blocks and to explore and engage in the art process. From an individual looking to enrich their life and connect to their creative self, to a professional artist or art therapist who is looking for new inspiration, this book is great for someone looking to know oneself more deeply.

Weaving personal anecdotes and narratives, the authors validate and normalize the readers’ experience, creating self-acceptance, and inspiration to engage in art.

The authors encourage the reader, honoring the universal experience of being human, and biological need to make art. Don is of 80 plus years, an artist and art therapy pioneer who has found making art as his breath and the one thing that consistently supports him in his life. Amy is a writer and mother who continuously identifies writing as her way to keep her connected to her core. Together they deconstruct the art process into valuable meaningful parts and generate ideas and inspiration to engage one’s curiosity to motivate the reader to express oneself through art.


Course runs July 8-August 29th, Weds nights from 7-9pm. Register http://www.art-therapist.org/open-studiocourses.html 
If you register before June 15th, you get 20 off the cost- Regularly 200, discounted to 180. Student rate is 100.