Art Therapy research to seek medical changes in the Brain

Yes, Virginia, There Is Some Art Therapy Research

There is more evidence on art therapy than you think. 

Check out this article by Cathy Malchiodi from Psychology Today

 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-healing-arts/201302/yes-virginia-there-is-some-art-therapy-research

What cannot be shaken may remain - Hebrews 12:27

I haven't fallen off the earth...although I've had moments when I wish I could. Well...maybe just crawl into a hole for a few days...

Storms, cold temperatures, kids being on vacation for 2 weeks, a toddler with a horrible cold, holidays and daily radiation have kept me away from cyberspace. I also hate to post without a picture...so here is my image today...it represents my state of mind and body...cold and vacantwhat an amazing visual design?!?!?...a play of light and dark....it's hard to tell how deep the cover of snow is...a thin crust of ice get's formed on top...

We as people do this...cover our true selves up and then develop thick crusts to protect our tender hearts. Our humanness often blows with the wind and our moods, tricking others into seeing what is and is not there.

I am comforted by the Hebrews passage, "what cannot be shaken may remain" (Hebrews 12:27). I want to be steadfast in my faith...choosing forgiveness and seeing what the eyes cannot see, choosing to find the light...but knowing that with the Grace of Christ Jesus all will be worked out.

I do struggle with patience though. *sigh*

Here is a pic of the kids on Christmas :)And here is a pic of Sara with her new AG Julie doll...in her custom boutique made to match Gymboree doll clothes from MaPetiteChou.com

She loves being "same-same" with her doll!Too cute!
And the fact that Julie has butterfly underwear is actually jump starting her potty training again...hooray!

I'm going to try to get a picture of me and my "long" hair...it's about 1/2" to 1" long now...

radiation has me exhausted but thanks to my church's meals ministry I am able to eat good healthy meals with the kids through the week. It's a wonderful gift these meals...I'm down to 115 pounds now and want to stop loosing weight and maybe try to put some pounds back on.

My skin is irritated, itchy and very sore...2 1/2 more weeks to go of daily treatments...then time to heal...and breath a sigh of relief that most of the treatment is over.

May the strength of Jesus help you all through your struggles...I say with confidence that He is my savior, God bless.

Read about my original diagnosis here.

Read about Art Therapy and how my children and I have managed Cancer in a past post here.

Winter, too, shall pass

I was struck by an empty field on my way to my radiation simulation yesterday. I feel like these dormant branches...suspended in time, frozen by fears...the cold has set in in NH and the sun grows dim. I feel like crawling into a hole most days. I see moms holiday shopping with their kids as I go to pick up prescriptions and they give me a look and acknowledge my head scarf...then quickly turn away. Some women have looked me straight in the eye and wished me luck...it's very strange, watching people react to me. But most days I avoid looking at myself too.

I am down to 117 pounds. I'm not trying to loose weight but nothing appeals to me. Cooking is a chore or makes me nauseous. I don't enjoy eating at all. But I do try to prepare something for the kids and I manage to eat a little in front of them. Look at these suspended dried up flower/seed pods. I feel dried up too. My skin is flaky, my hair is just growing back...but my body reflects winter much more than spring...I look forward to the spring of next year...
HOPE.

Radiation starts December 10th (5 days a week for 6 weeks). I got my tattoos done yesterday. Laying on the table for over an hour was very emotional. I was stretched out with my arms over my head...topless...and tears were streaming down my face...the technician came to me and wiped my tears and told me to try to be still and not move...my mind was flooded with thoughts...reality of this past year.

It's Christmastime...and my birthday is this weekend...and my gift to myself is barely a 1/4 inch of hair on my head...my gift is life...cancer free...but in constant fear it might come back. Emily (8 1/2) has asked me several times..."Mommy, are you going to die?" I always assured her I wouldn't...but looking over the past several months...i really could have.

I took the picture of the clouds as I got back into my car after my simulation appointment. My head is in the clouds most days lately.

I then proceeded to drive past the hospice that is part of the hospital. I thanked God that the girls do not understand that word. "Hospice". I'm alive, I'm healing, I will be better soon. Thank you Jesus for carrying me these last few months, shielding my mind from the anguish of cancer. This is just a spell...a brief blip in the life of me...I'm going to be ok. God has a plan and it's His will, not mine. It's a relief to be able to let go.

Read about my original diagnosis here.

Read about Art Therapy and how me and my children have managed Cancer here.

Art Therapy: Special healing for kids facing cancer in a parent.

So for those of you that don't know, I'm an art therapist, I got my master's training at Eastern Virginia Medical School and although I'm not working as one right now, I am glad to have the training through my cancer journey as it has helped my kids cope.

Here are some ways that you can help children express themselves when faced with cancer in the family.

***Encourage them to talk, dedicate time to each child if there are multiple siblings...but we know some kids are too little to verbalize their feelings or sometimes older children are afraid to express negative emotions (like anger) for fear of disappointing a parent that has often told them to go to "time out" to pull it together. Creative expression is FREE of guilt, it's a POSITIVE way to sublimate all feelings and it's SAFE for the child and not so scary to put feelings on paper or manipulate clay. Try to look at the creative process as Active Mastery over an unknown...they can play and give words to characters...the characters can say and feel what they can not.

Body tracing was a successful project that we ended up bringing into a therapy session. The kids have seen a therapist for a few weeks now and I am relieved to have him work with them through this difficult time.

We took mural paper (but you could also tape paper together), I laid down on top of it, and each of them traced my body. Then they each had a life size version of "mommy" to work on and help heal. This project was done prior to my surgery as the therapist and I both thought that anxiety was building in them and a sense of lack of control. So this one (above) was done by my 8 year old...it's the "inside of mommy". She made sure to add the chemo/medicine (yellow) that is still fighting the cancer and my blood (red) that carries it throughout my body. And the Cancer (blue) that has yet to be removed in surgery. She made a key just in case we were confused. She was able to demonstrate in increase in control over her mural despite lack of control on a daily basis.
This next body tracing is by my middle daughter she is almost 7 and in first grade.

She wanted to focus on my "skeleton" and she showed my blood flowing by encapsulating the drawing in a thick outline of red. Interesting to note, she added an umbilical cord in my "tummy" and she made a point of referring to that part of my anatomy as where she came from. She even wanted to sit inside the "tummy" for this picture.

We brought the murals into a therapy session and it was wonderful for mommy not to be the therapist but allow the kids to share with another adult their images. He encouraged them to add more to the images and they drew and cut colors (construction paper) and made shapes, glued and pasted. What warmed my heart most was when they traced their hands and then cut and glued them onto my chest...it was their way of laying hands on me and helping be heal.

In past posts I have shared images of the dolls we have made. Here is another picture of the medicine/angel and cancer/monster dolls...can you tell which is which? Emily had fun holding the cancer doll by the hair in a disrespectful way...again showing domination over the disease and letting it know who was in control. She is even showing in her expression that sense of control...such sass!!! It is great for her to give it to a doll instead of mommy...*grin*.

Ellie has made a story with a beginning, middle and end for the dolls to act out. We have actually tried to act it out on video too...but we agreed that we weren't loud enough and we needed a script to follow a little bit. The story starts by the character on the right singing at a microphone and the "monster" sneaking up behind her. The "angel" sees this and...
with all her power and faith (medicine/chemo) shrinks the "monster" so it isn't so destructive...After the "cancer" looses it's power it transforms into "color girl" and helps make rainbows for the world.

It's important to note that with school age children dealing with cancer in a parent can be quite traumatizing. Emily has asked me several times if I am going to die. Don't underestimate the thoughts that are going through their minds. We have chosen to share the diagnosis and treatment with the kids to a degree that they are able to understand it. Using art and creative activities has helped them sort out the huge emotions that come with a mom being sick. Children who are unable to express themselves can often exhibit difficulties in school and can have difficulty concentrating in class. Children who are younger can even demonstrate regression to earlier stages of development as a way of expressing their inner world of confusion as to why mommy is so distracted. My youngest was just starting to use the potty but she has slowed way down in using it on a daily basis. But she is able to scribble and draw and express herself each day.

Whether a child draws a story, writes a story, makes a doll (with clay or fabric) or manipulates a body tracing....artistic outlets help kids express their inner turmoil. Cancer is a big deal to anyone, but helping give a child tools to master it and feel like they have some say in what's happening is very empowering and will help them through a difficult time in their childhood. I have seen first hand how my kids have benefited from art therapy. I hope sharing this helps others somehow too.

Update on Echinacea Wall Hanging: the symbolic representation of 3

Just a quickie update on my Art Therapy wall hanging....it's still a work in progress

The picture doesn't do it justice but the leaves are all needle punched on cotton batting, painting the color on with wool and silk as I went along, then i stitched them down to the quilt top using needle turn applique and stuffed them like in the technique trupunto...there is such a 3-D effect! The flower centers will be stuffed too...and the center flower petals will be free flowing...attached at the cone's base...i do hope i can get most of it done prior to surgery...beading will have to wait for another year...but that is in my vision too.

The "ground" is made of silk fusion in green and purple and then hand painted (by me) scrim was used to over lay and add further depth and texture...the painted scrim actually weaves through the center leaf (center bottom)...which is only attached at particular points on the quilt top.

I'll leave most of the self analysis out of the post for your ease of reading...I get a little carried away...but I will share the the symbolic representation of how the number 3 plays it's part in the composition...as it represents my past, present and future as well as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, oh yea, and my 3 girls and how it has impacted their lives...they are so little...blooming away despite this disease.That is me (center flower above), standing tall, putting forth all my color to get through chemo...
my bloom will wither as surgery comes...this picture was taken the other day of my garden and what the flowers look like now.but only to await another bloom after dormancy...I WILL persevere just like the perenial Echinacea plant I chose for the project.
the flowers need to be stitched and the petals added again to the center flower...but those will be last as I will do the "quilting" prior to adding them...to ease the process of machine stitching.

See this other post back in July when i started this project...you can see how it's changed

And this link about how I dyed the silk and did "Silk Fusion" for the base and petals

Create from within everyone!

P.S.
The kids and I are also back on track for working on the Art Therapy project with the dolls (see this post for more info)...Ellie (she will be 7 in Nov) has drawn pictures to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end...and we just filmed a dress rehersal...we realized we need a script...Emily (who is 8 1/2) will work on that...and we will re-tape the dramatic story and I will need to figure out how to upload the movie to my computer...so stay tuned....but be patient.

RIP Randy Pausch - The last lecture and how it can impact a breast cancer patient.

Being Earnest...every day of your life! I want to be like Randy!



I have done a similar metaphor of the "brick wall" in Art Therapy sessions with patients in the past...and it's all about visualizing your obstacles, whatever they may be...for me it's breast cancer...drawing the problem or sculpting them...and then generating new solutions to overcoming them...either with an eraser or more clay and creating a way to work through them...this is what life is all about...it's about the journey not the destination...because, we are all going to die some day...most of us just don't know when or how.

BTW...I'm definitely a T-I-double ggh-er

The creative process begins...dying silk top today

The kids are off to my in-laws for the week, chemo is tomorrow all day with Becky...will have to take pics of us wild women at the infusion station...oh with cutie-pie katelyn too...but for the rest of the day I am dyeing to share my new Art Therapy process with you all...the dolls are still hanging out...will get back on track with them when the kids return...but this project is for me...it will be a mixed media wall hanging for over my bed to infuse the bedroom with new energy. Stay tuned...

Oh and if you are intrigued with dying wool or silk check out this link from another blogster...but be sure to bookmark HHQ's blog to come back again!

Here are my pics...
Wild Rose silk top in dye bath simmering...Thanks to Brian for letting me borrow his electric skillet he dyes his own wool and has recently learned how to spin...I'm not ready for that yet...but someday... :)

He went shopping for me too and got me the silk top and silk caps already dyed...I LOVE THE FUSHIA!!!

YUMMY!!!

These are the dyes I used and I got them at the Elegant Ewe in Downtown Concord, NH

I am so excited to move on this project as I need the infusion of creativity as well as infusion of chemo meds!!!

more pics added..

finished silk tops...with flash on the camera...the colors are hard to capture on film......without flash but a little blury...and I did some extra wool from another project...I love the curly strands...hope they get put into the quilt...
somehow...it's all good and I'm not trying to expect too much...but let the process take me where I need to go! Create from within everyone.

Metaphore for my life...Sandtrap!

what good friends i have here in cyberspace...WhimzyPinzy a fellow EtsyMom has posted a comment at my flickr site about this picture. She has shared some wisdom about this picture and insight into my situation and I am grateful.

Hey Whimz...I see the green and I am only a few shots away! Then I'll come into the 19th hole and have a mudslide and a turkey reuben with the awesome fries that Loudon Country Club is famous for!

Now to return the favor...for those of you looking to knit or crochet some hats for cancer patients (hee hee...I'm sure your local hospital will take donated handmade chemo caps!)...or some socks or some afghans... Whimzy has awesome yarns all hand spun and hand dyed...check her out at Etsy.com and on her own website: WhimzyPinzyCreations.com.
Wow and as an adendum...she added a blog post about me...and a socks for cancer pattern...check it out...but don't forget to come on back to visit me again?!

Find most posts about my Breast Cancer Journey here.
Find more posts about my Breast Cancer Journey and Art Therapy with the kids.

Day 7 Cycle 1 chemo Update

I was smiling on wednesday when they put the IV in me...but by Saturday I was soooooooooooo SAD!!! You know the feeling when you have had a pony tail in your hair for a long time and then you take the pony tail out...and your scalp is sore?
Well...
My whole body felt like that...from my scalp down to my toes...joint achiness, muscle aches, overwhelming sadness....weepiness took over....i was a MESS! I just wanted to crawl into a whole ...and not die...cuz that's what this is all about right?

NOT dying!!!???

so the days since have been a little better without so much achiness but the exhaustion is heavy and the sadness is present all the time...i just want to cry if anyone talks to me....
Calgon take me away....please! The kids are doing pretty good...dd#1 is being perfect....which totally scares me...she's even doing extra homework sheets with out being asked...she needed some extra help with her math...so she is doing it nightly! I'm keeping an eye on her!

dd#2 is a total whiner lately...but maybe she's feeling my pain and wants to just identify with me and my foggy head...she's more absent minded than usual...but they all can't be so well adjusted right?

dd#3 is potty training and is looking for a "TWEET" any chance she can get...a tweet=treat=m&m candies...one for sitting and one for doing her business....she's only 2! well she'll be two in 2 days...my other kids didn't potty train till 2.5 and over 3 years....something is going right!

Gratitude? someone told me to keep a happiness journal...what a good idea, btw!
I am grateful today to have a wonderful friend come up from NY and visit me this weekend. She came on Sunday and left today. It was so comforting to have her close by. My taste buds weren't awful last night and we went out to dinner and i got some yummy mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese melted on top form TGIFridays...worth a try...believe me!

I added the pic from a recent family portrait I had done with my mom and the girls. Obviously this was the old hair...boo hoo. I also wanted to let folks know the comments and wonderful positively positive ideas are priceless...what wonderful gifts! Thank you all so much! ~Jodi

To find more posts about my Art Therapy with my kids as I battle breast cancer...click here.

To find more posts about my journey through breast cancer...click here.

To find more posts about my chemo updates...click here.
(psst...this is the first one...so more to come soon!)

Chemo not so bad so far...sneak peek to hair cut too.

Day one of chemo...right before it started...as you can see..i'm smiling! But even after it was done I was just a little bit tired...not too bad. I'm on anti nausea and steroids that are keeping my energy level up and I had a NuLasta shot today to help stimulate my bone marrow to make more white blood cells for days 7-12 when i will see a dip in white blood cell counts and will be highly immuno-suppressed...it's going to get hard with 3 germy kids running around....but the bright side is that it's summer and not winter in NH with cold and flu season. :)Shirley and Jill were the "comfort cart" volunteers this week. They visit with a cart once a week to the infusion unit. What a nice thing to do...I also got to experience Reiki which is a healing energy art form led by 2 other volunteers...i'll have to update this again with their names...I've misplaced them. The ice cream was a nice start to my chemo regime...too bad I can't get it more often.

To donate to the Breast Cancer program at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center...follow this link.
I'm not sure if you can directly go to the breast care center but this was all done at the infusion chemo room...so many Norris Cotton Cancer patients will benefit :) Thanks in advance!

So here is the new hair do...I haven't had my hair this short since fifth grade when my mom cut my hair to look like Dorothy Hamill...oh back in the day it was all the rage. My oncologist saw my hair cut and said it was still too long and that it might be shocking when it falls out in clumps but...at least it was a good first step....I guess you will all get to see me get the head shave too...I'll keep you posted if I'm not to modest to share them.



about 10 inches went to locks of love...not bad!


Here we were the other day (that's Becky with the medicine/angel/fairy doll) sewing up some new fleece hair...the burlad didn't cut it...and that's Karen with the monster doll with my 6 year old picking out eyes and sewing up the hole in her side.


Find more info about our Art Therapy Project with kids and Beating Breast Cancer, click here!

Sad Today :(

Little old me today...
I got news yesterday that chemo will start on Wednesday. I'm relieved yet terrified at the same time. Sadness is the overwhelming feeling mostly.My friends are helping me work on the dolls today...

the kids and I wrote words and messages to stuff into the dolls a few weeks ago..here are some pics...My messages!
Find more info about our Art Therapy Project with kids and Beating Breast Cancer, click here!

On the right road...

Hi everyone! It's guest blogger Becky writing to you about the recent events. So here goes...

Jodi is amazing. She has such strength even with everything going on in her life. The diagnosis of cancer would send most people for a loop, but not Jodi. When I see her with her kids and the way they look at her I know they are very proud of her (even little Sara) and look up to her. Jodi got a good report today. All the cancer is contained in her left breast and in 2 or possibly 3 lymph nodes. The rest of her body is clear of cancer. She will be visiting Dartmouth Hitchcock on Wednesday for her second opinion and then will find out when her treatments and surgeries will start.

Emily and Elizabeth are off the a great start with the "Cancer Doll" and "Angel" they are making as a form of art therapy. Here is a picture of them; a work in progress. I am sure I can speak for Jodi and say they have been doing a wonderful job writing down their feelings and stuffing them in the dolls. Look for upcoming videos featuring these creations.

With the help of Jodi's parents (they are wonderful!), friends, and an occasional tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, everyone is staying positive. We're looking forward to the words "In remission" in the near future!

Playsilks for Children: Not just a simple piece of cloth.

Do you remember being a child and running free in a field with the wind all around you? Think about being on a swing and feeling the wind rush past your face as you pump to get as high as you can. The urge to run, skip, hop, and stand still in the breeze is inherent to a child. You might say it’s their job to be curious about the world and find joy in experiencing it. Our job’s as parents, educators, and care givers is to support that desire and to encourage it. It is our job to instill a sense of wonder so that further development can take place. Growth is then stimulated in terms of gross motor (physical), emotional, intellectual and spiritual development.

Playsilks are a simple piece of cloth to adults. Something that at first glance is pretty but not as flashy as a video game or other electronic device. I would encourage every family with pre-school and/or young school age children to own a playsilk for their toy box/dress-up area. Playsilks are colorful, soft to the touch and are light as air as you float and soar like a butterfly or eagle. Stimulating a child’s visual and tactile senses is a positive and beneficial thing to do as a parent. Playsilks also offer a world of creative opportunity. The cape, wings, veil, skirt, shawl, or other object the silk transforms into is the basic activity you want to happen. You want your child to take a simple object and project a world of fantasy onto it in order that they may rework situations that brought them conflict or anxiety. You want your child to grow those neuronal pathways in their brains and to develop the ability to problem solve as they interact with the outside world.

Yes, Playsilks might be only simple cloth…but to a child it’s a wonderful adventure to maturity. Bring home a playsilk for your child today!

Find Playsilks at Etsy here by Searching "Playsilk EtsyMom"

I am the founding member of the Street Team for mothers with small children at home called EtsyMom Search EtsyMom at Etsy whenever you can, Thank you.

I earned my Master of Science in Art Therapy at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfok, VA
I have worked with children, adolescents, adults and geriatrics in the field of Art Therapy. I am also a mother of 3 small children.

Find more posts about Art Therapy here.

Happy House Quilts featured at Crafts of Texture

Sara at Crafts of Texture is always looking for artists and crafters from all backgrounds, disciplines and skill levels to add guest writer articles to her blog ‘Crafts of Texture’. She wants to share with her readers all kinds of art and craft experiences, from tips and advice to markets, fairs and historical background. She is hoping that with all of our help we can extend our crafting community, by sharing our own love of what we do.
Article:
Art Therapy – Does the environment make a difference for kids? Written by guest writer Jodi of Happy House Quilts
Jodi is a Master's Level Art Therapist who studied at Eastern Virginia Medical School and has worked therapeutically with the entire developmental age spectrum.
http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com/200...nment-make.html http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

Featured Artist - Irismishly

Who are you?

My name is Iris Mishly, and i am a polymer clay artist from Israel, I live in a small moshav in the mid-north of Israel, (near Cesarea) and lot's of green and farm animals surrounds my home.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link?

http://irismishly.etsy.com/

What tag categories do you specialize in?

i do mostly on polymer clay art, but creativity was always my strong point, I studies fashion design, professional artistic makeup, and today I work both as a web-Designer and as a polymer clay artist at home.

Do you create for children or adults, women or men?

My creations are suited for children and women.

What do you like about Etsy?

Etsy is a great platform for sales in general and for my handmade products especially, it's easy, friendly, clean designed - i love it. although i am a computerized person, what isn't too complex - works great for me.

What do you like about creating?

Creating is therapy for me, it makes me feel good, clean the mind from the day to day life, makes me challenge myself and choose the right design/color and enjoy my time.

What do you love about your business?

I love the challenges, the inventions, thinking about new things, new techniques, every thing the stimulating my mind. i love working with color and color matching. i love teaching other people about polymer clay and i enjoy the joy of creating along with children in my artistic birthday parties.

What is your favorite product right now?

My favorite products are my angel-like key chain (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6679752 ), they are so addictive :)

I also love making the shoe embellishments (for crocs or any other holey products) out of polymer clay. Their uniqueness are important to me and i am sure that no one else is wearing the same embellishments because they are one of a kind.

What makes you unique at Etsy?

There are great polymer clay artists on Etsy, i guess my speciality is the color matching, and some of my stuff are unique.

What makes you unique as a woman?

I feel embarrassed when i have to flatter myself and naming my unique qualities, but if i must say i would say i am creative in my art, loyal, devoted to my family and friends, hard-worker and a very organized person :)

What do you love about Kids?

Kids are so innocent, they are like a fresh flower, needing to be fed and drank, need love and caring, when i look at my children i wish them all the best in the world and hope they have great life.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?

You can find more about my work and myself at my homepage @

http://www.arcoiris.co.il/,

on my flickr gallery

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irismishly/

and at my Polymeri Online blog where i introduce new techniques, new artists, an interesting piece of art or plain inspiration with hundreds of links. You are more then welcome to take a look and enjoy the wonder of polymer clay.

http://polymerionline.blogspot.com/

Find another post including what I received from Iris here.

Featured Artist is a post I do on Sundays. Find more featured sellers posted at the HHQ blog from past weeks here.

WFMW - Stickers in Car for Baby or Road Trip Fun!!! Art Therapy activity

Works for me Wednesday -

Well I don't know about all of you but I just love that the kids get stickers at the bank and at the doctor's offices now...but with my first born I didn't know what to do with those wonderful, colorful, stimulating images. So being a creative soul and knowing a little bit about visual stimulation for babies, I started putting them on the inside roof of the car!!! Wow, what an amazing journey it has become over the years!

When DD#1 was a baby she would look up at the images and work on word recognition "Elmo" and color identification "Red" as well as discussing the stories about characters...Once upon a time...she would say and mommy would tell a story about the character in the sticker.

Then along came DD#2 and the collection grew and expanded which led us to playing alphabet games with our toddler and more color and word development with the new baby. Then the girls grew and demanded more chanllenging uses of the stickers. The game of I*SPY evolved, incorporating alphabet awareness, problem solving, understanding rules and managing frustration as well as more color identification in such creative ways.

We are able to recall wonderful memories of trips to parks and field trips with school as we also keep those stickers from being a chaperone or from admittance to zoos and museums.

So now my children have collected hundreds of stickers and enjoy them all whenever we are in the car for short trips to the store or long trips to grandma's house. They use the stickers to communicate to their new little sister (DD#3) and feel connected to her as they now choose stickers that *she* would like to look at and to make sure they all have similar colors and princesses. The bonding and comradere as well as sharing and learning that has occured over the years because we collect stickers has been overwhelming.

Feelings are not to be overlooked either. Sometimes we come across scarey or "not pretty" sticker which we struggled with ...do we give it back to the nice bank teller or are we gracious and say "thank you". They figured out how to use those stickers as well...they have fun putting the "boy" ones in Daddy's seat or we are able to talk about difficult feelings and how those are just as important as other happy, fun feelings. We also are able to look at the images and talk about what that character might be thinking or feeling...we work on compassion as we share that most folks that are angry are usually sad inside about something or haven't been shown much kindness in their life.

The car is not damaged either as opposed to placing stickers on the windows and the kids have a vehicle that they are so incredibly proud of...to play games in, carpool with friends and to just show off to their friends! Everyone wants to ride in our car!

This definitely Works For Me!!! I hope it works for you too!

Click here to find other WFMW posts that I have written about.

Interested in more Art Therapy features...click here!

WFMW is a feature that is linked to Rocks in my Dryer Blog Carnival.

Click here to find more wonderful

Works for Me Wednesday Posts from other members.