What is an Expressive Therapy? What Does it Mean?
At FTC, we have well skilled providers who are trained in expressive therapies. Expressive therapy relies on more than just talking. Art therapy, sand tray, journaling, are all examples of how one might express him/herself during therapy. Interestigly enough, one does NOT need to be artistic to engage in these therapies. Open mindedness and creativity are the only prerequisites to trying out an expressive outlet. Often these modalities are coupled with traditional talk therapy to help the adult and teen achieve a well rounded approach to therapy and healing.
Expressive therapies target healing deep in the brain whereas cognitive based therapies happen higher. Research is showing that an integration of high and low brain as well as left/right brains offers the best success for those struggling through trauma. This is why adults and teens often feel more relief when a combination approach is achieved.
"Although I have tried therapy in the past, utilizing art therapy AND talk therapy together has helped me heal faster and deeper than ever before"
- Quote from an adult survivor of sexual abuse.
Expressive therapies target healing deep in the brain whereas cognitive based therapies happen higher. Research is showing that an integration of high and low brain as well as left/right brains offers the best success for those struggling through trauma. This is why adults and teens often feel more relief when a combination approach is achieved.
"Although I have tried therapy in the past, utilizing art therapy AND talk therapy together has helped me heal faster and deeper than ever before"
- Quote from an adult survivor of sexual abuse.
Art Therapy for the Teen or Adult
Art therapy is a modality that utilizes drawing, painting. collaging, sculpting (for those brave enough) and more. No need to feel intimidated because art therapy is NOT about the product, but is more about the process. The prompt itself becomes the therapy. as well as how someone goes about it. Often clients find it more helpful to tell their story in cartoon prompts, more than with words. Or maybe collaging about specific emotions or periods of time helps communicate the tone of the event better than talking.
One interesting note: trauma is stored in our senses and those who have been traumatized often carry "sensory memories". Art therapy is a wonderful indirect tool that helps the sufferer approach these memories safely and indirectly without re-traumatizing or overstimulating the victim. Sometimes the time of year, or particular smells or sensations will trigger flash backs or negative emotion. Art therapy can help bring these triggers from the low brain emotional experience to a higher logical "let's make sense of this event" place all the while helping control the impact and control the effect the amygdala (fight or flight response) can have on the situation.
One interesting note: trauma is stored in our senses and those who have been traumatized often carry "sensory memories". Art therapy is a wonderful indirect tool that helps the sufferer approach these memories safely and indirectly without re-traumatizing or overstimulating the victim. Sometimes the time of year, or particular smells or sensations will trigger flash backs or negative emotion. Art therapy can help bring these triggers from the low brain emotional experience to a higher logical "let's make sense of this event" place all the while helping control the impact and control the effect the amygdala (fight or flight response) can have on the situation.
Sand Tray Therapy for the Teen or Adult
This picture still moves me...YEARS after it was created, the power is still relevant. The miniatures help one feel the emotion of the parents fighting to get to their children...to save them before it's too late. What an amazing tool and effective manner of communication. Sometimes words do not deliver what pictures can. Try organizing your emotion with sand tray figures today. No experience necessary. None at all!
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This is cabinet one of 2. The miniatures help teens/adults express themselves. When words are not enough...sand tray delivers.
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The Use of Creative Writing in Trauma Therapy
Writing can be an amazing tool. Sometimes it is beneficial to write a letter to the offender of the trauma with zero intent to mail it. Letters like this can help the survivor become empowered enough to verbalize how much they have been wronged.
Another example is using poetry or fantasy type writing to help organize and purge emotions. Creativity gives a healthy layer of distance between the actual event and the emotions of it all. Here is an example of a survivor of sexual abuse expressing the grooming stage and then shocking betrayal/trauma she felt when the abuse began. It captures how her parents reacted too. Not everyone has parental and familial support, but this child did.
Dancing with a Winged Creature T
The giggly chubby handed child runs after the beautiful butterfly. He is back for more fun and dancing. Chasing each other around the garden, the curly headed child unknowingly follows him out of the safety of her yard. Faster and faster, her little legs carry her. The winged creature glides through the sky, swooping down and around her. Swirling around and around with the magic and sparkle of tiny fairies. Farther and farther they run and chase and giggle and dance. Exhausted by her adventure, the little one stops to rest. The butterfly flies away. As she pauses, it becomes apparent that she no longer recognizes where she is.
Tears begin to well up in her tiny little eyes as she searches the sky for her delightful friend. She scans the field for anything familiar. Soon he appears; her beautiful flying companion. Swooping down with deliberate speed, he dives in close enough for her tiny little hands to reach out and touch. But wait. Ouch! That hurt! That wasn’t a dance at all. She begins to cry again. This time tears of pain. Pain mixed with fear. What is that buzzing sound? What happened to the gentle soaring flutter? The winged creature rushes in for another prick, another poke, here and there; again and again. Numbness sets in as the toxins infuse her body. Why is he doing that? Where is the magic? She cries out for her parents. No one can hear her cries for help… no one can feel her anguish.
Confused and stunned, the tiny little girl collapses to the ground and slumps down by a rock; with her head between her knees she begins to weep. Tears mixed with dust and sweat mingle and fall to the ground below her. She was seduced by the beauty of his wings and by the playful parade that led her away. She suddenly feels completely alone, isolated and afraid. As if paralyzed, the small child huddles frozen, in the middle of the field, unable to move. Unable to find safety.
In the distance, she hears scurrying and hurried footsteps. Her head is too heavy to move, her neck too weary to twist. She slumps defenseless as the footsteps mix with frantic screams. She hears her name, but still can not move. Her parents frantically race to her side. Without looking up, she receives their embrace. Weeping, rocking, holding, protecting; her parents can hardly breath. No one can end the embrace. Huddled in a pool of tears, they stand and prepare to depart.
The walk back home becomes a sober realization that love and fences and watchfulness are not enough. That the skies are full of beautiful magical creatures waiting to sprinkle fairy dust on our children. That all anyone can do is continue to love, continue to protect and continue to watch the skies for the eary sounds of buzzing.
If you would like to continue to read on and see more examples of this person's art therapy, sand therapy and music therapy, click here.
Another example is using poetry or fantasy type writing to help organize and purge emotions. Creativity gives a healthy layer of distance between the actual event and the emotions of it all. Here is an example of a survivor of sexual abuse expressing the grooming stage and then shocking betrayal/trauma she felt when the abuse began. It captures how her parents reacted too. Not everyone has parental and familial support, but this child did.
Dancing with a Winged Creature T
The giggly chubby handed child runs after the beautiful butterfly. He is back for more fun and dancing. Chasing each other around the garden, the curly headed child unknowingly follows him out of the safety of her yard. Faster and faster, her little legs carry her. The winged creature glides through the sky, swooping down and around her. Swirling around and around with the magic and sparkle of tiny fairies. Farther and farther they run and chase and giggle and dance. Exhausted by her adventure, the little one stops to rest. The butterfly flies away. As she pauses, it becomes apparent that she no longer recognizes where she is.
Tears begin to well up in her tiny little eyes as she searches the sky for her delightful friend. She scans the field for anything familiar. Soon he appears; her beautiful flying companion. Swooping down with deliberate speed, he dives in close enough for her tiny little hands to reach out and touch. But wait. Ouch! That hurt! That wasn’t a dance at all. She begins to cry again. This time tears of pain. Pain mixed with fear. What is that buzzing sound? What happened to the gentle soaring flutter? The winged creature rushes in for another prick, another poke, here and there; again and again. Numbness sets in as the toxins infuse her body. Why is he doing that? Where is the magic? She cries out for her parents. No one can hear her cries for help… no one can feel her anguish.
Confused and stunned, the tiny little girl collapses to the ground and slumps down by a rock; with her head between her knees she begins to weep. Tears mixed with dust and sweat mingle and fall to the ground below her. She was seduced by the beauty of his wings and by the playful parade that led her away. She suddenly feels completely alone, isolated and afraid. As if paralyzed, the small child huddles frozen, in the middle of the field, unable to move. Unable to find safety.
In the distance, she hears scurrying and hurried footsteps. Her head is too heavy to move, her neck too weary to twist. She slumps defenseless as the footsteps mix with frantic screams. She hears her name, but still can not move. Her parents frantically race to her side. Without looking up, she receives their embrace. Weeping, rocking, holding, protecting; her parents can hardly breath. No one can end the embrace. Huddled in a pool of tears, they stand and prepare to depart.
The walk back home becomes a sober realization that love and fences and watchfulness are not enough. That the skies are full of beautiful magical creatures waiting to sprinkle fairy dust on our children. That all anyone can do is continue to love, continue to protect and continue to watch the skies for the eary sounds of buzzing.
If you would like to continue to read on and see more examples of this person's art therapy, sand therapy and music therapy, click here.
Music Can Help Heal Trauma
Music can be used by all ages to aid in healing trauma. The same client who wrote the above poem has always had a love for music, so using it as a way to help her heal and process seemed natural and organic. We will use her examples here as well. Throughout this young woman's therapeutic journey, she choose songs that spoke to where she was that week or month. The songs helped her make sense of her emotional journey. Some were used to cry out painful feelings (The Lonely: Christina Perri), others just made her sit in her pain and feel it (Elbow: Some Riot). Although this was a dark time of her recovery process, sometimes she needed to sit in the dark within the darkness of herself. Music kept her company and helped her organize the emotion. Some songs helped say good-bye to her offender and make peace with the pain he caused others (Jar of Hearts: Christina Perry & Here Comes the Flood: Peter Gabriel). Though much of this purging took place at home, she brought her songs into the office and shared them during therapy. What a powerful powerful way for her to excrete her pain and navigate her every changing feelings. Creating play lists for varying emotions or targets can be helpful as well.