By Iesha Williams

Your creativity can be used a tool to help you heal from your traumas and ease your anxieties. How amazing is it to know that we can heal our trauma through creativity?! Even the deepest of traumas can be transformed with Expressive Art, which can involve music, art, writing, sound, and more.

Trauma is an emotional wound that can affect our wellbeing and the nuances of our daily life. Most times, when we go through trauma, it can feel as if there is no way out, leaving us feeling hopeless and helpless. Through the expression of art, we can alleviate the sometimes very daunting nature of our healing process. We can also learn to identify our triggers, and engage in something that brings us pleasure and relaxation.

Through creativity, we can begin a process of releasing some of the feelings that may have been suppressed and pushed down. There is no pressure for the art  to look or be a certain way. It gives you the freedom to express yourself in a way that’s unique to you, without structural pressure. It’s an opportunity not to judge yourself, and to be exactly who you are, how you are, without judgment. It gives you a chance to be authentic with yourself, not having to pretty up words or processes in any way, by being performative.

Art can also help you to recall some details and even help you get back to remembering things you used to love that you may have forgotten about. Using art can shift the narrative around the way you look at trauma and the things that trigger your anxiety. It is such a gentle yet powerful way to take your power back!

Ease the Pressure!

There’s absolutely no need to pressure yourself if you feel that you may not be connecting to something deeper in your creativity. Soul searching takes time; however, in the meantime, it would be great to continue to discuss with your therapists some techniques and ways that may work best for your process and maybe even participating in Expressive Arts Therapy.

Set the mood!

It is important that you feel safe and genuinely enjoy the space you’re in, while you’re creating.  The atmosphere will allow you the freedom and fluidity to create how you’d like without stressors and possible triggers. You can decide to be home, maybe a park or a beach, but it is what you decide will be best to give you the scenery and freedom to create exactly how you’d like while truly enjoying the process! You can even become inspired by your scenery!

Some creative ways for healing trauma and finding release are:

• Painting
• Writing/journaling
• Drawing
• Singing/songwriting
• Listening to music while participating in creative activity
• Art therapy

How to get started:

• Brainstorm and write down your ideas.
• Be authentic with what you’re genuinely feeling.
• Allow fluidity in your process without judgment.
• Pick an environment that you’re comfortable in.
• Create the scenery, whether you want music or silence.

Finding your voice

Through creativity, you can find your voice again. It is a chance to create a different narrative surrounding your trauma, giving your experience a chance to be released and no longer harboring in your body and mind. It gently reframes your approach to your personal trauma, and whatever modality you choose to express yourself, can bring you relief and relaxation. Relaxation is vastly different from how you may have processed your trauma in the past.

Try not to reject the ideas that your mind creates; instead, incorporate them all into your artwork. Be open to yourself and your processes and try to think about what you may have learned throughout your journey. There is no shame in your experiences, so be graceful with yourself, your thought process, and the things that come up. Art is your healing power! Healing trauma is possible!