When Life Feels Heavy: Tap into the Healing Power of Art by Stephanie McLeod-Estevez, LCPC
To be human is to experience many seasons in life, including times in which everything feels heavy. Whatever’s causing this pain, when you’re in the middle of it, it can feel as if it’ll never end.
As an art therapist, I have experienced personally and professionally the soothing balm that art and creativity can bring. Especially when you’re feeling weighed down by the turmoil of life.
I’ve taken the acronym ESP to explain why art can feel so magical when you practice these steps together. Let’s look at what this means and then I'll share tips about how to start a creative healing practice.
1. E is for Express. When life feels arduous, it’s easy to find yourself in a cycle of trying to escape while also feeling consumed by the pain. Communication falters because words often fail to capture the anguish you feel.
Art therapy is a form of communication that reflects your experience without being dependent on words alone. Through color shape and form, you become the translator, a curious observer working to interpret what’s happening inside onto paper.
This act of creating results in two helpful phenomena. First, it allows you to get what’s bothering you off of your chest, which is relieving. Second, art enables you to soften the inner critic. When you’re observing your experience, you’re not judging it.
2. S is for Soothe. When life feels complicated and hard, your nervous system is on alert. Your body is filled with the tension and the energy that comes with this struggle. You may feel like you can’t take it much longer.
When you express your thoughts and feelings through art, you end up feeling lighter as you create. The deep sense of calm comes from feeling seen and heard. This kind of self-validation is incredibly soothing to your soul.
When life feels heavy, being able to achieve this kind of outcome signals to you that moments of levity are possible. Your resilience is strengthened to help you through this difficult season.
3. P is for Process. I once heard an interview with a philosopher discussing how to build resilience. He described that when people tell you what made them who they are today, it was the trials that they’d lived through. Times of adversity are what help you recognize your innate gifts and purpose.
Once you’ve expressed yourself and feel that sense of calm, you're in an optimal place for processing your experience. You’ve separated from the intensity of your heaviness. This is when you find self-understanding, clarity, and you can make meaning.
In addition to improving your self-awareness, practicing E.S.P. makes it easier to communicate, as the stress and strain of the situation has decreased. These ingredients help you to feel a greater connection to your instinct and intuition, which will help you to problem-solve.
Here’s how to start your own creative healing practice:
1. Keep it simple. I suggest starting with simple art supplies, ones that you might find in a child’s art box. You still may feel some performance anxiety, but at least you’re not trying to figure out how something works. You may wish to buy a dedicated art journal with blank pages, so that you can keep your artwork all in one spot.
2. Practice translating. After setting up your supplies, take a moment to go inside and notice how you are feeling, perhaps where you feel tension. Once you feel really connected, ask yourself what color best matches that energy. Next, what kinds of marks reflect what you feel. Listen to what your creative voice wants you to do. When your piece feels finished, stop.
3. Create a habit. Starting something new often feels awkward. As we all know, the more you practice, the easier it becomes. There’s no right or wrong way to practice the art of creative communication; however, to truly be helpful you need to create the habit. Over time, you can notice how this habit influences how you’re feeling.
It’s never easy to live through a season of heaviness. May these recommendations help you to feel lighter, more capable, and a stronger connection to your intuition as you move forward.
Stephanie McLeod-Estevez, LCPC, is an art therapist and a resilient breast cancer survivor. Her unwavering passion lies in empowering women to embrace life boldly, overcoming obstacles in their path. To delve deeper into her impactful work visit www.stephaniemcleodestevez.com. Subscribe to her newsletter, "Spark Curiosity, Live Radiantly," for complimentary Art Therapy Guidebooks and exclusive access to enriching workshops.