Art for Cancer Wellness: Patients Group with Em, Summer 2023
Workshop Title: Visual Journaling
Facilitator: Em Jones, MA, BFA, LGPAT
Dates: Wednesdays, 6 PM to 7:45 PM ET
- June 7, 2023
- June 21, 2023
- July 5, 2023
- July 19, 2023
- August 2, 2023
- August 16, 2023
In this bi-weekly six-week workshop facilitated by art therapist Em Jones, participants will be invited to creatively explore their thoughts, feelings, and current experiences through the practice of visual journaling. Using body-centered awareness and visual imagery exercises, group members will be guided through a process of accessing emotions, expressing them visually, and releasing this energy from being carried internally. This art therapy group series is designed to give form to one’s inner experience and helps to facilitate self-expression, improve emotional awareness, and reduce stress through creative action.
Week-by-Week Overview: Each workshop will be structured as follows:
- Group feeling check-in, setting an intention;
- Body-centered awareness exercise;
- Art-making in visual journal;
- Brief reflective journal writing using self exploration questions;
- Discussion and sharing of experience in group; and
- Closing thoughts.
Week 1: Beginning Visual Journaling: How to Check in with Self
Materials: Sketchbook and desired art materials (chalk or oil pastels, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc).
The focus this week is to learn how to access and express what you feel through the process of visual journaling by tapping into your current experience. Structure: Begin with introductions, review of consent, and space to discuss group expectations and goals. Check-in journal writing; body-centered awareness exercise; art-making; journal reflection (self-exploration questions); discussion; closing thoughts.
Week 2: Healing Stress
Materials: Sketchbook and desired art materials (chalk or oil pastels, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc).
The focus of this week is on mindfully accessing stressful feelings to discover the source of stress-producing emotions and explore the messages they are communicating. Structure:
- Part I: Check-in journal writing; body-centered awareness exercise (stressful image); art-making; journal reflection (self-exploration questions);
- Part II: Body-centered awareness exercise (positive, constructive image); Art-making; journal reflection (self-exploration questions); discussion; closing thoughts.
Week 3: Drawing with a Story to Tell
Materials: Sketchbook and desired art materials (chalk or oil pastels, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc).
The focus of this week is on reconnecting with your inner self and listening to the important story it has to tell through visual imagery. You will be guided to become present in your body and to discover a message waiting to be expressed. Structure: Check-in journal writing; body-centered awareness exercise; art-making based on inner story; journal reflection (self-exploration/story-prompter questions); discussion; closing thoughts.
Week 4: Recognizing Fears and Releasing Emotion
Materials: Sketchbook and desired art materials (chalk or oil pastels, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc).
The focus of this week is on learning the lessons your fear has to teach you by exploring fears, questioning their validity and relevance, exploring their source, and asking what lessons it has to teach so that fear can become a stepping stone to a positive future. Structure:
- Part I: Check-in journal writing; body-centered awareness exercise.
art-making based on selecting a fear that you feel prepared to work with
today; journal reflection (self-exploration questions) - Part II: Art-making (changes or adjustments to fear image); discussion;
closing thoughts.
Week 5: Exploring and Resolving Inner Conflict
Materials: Sketchbook and desired art materials (chalk or oil pastels, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc).
The focus of this week is on investigating inner conflict and using imagery to give voice to your inner perspective. Structure: Check-in journal writing; body-centered awareness exercise; art-making based on inner conflict; journal reflection (self-exploration questions); discussion; closing thoughts.
Week 6: Landscape of Your Heart
Materials: Sketchbook and desired art materials (chalk or oil pastels, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc).
The focus of this week is on connecting with the inner self for present and future guidance, using visual journaling skills acquired thus far to create a metaphoric self symbol. Structure: Check-in journal writing; body-centered awareness exercise; art-making based on guided imagery; journal reflection (self-exploration
questions); discussion; closing thoughts.