What better group of people to learn from
than those of you who compose or perform music, write brilliant fiction and non- fiction as well as those who create beautiful works of visual art, or bring us wonderful acting through theater and film.
Yet many artists may experience deep frustrations, even sadness and depression or a sense of constant anxiety
about their identity and livelihood. Some ways will be touched on here as far as tools for unblocking the creative force that artists find so invigorating when it flows. In
addition, thanks to the Arts can be expressed for those perhaps unrecognized offerings that can also be used by individuals who are suffering and want to sooth and build strength.
The number one most important area that artists can use in themselves and teach everyone is that of expression and feeling that expression is received. Musicians may put together a song and when played for
others, have a sense of the audience understanding and being a part of their message. The singer can feel a
connection with a particular song and nothing creates the sense of release or clarity than voicing that melody
with lyrics that they or someone they resonate with have written. On the other side of it, a musician might
experience an enormous struggle with feeling he or she cannot get across exactly, what they wish at a particular time, and therefore lose the potential connection to others.  How does this tie in to you being depressed, feeling powerless, or getting overwhelmed with
stress? A connection and sharing with others in the way a musician could is an important key to preventing the sense of isolation that comes with depression, and a great way to transform
anxiety into relief, and helplessness into a powerful sense of self. If you are a musician, you may need to remind yourself of how you have had success before with something in your life
you created or were a part of performing and get some help in incorporating that memory back into your mind, physical self and support in rekindling your spirit.
How can you all, artist or not, benefit from this information? Finding a way to express creatively can shift mood and build confidence. Use those who give us the gift of
music as examples of listening deeply even if you don't play, or by singing out what you can put together that most represents who you are, even if you feel you have trouble carrying a
tune. Lyrics alone can get out of you what is going on that feels so immobilizing. Melody can move through
you as you allow yourself to delve into it. In creative therapies there can be much support in various ways of healing with artistic forms of expression.
One more way that musicians already make use of a therapeutic "instrument" is through the camaraderie that
exists when playing with other musicians. Just through a music jam, a performance with those they have been
working with or the many individuals it takes to put together a musical production, there lies the beginnings of a
great community of support! Reaching out when life is difficult is a whole lot easier when one builds a support network to reach out to.
As far as writers go, the same need for and joy from expression takes place in the written word. How many
times have we heard of or seen images of a frustrated writer typing and then crumbling or canceling what has
come out. It often feels both crucial and deeply satisfying to finally put into words what he or she is trying to get  across. It is as much for themselves as for others, as even if the written content goes unshared, there is a lot of inner enlivening that
takes place when things go well with written works. This can be deeply moving to others as that feeling is transmitted and often identified with.
Hence bringing us to a way that many of you can glean healing from writers' powerful pieces...you find yourself, your pain, and your joy and
much of the truths and wishes about everyday life in that. This is an unseen but very present sense of feeling understood and that you are not alone in what you may be going through.
For writers in particular, why not use your already honed skills to allow yourself to freely write through the times you feel stuck or annoyed with
it just not coming out right. Scribble about that and release it by releasing yourself from the binds of having to have a structure, or
topical focus. Kind of like babbling on paper. For everyone, there has been research pointing to writing in specific ways that can be taught in counseling
for instance, can help with trauma, worry, frustration and anger, as well as symptoms that show up in your body, and repeated patterns that manifest in your relationships. In conclusion, I would like to encourage you all to follow the artist's model in allowing something to come through them and into the Universe, as each of us has so much to offer that others can
resonate with. Believe that bringing forth what is inside of you in creative waves touches everyone and mends much of what feels torn up.
Carol Jaron, MFT |
