We strategically partner with organizations
who support ongoing emotional and spiritual growth to facilitate transformative online and in-person creative arts programs.
Expressive Arts is a discipline of helping and healing that uses the arts as its basis for discovery and change. Expressive Arts include: visual, dance, drama, creative writing, film and digital media, and music.
While some view the arts as elementary or a luxury, we assert their indispensability, serving as a fundamental cornerstone for academic, emotional, mental, and spiritual growth.
Expressive arts are beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, they provide a powerful means of self-expression, allowing individuals to communicate thoughts, emotions, and experiences that may be challenging to convey verbally. Secondly, engaging in expressive arts fosters creativity, encouraging novel ways of thinking and problem-solving. Thirdly, these arts can serve as therapeutic outlets, promoting mental and emotional well-being by aiding in stress reduction, emotional regulation, and the processing of trauma. Additionally, the collaborative nature of many expressive arts activities enhances social connections and interpersonal skills. Overall, the multifaceted benefits of expressive arts contribute to personal growth, improved mental health, and a richer understanding of oneself and others.
Creativity begins with observation. Listening, watching, wondering and engaging all the senses can be stimulating. Creative people note details and create a library of inspiration by observing the world around them. They are curious and engage with their world to learn. Listening and observation also allows one to be slow to judge.
Numerous individuals feel intimidated by art, thinking they aren't "artists." Expressive Arts urges individuals to shed that limiting label. Engaging in projects, participants often discover they can achieve more than they imagined, changing their self-perception and building confidence.
Creativity trains the brain to think in unusual ways. Repetition through artistic skill creates new neural pathways in our brain. Studies show that even though trauma can make our brains work in ways to survive, we can change that. Engaging in repetitive activities can help rewire the brain that controls the nervous system, bringing oxygen and blood flow back to the brain, calming the body and allowing access to higher brain functions.
Creativity provides a platform for processing life, offering a space for contemplation, meditation, relaxation, and healing. Engaging in creative exercises alleviates stress and promotes positive mental health. Amidst the overwhelming nature of stress and trauma, characterized by intrusive thoughts and sensations, the creation of art in a safe environment can serve as a means to discover alternative coping mechanisms.
Creative individuals see problems and obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow. The creative process teaches us to preserve and overcome challenges. Overcoming mistakes and accidents in the creative process gives us courage in our own life struggles.