Creative Art in Personal DevelopmentCreative Art in Personal DevelopmentCreative Art in Personal Development By Esther Watt - LifeWorks Personal Development Trainer ![]() We have all heard the phrase quoted above, and it is perhaps nowhere more true than in a Personal Development session that utilizes the Creative Arts. Art itself is a powerful tool for self awareness. Used in conjunction with Personal Development programmes, it often brings insights that we could never have got to with only words; a colour or an image will somehow express subtle levels of meaning we were not previously aware of, or sometimes simply having a visual representation of an experience just makes it easier to talk about. We think in both words and images. Words are used to communicate, so they usually need to be put into rational, logical order to make sense to others. When we find ourselves thinking in words, it is most often to rehearse something, to comment on something, or to convince ourselves or someone else of something. This type of thinking requires us to adapt to a shared sense of reality. However when we think in images, it is usually more personal. It does not follow logic but our unique associations. What makes us unique is more easily expressed in images. There is of course a blending of the two types of thinking, most notably in art forms such as drama or poetry. Similes and metaphors are not tools of directed thinking; they transport us to the world of associations and feelings - Hope is the thing with feathers?That perches in the soul,? And sings the tune-without the wordsÂ… (Emily Dickinson) What happens in a Creative Arts Personal Development session? Contrary to common expectations, when art is used as a tool for Personal Development, it makes no difference whether a person has any talent as an artist; the process works regardless. It focuses on inner experience, so it does not require that the client can draw objects from the outside world. Art used this way does not seek to analyze or diagnose; instead, we are assisted to create a visual expression of thoughts and feelings, perceptions and imagination through specific guidelines, and then we explore the process and talk about sections of the art work. If we have insights we wish to keep to ourselves, this is fine. The process works just as well. And it works for any issue.![]() So a creative arts session may include painting, collage, clay work, sand tray work*, or simply looking at images and forming our own associations. It may also include poetry or stories, to enhance and deepen the feelings being explored. There is no requirement to create any written work unless of course we wish to; we simply read what others have written, and feel it. In summary Art offers powerful methods of accessing what is happening on the mental and emotional levels, but it can also look further, into cultural and spiritual dimensions, using symbols that have specific significance to the artist. As a client, you will never be asked to produce art work unless it is something you choose to do. If you create an art work, you are the expert on it. It will never be used to analyse or diagnose you and you will not be asked to disclose anything about it you don't wish to. You may take the work home, or leave it at LifeWorks. Here are a few exercises anyone can try at home: ![]() Try: Some Common Colour Associations - adapted from C Malchiodi, The Art Therapy Sourcebook![]() Red - birth, blood, fire, emotion, warmth, love, passion, wounds, anger, heat, life Orange - fire, harvest, warmth, energy, misfortune, alienation, assertiveness, power Yellow - sun, light, warmth, wisdom, intuition, hope, expectation, energy, riches, masculinity Green - earth, fertility, vegetation, nature, growth, cycles of renewal, envy, overprotectiveness, creativity Blue - sky, water, sea, heaven, spirituality, relaxation, cleansing, nourishment, calm, loyalty Violet/purple - royalty, spirituality, wealth, authority, death, imagination, attention, excitement, paranoia, persecution Black - darkness, emptiness, mystery, beginning, womb, unconsciousness, death, depression, loss Brown - fertility, soil, sorrow, roots, excrement, dirt, worthlessness, new beginnings White - light, purity, moon, spirituality, creation, timelessness, dreaminess, regeneration, clarity, loss, synthesis, enlightenment What clients have said - If you would like to add a touch of fun to your Personal Development Training using the Creative Arts, contact Esther. ![]() Lifeworks, Dubai To contact LifeWorks : Contact PH: 04 394 2464 or email directly to : info@lifeworksdubai.com We promise to reply quickly |
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LifeWorks Ph 04 3942464 996 Al Wasl Road, Umm Sequeim 1 Dubai info@lifeworksdubai.com PO Box 74678 |
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