Take care of yourself and your loved ones this September.  Watch for signs in decreasing mental health as Labor Day is a particularly distinct time in Chicago.  There’s the rush to have the not-so-final but final summer barbeque.  Many hurry to squeeze in those last rays at the beach.  The goal is to hang out with as many loved ones as possible; there are so many whom we didn’t get to squeeze in.  It all feels like a pressure cooker mad dash to beat the back to school blues. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we get to enjoy the vibrant school time celebration of the Bud Billiken parade. This year was its 89th! September is full of sweltering heat in far too often unairconditioned classrooms contrasted to the crashing waves along miles of beach. It’s as if mother nature herself is fighting the return of the school bell. The benefits of play have been witnessed all summer long on the faces of young and old, moods improve with the help of the sun and outdoor activities boost relationships. The impending school day threatens to take away the freedom and fun.

That first Tuesday of September in Chicago torments all those who happen to be in a car or bus.  Traffic jams increase agitation, decrease frustration tolerance and weaken our will power.  Those first days getting back in the swing of school can be grueling.  Not only is the traffic annoying, but all the preparation and anticipation can weigh heavily on caregivers, children, and professionals.  There’s a mixture of excitement leading up to the first day, from getting the new and most fashionable outfit laid out and ready, to getting fresh pencils and note books.  The lack of sleep and urgency in our alarm clock keeps the endorphins pumping. Many kids are ecstatic at the prospect of seeing friends they haven’t seen in months and yearning the sound of those slamming lockers.

While the start of school can prove stressful, each year amazing young minds and hearts graduate with conviction and hope. They lead the charge of our city and our nation to keep working, keep striving.  It’s important that we teach and model the value in acceptance, of ourselves, of our neighbors and of our loved ones. True and deep acceptance is really difficult, especially in this othering world we live in.  There is space for error in acceptance and there is always room for growth. The beauty in acceptance is that it multiplies itself and is so full of rewards. Making room for each other’s truth allows for more diversity and increased inclusion which in turn benefits us all.  Please reach out if you or someone you love has found the stress and pressures to be too much.  

We are teaming up with Carrie from Stretch Chi, a neighbor in our building who instructs Ki-Hara stretching.  This collaboration brings you a workshop to stretch both your body and mind with an emphasis on opening the heart.  Class size is limited so get your spot now!

In today’s climate the immediate access and inundation of chaos within the world we live in has become overwhelming. There is no other way to spin it…we live in a time of immediate access to ongoing trauma,whether disappointment, despair,uncertainty, hate, disgust…the list goes on and on. And in this snow globe of chaos, it becomes almost impossible to go throughout the day without being affected by the discourse of the human spirit. 

In speaking to the power of art therapy as a mental health practice, we need to recognize the different avenues in which creative self-expression can be most effective. Within today’s climate the need to address how one’s mental health can be continuously impacted just from trying to exist in a world that is not accepting. And thus the need for creatively expressing these pains of daily torment become more and more apparent within the field of mental health. 

At the forefront of continued debate becomes the idea of race….specifically ongoing racial divide. Especially pertaining to those who present as different than…less than…not equal to and unable to fit into the box of normal. In recognizing the ongoing divide of power, it becomes apparent to address the shift in ones mental health as a result of….specifically the trauma experienced as a result of how one is made to feel or treated as a result of the color of your skin.

To keep the discussion going the attached article provides a glimpse of the impact of racism and mental health….in hopes of normalizing how our treatment of others continues to be less than and therefore shifts ones ability to live a mentally stable existence. 

https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/apa-blog/2017/10/racism-and-mental-health

Join us for our second round of Saturday Connections Group. This group will be themed around emotional balance.

Thrive Art Therapy is happy to announce another art therapy process group for clinicians.  

Oftentimes as clinicians, we speak of self-care and prescribe it to ourselves, our clients and our colleagues.  This phrase is regularly tossed around with little follow through or regular commitment.   We all know that the tub of ice cream at the end of the day or that reality TV binge does not help us truly process the emotions and memories we are experiencing.  Each of you deserve the same quality of care you offer your clients, peers and loved ones. Secondary trauma and compassion fatigue threaten our roles on a regular basis.  We can support you in replenishing your reserves.

Using curated art materials to activate your creative centers we will assist you in processing recent events while lowering your cortisol levels.  You can leave feeling refreshed with energy to push through the final days of the month with deadlines and billings looming.  This creative catalyst can assist in your work with clients and colleagues as well as increase focus during sedentary tasks. 

Each fourth Monday of the month beginning August 27th, from 9-10:30 am.  Fee is $40 per session, including supplies.  We would love to see you there!