Yesterday I held a family Expressive Arts Therapy session with two sisters and the theme we explored was vulnerability. I played a short Brene Brown clip as we eased our way into exploring the art materials. We spent some time with Brene’s quote about vulnerability, being with uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure and we leaned into the idea that vulnerability is the birth place of so much of what we long for in our lives. It was a beautifully rich process.
All three of us popped words into the Zoom chat about what vulnerability meant to us, what feelings it created, and anything else that arrived. We then used objects from our spaces to make music and gave voice to the very vulnerability that had stirred up some anxiety and fear at the beginning of the session. It was absolutely breathtaking to witness.
I’m forever in awe of the arts and how they can hold so much of what we are afraid to bring out into the light; how they invite us to reveal parts of ourselves we might otherwise shun or shield. There were such powerful moments when these two women put down their armour and allowed themselves to be seen and heard. This was the beginning of what I truly believe is going to be an extraordinary adventure. 💫
These are some close ups of the piece I began working on with these two brave women. I found it so interesting how drawn I was to the safety pins. I’d never made art with them before but I think what kept coming back to me was how both women stressed the importance of safety when it comes to allowing themselves to be vulnerability.