Koru Art Therapy

Spring is certainly upon us on the Mid North Coast. Found some beautiful wildflowers blooming along the Point Perpendicular walking track this morning. The white flannel flower reminds me of my Dad and my childhood. A time of wonder and nurture. For me getting out into nature is always nurturing and if you look for it you will find the wonder 🐋 ☀️ 🍃

A reminder to stop and breathe 🍃. Life can get so busy and it’s easy to be swept along and forget to appreciate where we are 🌊🌞

Peaceful holiday wishes wherever you are on this holiday eve. Hoping that the festive season brings opportunities for rest, relaxation and reflection. 🎄💫🎄💫🎄💫🎄💫🎄

Have been surrounded by so much bull kelp during our time in Dunedin. The kelp is always dancing in response to its environment. The waves and storms come and go and it keeps on moving. Fluid in response to what is going on around it. Where it is planted also makes a difference to the effect the water has on its movement. Being located next to other kelp helps the buffeting effect of the waves, the closeness of ‘another’ provides a buffering and protection. So many messages and resonances! 🌊 🌊🌊

She speaks and I listen
Here at the end of the world where the wind meets the sea in a cacophony of sound
Her words soothe my soul and still my mind until there is nothing left
Except her and me
Me and her 🍃🌊🍃🌊

Have enjoyed spending time out and about discovering new places in and around Dunedin. The Aramoana Salt Marsh was just stunning with its own finely-balanced ecosystem housing sea snails, crabs and delicate plant species. I watched as the snails processed sand, feeding on the nutrients found within. The crabs peeked out tentatively from their dug-out holes waiting for a chance to roam. All surrounded by a path winding through native flax flowers and other marsh flora. Away from the world … in another world. Exhale 💨

I wanted to share some of the beauty I’ve been absorbing the past little while. Getting out and connecting with this amazing land has been so restorative. As ever I’m amazed at the resonance I feel with the natural environment and how calm and centred I am 🏔️🏔️. If ever there was a perfect example of the benefits of nature therapy, New Zealand tops the list. If you’re needing some calm try heading outside into nature and listen to what she is saying 🏔️💫🏔️💫

Blue moon over Lawyer’s Head, Dunedin, 31/8/2023 ~ chalk and oil pastels on white cartridge paper 🎨

Loving all of those silver linings and glimmer moments. So nice to slow down and enjoy the natural world in all its splendour 💫

“Painting is another way of keeping a diary” ~ Pablo Picasso 🎨🏔️💫🍃☀️🌀 *Chalk pastel on white paper.

Had the absolute pleasure of watching the NZ Ferns in their last game of the FIFA Women’s World Cup against Switzerland. What a game! The passion of the players was palpable and the Ferns has so many near goals ending with a nil-all draw ⚽️. Such a great metaphor for life in that despite great skill, effort and enthusiasm sometimes we don’t see many obvious results. The key however is to celebrate the effort and know that each challenge is a step forward 👣 ⚽️🇳🇿 Kia ora 💫

Enjoying some ‘slow’ this morning and the beautiful vista before me. Time to reflect and recharge 🌊☀️ Also just noticed the old-fashioned shark bell 🔔 to signal when it isn’t safe to be in the water. Reminds me that there are always warning bells to listen for even in picture-perfect life settings. Heeding these warnings can contribute to maintaining our wellbeing. What do your bells look like? What do they sound like?

Came across some interesting tree ferns with ‘skirts’ on our walk today. This path wound up to The Organ Pipes, volcanically-formed basalt rock formations adjacent to Mount Cargill. For me spending time in nature is always grounding and gets me out of me head 🍃☀️🍃☀️🍃☀️🍃

Giant kelp dancing in the sea at Tairoa Head this afternoon. One of my favourite places to visit on the Otago Peninsula ☀️🌊. The kelp always reminds me of the need to be flexible to our surrounding environment. Flexibility minimises our discomfort and if we see it as a dance with life then what’s not to like? 🌀💫

Taking time with my loves to start some new habits this week. Making intentional space in my day to be present to myself and those I’m with feels liberating. As the sun warms me I remember how important it is to be in sync with nature and my new environment ☀️🍃🌀🏔💫

The start of a 6-month long adventure today as we flew into the land that I call my spiritual home. Still amazed at my bodily felt resonance with this place 28 years after my first ever visit and lots of family holiday adventures in between. I am absolutely so ready to reconnect with this land, it’s amazing wildlife, flora and the people. A mural in our hotel room reminded me of the wide open spaces which will surround me as I live here. The braided rivers which snake their way through the land each find their very own unique path and inspire me to do the same! 🏔🏔🏔 🌀🌀🌀

Recently I had a situation that was causing me a lot of distress. Using oil pastels to represent it on paper helped me to express how I was feeling inside. The process wasn’t fancy or sophisticated but the sheet of paper gave me a container to pour it onto. I was able to use colour and varying pressure to represent my emotions. So simple yet profoundly liberating 🌀🎨 🌀 🎨

Bouquet of intention 💐 I had time this week to start an inquiry into how to give myself some space to reconnect with me. Ahead of a six-month adventure in Aotearoa I am curious about the open journey to come. How do I embrace this ‘open space’ and use it as an opportunity to nurture and uncover my inner self? What does my preferred way of being look like? What I have come to know through the arts-making I engaged in is that you need structure to hold the space and to allow experiences to integrate. “Carefully crafted intentional spaces”. Having this intention to hold space for myself is the key to growth 🌀💫🌀💫🌀

Curious about stepping stones and how we can intentionally use them to lead us where we want to go one small stride at a time ... where are you headed? 🏔💫 🏔💫🏔~Photo: Lake Tekapo, NZ

Art therapy provides a way for us to externalise what is going on for us emotionally and in the process integrate our lived experience 🎨

Just 45 minutes of engagement with a creative process is scientifically proven to reduce stress hormones. In losing yourself in art you are able to reconnect with yourself 🤗

Engagement, expression, connection … 🎨🎨

Engagement, expression, connection ... it’s been a pleasure implementing an art therapy program at this year. Giving children a space to use arts-making materials to express their inner feelings and lived experience is a privilege. I have learnt so much about each of the children who sit alongside me week-by-week by having the time to listen 🎨🎨🌀🌀💫💫

Curious about art therapy and the creative process? Why not challenge yourself to a month of art journalling, or doodling either first thing in the morning or before bed. You might be surprised at the benefits to your wellbeing 💭🤗

‘Looking ahead’ ~ chalk and oil pastel on cartridge paper. This work grew from a check in I did this morning alongside a client. The spiky ride I’ve been on is leading to a more fluid path where there will be more time for me and space to enjoy my surroundings🏔🎨💫

Where are you headed? What’s holding you back?