So You're Starting Therapy, Now What?

You might have been thinking about going to therapy for the first time or going back to therapy after some time off. You’ve researched a therapist or been referred. You’ve booked your first session. Now what? Starting or re-starting therapy can stir up a lot of emotions. You might be worried about what will happen in the session, if you’ll get along with your therapist, if you’ll get anything out of treatment, or even embarrassed about the prospect of opening yourself up to someone new. All of those concerns are valid and perfectly normal.

One way to manage these anxious thoughts is to turn worry into action. Here are four things that you can do to feel more prepared for your session and two things you can do after your session to ease into the rest of your day:

Before Session

1. Acknowledge: Give yourself credit for taking steps to prioritize your mental health despite competing pressures of life, social stigma, or whatever else got in the way in the past. The important thing is that you are showing up for yourself now.

2. Set the Scene:

   1. If your session will be over telehealth make sure that you will have some privacy. This might mean finding a room in the apartment or requesting that family members/significant others/roommates/etc. step out during the session (or schedule when they are normally at work, school, daycare, etc.). If those you might live with must be home consider asking them to wear headphones or earplugs to muffle the sound. You might consider using an outdoor area if the weather is mild. Be sure to use headphones with a button to turn the microphone on and off to reduce noise from wind, traffic, etc.

   2. Test drive your internet connection and device to ensure that the video call can be completed with the equipment you have.

   3. If you are worried about your therapist seeing the inside of your home tidy up, put up a room divider or screen, or use the blur background option on Zoom.

   4. Have a few art or writing supplies with you. You can use these to jot down questions , reminders, and insights during the session or use them for creative expression. If you don’t know what supplies you might want to have on hand check out these suggestions from arttherapyresources.com/au.

3. Questions: It is okay to ask questions during your session. You might want to know about practical matters such as insurance, scheduling, communications, your therapist’s professional credentials, etc. You can set aside time during the session, either at the beginning or the end, to address these matters. Your therapist may not have the answer to every question but they can help guide you to find answers.

4. Expectations: Think about what outcomes you hope to have from coming to therapy. While therapy can be a useful tool to help you improve your quality of life it is not a panacea and it is usually not a quick process. In many ways, therapy is like exercising with a trainer. There are times when you will feel like you are making great progress and there are times when you may plateau. There are times when the process will be enjoyable and times when you experience discomfort. Consistently showing up, doing the introspective work, and being patient with yourself tends to yield the best results. The time you spend in therapy is based on your individual needs and goals. There is no one-size-fits-all. Treatment for one person might be a few months to get through a rough patch in life. Treatment for another person might be several years . With all of this in mind, if something doesn’t feel right it is important to communicate that with your therapist. Most of the time the matter can be resolved with a conversation.

After Session

1. Reflect: Take time to think about what happened in session and how it made you feel. If you wrote notes or made artwork look at these too. This doesn’t have to happen immediately after or even the same day. Consider:

   1. What went well?

   2. What was something that you learned that you can apply going forward?

   3. What didn’t go well or didn’t feel right?

   4. Are there new questions or topics that I want or need to address next time.

2. Unwind: If possible, take some time after session to take a walk, drink a cup of coffee or tea, journal, or another relaxing self-care activity. While therapy is often a needed relief from stress, there are times when processing difficult emotions or concerns in your life can be tough. Taking those few minutes of quiet after session can help you ease back into the rest of your day more gently.

Support Needed for New York A1171A

We have limited time to influence Governor Hochul's choice to sign A1171A into law. This will establish private insurance to cover the services by licensed creative arts therapists in New York State. The video below features testimonials from clients and therapists about the importance of the creative arts therapies in supporting mental health. Access to affordable treatment is vital, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, community violence, widespread racial discrimination, assault on bodily autonomy, and other crises impacting mental health. Please reach out to Governor Hochul and share this video on social media.

Book Club Updates

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the monthly book club so far. As a reminder, in recognition of mental health awareness month our book for May is Blue Dreams: The Science and the Story of the Drugs that Changed Our Minds by Lauren Slater. We will meet on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 7 PM as usual. The group will take a temporary hiatus over the summer and return in August. Thank you for your flexibility and I hope to see you there!

Work in Progress

One of my resolutions this year is to set aside time for knitting on a regular basis. With that in mind, I’m excited to start working on a pattern that I’ve been meaning to try for a long time. This pattern (from Purl Soho) creates a ribbed texture without purling! Instead, the pattern leverages two rows with offset knitted and slipped stiches (K3, slip 1 wyif). I’m using Red Heart Unforgettable in Sunrise to achieve an ombre of bright colors that is still washable and wearable. What are you working on this month?

Book Club

With a new year just around the corner many of us may be making resolutions. Whether it is eating healthier, heading to the gym, or cutting down screen time, January is a time, at least on paper, for self-improvement. Making a promise though is much easier than keeping one, however, unless you have a plan that you can sustain. For example, I have so many books that I want to ready, yet, the call of my Netflix que seems to draw me in with its siren call.

With this in mind, I am inviting you to join me in a monthly book club. The last Wednesday evening of the month we’ll get together to discuss a different book and make response art. Recognizing that life gets hectic, you can attend all of the sessions or just when you’re available. Here is our reading list for 2022:

• ATOMIC HABITS: TINY CHANGES, REMARKABLE RESULTS- James Clear

• POST TRAUMATIC SLAVE SYNDROME: AMERICA’S LEGACY OF ENDURING INJURY AND HEALING- Joy Degruy

• THE AESTHETIC BRAIN- Anjan Chatterjee

• THE OTHER SIDE OF SADNESS: WHAT THE NEW SCIENCE OF BEREAVEMENT TELLS US ABOUT LIFE AFTER LOSS- George A Bonanno

• BLUE DREAMS: THE SCIENCE AND THE STORY OF THE DRUGS THAT CHANGED OUR MINDS- Lauren Slater

• THE ART OF COMMUNITY: SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF BELONGING- Charles H. Vogl

• ART IS A WAY OF KNOWING: A GUIDE TO SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND SPIRITUAL FULFILLMENT THROUGH CREATIVITY- Pat Allen

• PEDAGOGY OF THE OPRRESSED- Paulo Freire

• BURNOUT: THE SECRET TO UNLOCKING THE STRESS CYCLE- Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

• THE MINDFUL THERAPIST: A CLINICIAN’S GUIDE TO MINDSIGHT AND NEURAL INTEGRATION- Daniel Siegel

• THE SOUL’S CODE: IN SEARCH OF CHARACTER AND CALLING- James Hillman

• THE CREATIVITY CURE: HOW TO BUILD HAPPINESS WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS- Carrie Barron and Alton Barron

Pre-registration is required: JOIN

Cold Weather, Hot Glass

Maker’s Mercantile is a Washington state based community of crafters. They recently hosted a Maker’s Night with fiber and glass artist Carol Milne. Milne is known for her sculptural works knitting glass. A knitter since the age of 10, she ventured into glass casting in 2000. She noticed that the wax canes she used the mold making process looked a bit like and wondered, “Can I knit with these?”

The short answer is no, you can’t use knitting needles to knit with wax because it lacks the elasticity of yarn and tends to break rather than stretch. However, knitting is created with interlocking looks and as long as these loops come together the it doesn’t matter whether you use tools or not (for example, finger and arm knitting). Eventually, Milne reasoned that she could hand knit the wax into a knitted fabric which in turn can be made into a mold. The glass is fired inside the mold in a kiln and takes on the knitted form, creating elaborate sculptures.

Some of Milne’s more recognizable pieces features hands knitting themselves. While initially these were inspired by M.C. Escher’s print “Drawing Hands” a series of losses caused the meaning of these sculptures to shift, “I started thinking about what does it mean to become your own mentor.” Whether through death, retirement, moving away, or growing up, eventually the teachers and coaches in our life leave us. When I reflect on the idea of knitting your own hands I think about internalizing the support and guidance from our mentors and making it a part of us.

Gearing Up for 2021

“2020 is a unique Leap Year. It has 29 days in February, 300 days in March, and five years in April.”

— Unknown

2020 has been the year that taught us all about R0, cytokine storms, panic buying, telehealth, and social distancing. Some of us stayed home and held dance parties over Zoom, home schooled children, and developed brand loyalty to sanitizing products. Others donned masks, gloves, face shields, boot covers, and gowns to treat COVID-19 patients. We saw the gaps in the social safety net and the divide along economic, racial, and political lines growing. To say that 2020 was a year that will not soon be forgotten is an understatement.

As the year draws to a close it’s natural to take stock of our triumphs, shortcomings, and hopes for the future. I think this post by @thejuliarock is important to keep in mind as you’re scrolling through social media feeds, watching the news, or even just reflecting on your own. Personally, I know that I thought I would do more writing, art making, reading, hiking, and running. Unfortunately, the stress of working in person through the surge in New York, higher case loads in the mental health wave of the pandemic, and breaking my arm this fall meant a lot more Netflix than I had planned. One of the biggest lessons that I’ve had to learn this year is that I have to walk the walk when it comes to self-compassion, not just talking the talk. Self-compassion means giving yourself the same benefit of the doubt, reasonable expectations, and permission to be human that you would give to a friend, family member, client, supervisee, student, mentee, or stranger.

One of the tools that I started using, and have made a resolution to continue using is the Remente app (available for iOS and Android, free with upgraded features for subscribers). The app allows you to chart your moods, set goals, keep track of tasks, and write journal entries. One of the more robust tools is the Life Assessment which allows you to reflect on wellness across the domains of Love & Relationships, Health & Fitness, Career & Education, Personal Development, Family, Friends & Social Life, Fun & Recreation, and Finances. This is useful as visual representation of areas that might require more of our attention and a reminder that there isn’t only one definition of success. You don’t need an app to do this kind of assessment, however. There are a number of printable versions:

DawnBarclay.com

Life Balance Assessment and Action Planning Guide

Apartment Therapy

You can also design your own wellness wheel to check in at regular intervals. You can make small ones in your planner or notebook by tracing a round object like a coffee cup. Divide the circle into sections, using the categories in this post as a guide or create your own based on your values and priorities. Assign each section a color, texture, pattern, or other visual marker and fill it in to represent your level of satisfaction with that area of life. Reflect on factors that may be contributing to your current circumstances and set an intention for area to improve. For example, if your Friends & Social Life need more attention you might schedule a video chat with a friend or meet up for hot cocoa outdoors.

Resolutions are popular around this time of year. While some of us are good at keeping them, many fall by the wayside before the month is out. If you decide to make a resolution this year or just want to set a goal, you want to be SMART about it. The acronym SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Goals should be clear, limited to a realistic scope, and have a deadline. Rather than saying, “I want to read more in the New Year,” I might say that “I want to read one book per month in 2021.” The first version was vague. What is more? How will I know if I’m doing more now than before? The second version is much clearer because I have defined what “more” is and I will be able to know if I have achieved that by the end of the year.

It is also important to write goals using language that encourages approach rather than avoidance. A new study comparing participants who wrote goals in approach language (language that tells them to do something, such as eat five fruits per day) completed their goals 58.9 percent of the time compared to participants who wrote goals in avoidance language (language that tells them not to do something, such as stop eating candy) who completed their goals 47.1 percent of the time. While the end result of either goal would be losing weight by improving diet, the As psychologist Per Calbring explains, "You cannot erase a behavior, but you can replace it with something else."

There are plenty of ways to keep track of your goals. I tend to be of the mindset that if it isn’t written down, by hand, then it isn’t going to happen. Physically crossing something off of my to do list is also incredibly satisfying. Even though I feel comfortable with technology and use it for most of my scheduling, correspondence, and day-to-day functioning, I work best when I use a paper appointment book (you can see my cat, Oscar, helping me with this post). There is no right or wrong format, however, the version I went with shows the whole week and has appointments in 15 minute increments from 7 AM to 9 PM. That lets me plan out larger activities into smaller chunks and schedule breaks which I need to do to keep on track.

What helps you keep you focused and motivated? What are your goals for 2021? Let me know in the comments below.

Guerrilla Kindness this Winter

In a previous post, we discussed craftivism, which is the combination of craft and activism. Sayraphim Lothian introduced a new term called guerrilla kindness, which is the combination of guerrilla art (independent, unauthorized, impromptu) and random acts of kindness. In other words, guerrilla kindness is the act of leaving small, handcrafted items in places where they can be found and enjoyed by others. Lothian explained, “Random acts of kindness are a rebellion against the expected and entrenched nastiness, and joy and confidence in yourself is a radical act.” With all of the negativity in the news and polarized views within our culture, kindness, particularly towards strangers, is surprising and potentially subversive.

Lothian added “When you give something precious away for free, you fly in the face of the assumptions of capitalism.” This is particularly salient during the bustle of the upcoming holiday season. Traditionally, there are pressures to spend money on gifts, outfits, food, decorations, outings, travel, and more. While the current pandemic is forcing many to adjust or abandon these notions, there can still be feelings of guilt, shame, and stress for not living up to (arguably outdated) expectations.

This season you may be visiting family, attending religious services, or partying with co-workers all over Zoom. While celebrating may be very different this year, it can still be festive. You can make decorations for your home (to display privately or in a window for neighbors to see), send small, hand-made gifts through the mail, or post photos of your work on social media. If you choose to leave items for others to find you might consider items that can be easily sanitized or washed. You still have some time left if you haven’t already picked up your knitting needles or crochet hooks. I’ve selected a few videos to get you started (linked below).

An easy and quick way to crochet and stiffen a snowflake ornament for your tree or window!

Learn to crochet the Hanukkah set which includes a coffee cozie and a gelt bag.

Alexis Hex shows you how to make ball of yarn ornaments! Her channel also has tutorials for snow flakes, trees, scarves, and other festive items.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to knit a Christmas Tree, step by step. Fun, quick and easy to knit, this pattern is ideal for beginners.

How to create the step weave pattern using construction paper. You could easily substitute fabric or felt for the paper shown. A mkeka is a traditional place mat for Kwanza offerings.

You can also check out my Pinterest board for more holiday knitting projects.

If you are looking for craftivism and guerrilla kindness project ideas you can make throughout the year check out the books below. Please note that each of these books may contain images or language that are intended to be political, jarring, or provocative. They provide tutorials for making pieces of art and craft with a message to promote social change.

Guerrilla Kindness & Other Acts of Creative Resistance: Making A Better World Through Craftivism by Sayraphim Lothian

Crafting with Feminism: 25 Girl-Powered Projects to Smash the Patriarchy by Bonnie Burton

Subversive Cross Stitch: 50 F*cking Clever Designs for Your Sassy Side by Julie Jackson

Fresh Off the Needles: Socks, Physical Therapy, and Wellness

As my arm is slowing beginning to heal I’ve ben able to resume knitting in my customary hand position. With the cold weather firmly in place I wanted to try making socks. I’ve never been a fan of double pointed needles so I was pleased to a find a pattern that can be worked flat and later sewn together. You can check that out here. The pattern specifically calls for 5mm (size 8) needles and worsted weight yarn. I used a thicker yarn so that I can get more of a slipper sock and am pleased with the first of the pair. The pattern fits a size 9 in women’s but you can adjust the pattern to fit different sizes by adding or subtracting stitches on the sole before the toe and instep after the tow. If my calculations are correct, you should be able to use the size chart I’ve created.

Size 8 needles, Lion Brand Tweed Stripes Bulky (5) yarn in orchid, added 4 rows to the sole and 4 rows to the insole to create a women’s size 10 slipper sock

As I’m regaining mobility in my arm in some ways I feel as though I am living through some of the literature about the therapeutic benefits of knitting. Specifically, I’m reminded of the work of Betsan Corkhill, a physiotherapist and the founder of Stitchlinks, an online community providing support, research, and guidance about knitting. Early on, she observed that her clients often had trouble engaging in physical therapy not because they would be unable to do the exercises but because they felt that had no reason to do it or meaning in their lives. She noticed that her clients often suffered from social isolation, worry, fear, stress, lack of rewarding occupation, low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, low confidence, and a changed or lost sense of identity. She speculated that if she took a different approach, specifically introducing knitting, that her clients would have a meaningful hobby which could prompt motivation for physical therapy.

Over time, Corkhill observed that her clients who participated in knitting were less depressed. Later research suggested that frequent knitting (at least three times per week) can help people feel calmer and happier. The reason for this benefit, Corkill suggested, is the complexity of the task of knitting as well as the enjoyment derived from it. She referred to knitting as a “bilateral, rhythmic, psychosocial intervention.” By this she meant that the combination of complex, rhythmic movements of both hands and eyes, simultaneously, across the mid-line of the body is so complex that it leaves little room for negative, ruminative thoughts that are common in anxiety and depression. Additionally, because the repetitive movements of knitting can become part of muscle memory, this allows people who knit in groups to modulate their eye contact (looking up from their work or gazing into their lap) which can create a sense of safety around others which helps people who have experienced trauma.

Knitting is a

Knitting and Pain Poster

Creative Check In

Over the past few weeks I have been reviewing the data from my study. I have conducted focus groups with art therapists across the US and Canada about the properties of fiber arts. Their responses suggest that fiber arts may be therapeutic due to the following eight qualities: grounding, meditative, tactile, rhythmic, structured, repetitive, social, and practical. Based on their feedback I am developing a training manual for art therapists about fiber arts and shared trauma. Below are two preview pages from the manual.

The first page is a self-care check-list. This is organized based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which suggests that human needs are prioritized into hierarchical categories. In other words, some needs are fundamental and must be addressed before we are capable of and motivated to strive for loftier goals. First we address our physiological needs, such as sleep, food, and hydration. Next we address our need for safety and security in the form of housing and finances (to obtain material needs like food or maintain items we need like our housing, car, etc.). Next we address our social needs which includes love, affiliation, and belonging which we obtain from friends, family, co-workers, and our communities. Next we address our needs for esteem which comes from acknowledgement by and respect from peers and colleagues, as well as professional or avocational accomplishments. Finally, if all of our other needs are met we are free to pursue our higher purpose and loftier goals. This is important from a self-care perspective because if we don’t address our basic needs by doing things like taking a lunch break, getting enough sleep, or spending time with people whom we care about, not only will we start to feel stressed, anxious, or burned out but it will be harder to do our jobs well. It is difficult to be compassionate and empathic when you’re hangry (hungry + angry)!

The second page is a flow chart which makes suggestions about different art interventions you might go to based on your emotional state and current needs. This is based directly on the contributions of the research participants in the focus groups. As an art therapist it is sometimes easier to guide a client or supervisee towards the right material than it is to choose a material for yourself if you’re feeling upset. While certainly not a comprehensive listing it is meant as a jumping off point. Feel free to try it out and leave feedback in the comments below.

What Do Running and Knitting Have in Common?

When you think about running, what image comes to mind? Sweating? Heart pounding? Breathing hard? Moving fast? This probably isn’t the same image you have of knitting. You might not even envision the same person enjoying both activities. Yet, in my experience and as the research suggests, running and knitting may have more in common than you would expect.

Running and knitting are both activities that are based on repetition. Whether it is one foot in the front of the other for miles or one stitch after another hundreds or even thousands of times over, each activity is the repetition of a basic unit over and over. Running a race or knitting a scarf both take perseverance to complete. Practice is essentially repetition and revision to hone a skill. How do you get faster at running? You run sprints, interval train, and hustle up hills. With effort and practice you conquer longer distances at greater speed with more ease. How do you get better at knitting? You practice the knit step over and over again, you learn to purl, you knit in the round, and you try different combinations of stitch patterns. With effort and practice you make more complex projects, sometimes without even looking at your work (shout out to my mother who knits lace patterns, in the dark, while watching Game of Thrones!).

Initially, repetition can be frustrating and challenging. After the basics are mastered, repetition may promote meditative or flow states. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described flow as “-a state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity.” During flow states, a sense of time and emotional problems seem to disappear. Colloquially, people describe flow as being “in the zone.” Flow states arise from the enjoyment of using our strengths and skills to rise to challenges. Csikszenmihalyi has interviewed people from many cultures across the world and observed that flow states share the following eight components:

1. We confront tasks we have a chance of completing

2. We must be able to concentrate on what we are doing

3. The task has clear goals

4. The task provides immediate feedback

5. One acts with deep, but effortless involvement, that removes from awareness the worries and frustrations of everyday life

6. One exercises a sense of control over their actions

7. Concern for the self disappears, yet, paradoxically the sense of self emerges stronger after the flow experience is over

8. The sense of duration of time is altered

Flow is related to, but not the same as, peak experiences and peak performance. Maslow describe peak experience as “moments of highest happiness and fulfillment.” They are categorically more meaningful and intense than our usual experiences. Another word for peak experience is ecstasy. The term peak performance refers to performing to our greatest potential and exceeding our typical behavior. When you are performing at your peak you are your most creative, strong, intelligent self. This is not always accompanied by enjoyment, however, as can be observed by the incredible acts of bravery and strength people perform during a crisis situation.

While it might be tempting to create a simple equation for flow, such as peak performance + peak experience= flow, this definition is incomplete. Research about these related concepts suggests that peak performance, peak experience, and flow can be experienced in isolation or in various combinations. Listening to music is a common trigger for peak experience, while sky diving and sex have been cited in the literature as combining elements of both peak experience and flow. Responding to a crisis is a common trigger for peak performance, while artistic achievement or placing well in a running race combine elements of both peak performance and flow. The example of “joyous, superior running or painting” is an example of experiences that are peak experiences, peak performances, and deep flow. From this we can extrapolate that one of the characteristics of peak experience is joy, of peak performance is superior functioning, and flow is fun.

TED talk of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discussing flow. Once our basic needs are met, more money or material goods don’t increase our happiness or well-being. We need reasonable challenges to enter optimal, flow states.

Collier’s research described a similar flow state specific to fiber arts which she calls textile rejuvenation. Fiber arts may promote a combination of flow, mood repair, and self-realization of values. This combination often results in a feeling of being “restored, renewed, and ready to start anew” which continues well beyond the immediate participation in textile activity, and it is this emotional state that is captured by the term textile rejuvenation.

Research in the field of athletics suggests that there is a sub-type of flow called clutch performance. While flow may be experienced with open-ended goals such as “I’m going to use good form on my morning run today,” clutch performance occurs with specific, close-ended goals such as “To win the race I need to run the last 500 meters in under 90 seconds.” It remains to be seen whether clutch performance is an independent concept or more closely related to peak performance.

Four tips for promoting flow states at work: focus, freedom, feedback, and the four percent challenge.

Knitting Groups

Social isolation is a problem that has been highlighted and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but has arguably been a worsening part of the modern condition. Research suggests that social isolation poses significant risks to our well-being is “as strong a risk factor for morbidity and mortality as smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and high blood pressure.” Perceived isolation (loneliness) creates feelings of emotional pain. Like physical pain, the emotional pain of loneliness can be adaptive. Physical pain is a signal of the body that something is wrong and needs to be avoided or stopped. Touching the stove is painful because getting burned by something hot causes tissue damage which threatens health and well-being. Similarly, loneliness is a signal that our social connections may be deteriorating and need reinforcement. Loneliness encourages us to reach out to our friends, family, mentors, and community for support and comfort.

Therapeutic groups, particularly fiber arts groups, provide another avenue for reducing isolation and promoting social connections. Yalom observed that participants in group therapy not only benefit from the guidance of the therapist but they also make connections with and learn from each other. Based on these observations he identified specific factors that are addressed through group psychotherapy (listed below).

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While all of these factors are important, therapists facilitating groups may emphasize some factors more than others depending on the population they are serving and their goals. In my practice I have had the opportunity to facilitate groups for art therapy graduate students, social workers and psychiatrists in their workplace, and adults with mental health conditions in both clinical and community-based settings. The infographic below highlights which factors I emphasize when working with each population. Groups with students are primarily didactic, they are there to learn how to be art therapists. They are also balancing multiple demands including rigorous coursework, internship or field work placements, and developing a new work/life/school balance. With this in mind, the factors that are most important are imitative behavior (learning from modeling by the teacher/therapist and from peers) and imparting information (learning new skills, processes, and theories). Mental health professionals in a self-care group need opportunities to connect and reduce stress. The factors that are important for them are group cohesion (creating a sense of togetherness within the group) and altruism (shifting the focus from one’s own stress and problems to give back to others). Adults suffering from mental health connections are often isolated from social support networks, work, and avocational opportunities. Group factors that are important for these individuals are socialization (practicing social skills and making connections with others) and existential factors (finding meaning in life and finding a purpose).

As much as these groups differ, they also have commonalities which can be addressed in fiber arts groups. Goals for all of these groups include stress reduction, development of positive coping strategies, creative expression, and having a sense of normalcy. Yalom’s factor of universality also applies to fiber arts groups. Traditionally this refers to group members coming to understand that they are not alone or unique in their suffering. In this case, universality also means connecting to larger traditions of fiber arts across time and culture.

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Corkhill described how fibers arts help to promote social engagement. She described how participants can feel more at ease with their social interactions in fiber arts groups because touching the materials and modulating eye contact creates a sense of comfort. Participants may also feel a sense of belonging through shared interests, being able to both give and receive support, learning from one another, and identifying with the fiber artist role. These lay the groundwork for other positive experiences including easy banter, raucous laughter, friendship, and sense of community. Eventually, a sense of safety is created which allows for experimentation and exploration.

For more information, check out the recording of my 2020 AATA conference presentation here.

Sources:

Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Norman, G. J., & Berntson, G. G. (2011). Social isolation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1231(1), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06028.x

Stitch Links Equation

Yalom, I. (2005). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy. Basic Books; New York, NY.

Book Review: Knitting for Good

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the winter holidays are only a few short weeks away. While this year's holiday season  maybe unlike any other due to  social distancing guidelines and travel restrictions from COVID-19,  the need for connection, gratitude, and generosity remain. In the spirit of the season I will be reviewing Knitting for Good: a Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change, Stitch by Stitch Betsy Greer. 

Greer described her path into knitting as one with unexpected roots. She was an active child  drawn to sports and skateboarding. As a young adult, she became involved in the Riot Grrl feminist movement as an activist. The do it yourself ( DIY) ethos of the movement is ultimately what brought her to craft. The values of DIY include permission to make mistakes, a democratic approach to learning, and self-sufficiency.  Greer writes, “The notion that I could do something and screw it up without apology was novel and liberating. Being given the okay to get messy and dive into the learning process was what I needed to hear all those years ago, and it has stuck with me fiercely ever since.” In this way, making something handmade, even if it isn't perfect, is an act of empowerment.

While knitting’s connection to domesticity initially challenged Greer’s feminist ideals, learning to knit changed her perspective. The work early suffragettes,  feminist, and other activist paved the way for women to  make choices about entering the workforce or staying at home. Knitting, for many, has become a leisure activity of choice rather than a necessity or expectation. 

The rest of Knitting for Good  approaches knitting much like a spiral,  with the individual at the center moving in larger social  circles outward toward the greater good. We're right about how social connections sometimes start with the common language of knitting. In other words, conversations may start by visible shared interest, “The ease of conversation prompted by craft houses connect with others beyond our own racial, economic, or social backgrounds, allowing everyone involved to learn about someone new and foster a sense of belonging.” This may be a first step in connecting with people in your community beyond your existing social circle. Activities like knitting in public, starting a crafting group, where yarn bombing your hometown are always to make knitting more visible and  create a sense of community.

The Social Circle widens when we consider knitting as a form of activism and inclusion. This can take the form of teaching children, the elderly, or disenfranchised groups how to knit, making knitted items to donate to charity, or selling handmade items are you donating the proceeds to worthy causes.  If you are a knitter or crochet and are interested in getting involved in this way click this link for a list of charities currently accepting items. As Greer writes, "It's not about who writes the biggest check. It's about wanting to help others feel special, cared for, or simply warm. Those of us who knit can use our needles and yarn stashes as a way of working towards change.” Finally, Greer writes about the use of crafts for activism also known as craftivism. This is the use of craft for consciousness-raising and social justice. 

Wherever you are on your crafting journey, whether just starting out or looking for inspiration for your next project, Knitting for Good offers suggestions, encouragement and patterns to get you started. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

“While some people are meant to donate large sums of money, others are meant to donate their time, knowledge, or skills.”

-Betsy Greer

Book Review: The Comfort of Knitting

After listening to an interview with Carol Caparosa, founder of project Knit Well (linked below), I knew I had to read the book The Comfort of Knitting: a How-to-Knit Guide for Caregivers and Family. Project Knit Well is a not-for-profit organization that specializes in teaching  patients receiving treatment for severe illness, as well as their families, loved ones, and professional caregivers, how to knit. They recognized the therapeutic benefits of knitting and seek to share instructions and materials with those who can benefit.

What I appreciate about this book is the recognition that caring-giving, while an act of love and kindness,  can take an  emotional toll.  Oftentimes the strain of caring can go unnoticed, particularly in a medical setting where the emphasis is on the identified patient. Caregivers are at greater risk or depression as well as burnout and compassion fatigue. This can manifest as feelings of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness, difficulties sleeping, and loss of interest or enjoyment in activities. 

The book nicely summarizes in plain terms some of the current research about the potential benefits of knitting for emotional and physical health. Cognitive benefits of knitting may include the lower the risk of memory impairment and delayed onset of dementia. Emotional  benefits may include reduced depression,  greater feelings of relaxation, a sense of accomplishment, and feelings of satisfaction. The structured,  purposeful, and repetitive nature of knitting can also impart a sense of control which is particularly important for caregivers who may feel they have lost control over their lives due to their responsibilities and obligations for others.

“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.”

Elizabeth Zimmerman

The Comfort of Knitting also provides step by step knitting tutorials with photographs of each step. There are even seven easy projects for beginners. You are looking for a basic, introductory, brief text about knitting or self care this is a good place to start. If you are interested in the studies cited in this book you can find those in the links below:

The Benefits of Knitting for Personal and Social Wellbeing in Adulthood: Findings from an International Survey
Managing Anxiety in Eating Disorders with Knitting (Free Full-Text)

Engaging in Cognitive Activities, Aging, and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Population-Based Study (Free Full Text)

The Impact of a Knitting Intervention on Compassion Fatigue in Oncology Nurses (Free Full Text)

Managing a Break

Sometimes life throws you a curveball and the past few weeks has been one of those times for me. I was out on a run in the rain, slipped on some wet leaves and fell. I got up, dusted myself off, and kept going. It wasn't until I had finished running that I realized something was wrong with my arm. I could lift it above my head, I could extend my fingers but I couldn't rotate it. A doctor visit and a set of X-rays later I found out that I had fractured the head and neck of the radius bone of my right arm.  I was so disappointed because not only would I not be able to knit but running was also off the table until the fracture heals. I was actually scheduled to run a virtual marathon two days later but had to walk the race instead (I was able to finish in just over seven hours).

Like many people, I am right-hand dominant  which means that I struggle when I have to use my left hand exclusively.  So what was I to do? At first I wasn't sure and honestly, I felt really sorry for myself. I was taking time off from work and suddenly had all of this down time and limited concentration for anything. Basic tasks were suddenly not so simple and took so much longer to complete. I felt lonely and lost. So like many others with too much time on their hands I turned to the internet.

Headband

Garter stitch on size 11 needles

Thankfully there was no shortage of videos to inspire my creativity and whip my self-pity into shape. I encountered several videos created by fiber artists who were amputees and had to use adaptive equipment to knit with one hand. One utilizes a knitting belt which lays across the waist and allows the wearer to rest a double pointed needle into one of the holes in the belt. She also uses a knitting clip which can be pinned to her clothing and allows the wearer to hold tension on the yarn without a second hand. Others have adapted different knitting Styles particularly Portuguese knitting traditions placing the working yarn around the neck to assist with tension. Trying out some of the techniques they've adapted gave me a greater appreciation for their courage, fortitude, and perseverance. The best that I was able to do was rest my right needle in my slang and use both hands more evenly once the swelling in the arm went down enough that I could use my hand.

What I can now share with you is a YouTube playlist of videos about different fiber artists, the history of knitting and weaving, the intersection of fiber arts and social justice, and even adaptive techniques in knitting.  You can find a link to that playlist here. I also added to my Pinterest boards about fiber arts, knitting/crochet patterns, and art therapy directives.

Please feel free to comment below with videos or links that are inspiring your fiber arts projects.

Twisted, Woven, Tied (Update)

I Dream a World, 2016

Fiber, Dimensions variable, Commission: Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art at the Enclave, New York City

The School of Visual Arts hosted a virtual workshop about knotting and weaving with upcycled materials on September 25, 2020. This workshop was part of their annual symposium about art and activism. It featured an introduction about upcycling materials from John Cloud Kaiser, Director of Education at Materials for the Arts, and a demonstration of hand crochet/knotting techniques by artist Dianne Smith.

Materials were a prime source of inspiration for the pieces Smith made during her residency at Materials for the Arts. She explained how recycling doesn’t only refer to physically reusing items but also repurposing ideas and experiences. For example, she called on her training as a painter and past experiences with paper sculpture to inform her use of the available fabrics, cords, ropes, clothing, and ribbons at her disposal.

In case you missed it, you can check out the recording here.

Recalculating...

What does your GPS have to do with knitting in the era of COVID-19? Author and designer, Ingrid Fetell Lee, suggested that joy can be found in the world around us. But what about when the world is unsettled, feels unsafe, and upside down? In a recent post on Ideas.TED.com, she recalled the work of Sylvia Boorstein who described neurological “glitches” and how to manage them. A glitch can be understand as a default way of thinking, such as “When in doubt, worry.” While we typically think of a glitch as a mistake, many artists and musicians exploit glitches for their unique, aesthetic qualities. Similarly, a neurological glitch isn’t a problem if you are aware of it and have strategies to work with, rather than against it. Accepting the glitch for what it is allows us to be compassionate with ourselves rather than punitive. She described how our GPS provides a model for gently working with these glitches.

“I was thinking about the GPS in my car. It never gets annoyed at me. If I make a mistake, it says, “Recalculating.” And then it tells me to make the soonest left turn and go back.”

— Sylvia Boorstein

Many of us use a GPS to help navigate when we’re in the car or walking to a new place. The device gives directions based on your current position and what an algorithm suggests is the best route based on the data it has on hand. Almost inevitably, we make a mistake by missing a turn. When this happens, the GPS eventually notes the difference between where it anticipated we would be, and where we actually are now, and we hear the phrase “recalculating.” The GPS gently redirects you back to the path it has suggested. While a live navigator might get annoyed or judge us for our mistakes, the GPS’ only job is to guide you back on track.

The losses, life disruptions, and new realities prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic have meant that, according to Lee “we are all being forced to recalculate.” She added that it is natural and expected to feel “lost in a time like this.” Recalculating in this context means being gentle by avoiding unnecessary, harsh self-criticism, addressing our physical needs, and speaking to ourselves with kind words. Consider how you might speak to a child who needs to be comforted and turn this inward. Accept that things are different, that you feel lost, and make adjustments.

Lee cited research by King and Janiszewki to underscore the importance of nurturing our sense of touch during times of emotional distress. The research suggested that during positive emotional states, we are more attuned to visual stimulation, whereas, during negative emotional states, we are more attuned to tactile stimulation. Warm, fuzzy sweaters, plush slippers, a cozy blanket, or even soft art materials like yarn, fabric, and other fibers provide comforting tactile stimulation. Touch is the first language of attunement and may facilitate access to memories encoded in the body through touch and movement (Sholt & Gavron, 2006).

Finally, Lee suggested that recalculating also means creating a sense of control, regaining equilibrium, and stopping cyclical worrying or rumination. She cites studies by der Vennet and Serice (2012), Yager et al (2018), and Bratman et al (2015) which describe how activities such as coloring in a mandala, playing Tetris, and spending time in nature reduce anxiety, increase a sense of control, and reduce ruminative thoughts. Corkill (2014) has similarly described how knitting is such a complex physical and neurological activity that it leaves little room in the mind for negative, intrusive, and worrisome thoughts. Keeping your hands busy and having moments of control can help to quiet the mind.

How to Recalculate

1. Be gentle with yourself.

2. Reach out and touch something soft, cozy, and soothing

3. Accept that you are lost instead of beating yourself up or protesting against what you cannot change

4. Firm up your foundation by engaging in activities where you have control such as knitting or tidying up your space.

5. Break your worry loops by playing, going outdoors, or making art.

How to Find Your Bearings in a Crisis Ideas.TED.com

American Art Therapy Association 51st Annual Conference

I just finished recording my session for the American Art Therapy Association’s 51st Annual Conference which will be held online later this fall. My session is called, Can You Teach Me to Knit?: Considerations for Developing Fiber Arts Groups and will explore differences in goals, potential risks and benefits, directives, ethical concerns, and logistical considerations when developing fiber arts groups for clients, students, and professional peers. There is still time to register for this virtual event which will give you access to my presentation as well as up 56 additional hours of excellent speakers. There are continuing education credits available for art therapists (including New York LCATs) and professional counselors (through NBCC). Hope to see you there!