Why Art Journal

Art journaling combines the written language and the visual language to give a greater breadth of expression and understanding. In essence art journaling is the combination of art making and journaling with the intention to create greater insight and understanding of the self and others. Art journaling is about expression, both written and visual, of emotions and thoughts; it is a space for questions that may not have answers, a place for thoughts that may otherwise not have a home, a safe container for emotions so that they do not have to be loose in the world. Although the journal can become an extension of the self, it can also be a place to play and experiment with art materials. Enjoy the process, and listen to the art--it may have something to share with you too.

My story:

I began art journaling as a way of processing the emotionally charged material I was dealing with while studying art therapy in graduate school. I had aspired to be an art therapist from about middle school on, but I had been discouraged due to the fact that I was “too sensitive” and would not be able to separate my work-life from my home-life. For many years I believed that, but after having my world turned upside-down, I decided that I needed to make those decisions for myself and that I could be an art therapist. That being said, when I was accepted into the program at SIUE, I became fearful that maybe I was too sensitive. As I began studying my new profession, I found comfort in the idea of boundaries with clients, and eventually with the idea of self-care. It was a new concept for me. The thought of taking care of myself so that I could take care of others had never crossed my mind.

That began my initial interest in self-care, and I began my journey to prove to those  that doubted me that I could be a successful art therapist, sensitivity and all. I began studying types of self-care, why it was important and the idea of compassion fatigue. It was all very fascinating to me. I knew that clients would affect me because I was sensitive, but the idea that all therapists can be affected by their clients was a new concept. Knowing that compassion fatigue existed normalized my fear of becoming overwhelmed with my clients’ emotions. Along with my new discovery of compassion fatigue and self-care, I was using art making in a completely foreign and exciting new way. I began making responses to articles in class, I began making art responses to all sorts of feelings, and sometimes made art that revealed feelings I didn’t even know I had. During the Summer and Fall of 2008 I began to utilize art journaling as a way of responding to my practicum experience.

From that point I was hooked. I art journaled daily. First it started as a self-care discipline, and now it has turned into something more. I now make art with my partner once a week as a way to strengthen our bond; I keep my self care journal; I facilitate groups on art journaling for pregnancy; I wrote my thesis on art journaling; I participate in round robins and collaborative journals; and at any given time, may have 5 different art journals that I am working on.

I hope that you find art journaling to be as invigorating as I do!