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  • Expressive Arts

Creative Journaling

Intended Audience

All members including people living with cancer, family members and significant caregivers.

Program Description

Expressive arts, defined as any creative activity involving deep personal expression, are consistently linked to empowerment, personal growth, resilience, and self-fulfillment. In Creative Journaling, participants use words, visualizations, and a variety of mixed media techniques to unearth, explore and document their thoughts and emotions. In addition to profound growth gained from processing and understanding their experiences, this program unites participants in hope, support and camaraderie as they journey toward wellness.

“Art put me firmly in the moment; my fears of cancer were quieted.”

“(This course provides a) very creative process to start exploring feelings and thoughts; opens up the depths in a very non-threatening way.”

Benefits and Impact

Self-expression through the creation of art can have meaningful effects on the health of people living with cancer. Research on art therapies has found evidence of a broad range of health-related benefits, such as improvements in anxiety, fatigue, pain, and quality of life (Boehm et al., 2014; Bosman et al., 2021; LaPenna & Tariman, 2020; Puetz et al., 2013; Wood et al., 2011). Recent studies have also shown that expressive writing-based interventions may improve health outcomes such as sleep quality, pain, and other physical symptoms (Merz et al., 2014; Zhou et al., 2015). 

What to Expect at a Session

After an initial session of introductions, participants set out on a journey that promises to awaken the creative spirit and coax it to life. Each class begins with voluntary sharing of work and thoughts, and as connections are made, inspiration thrives. The facilitator, well-versed in the profound role of expressive arts in healing, guides the process with word prompts, themed projects and affirming discussion. In this safe creative space, negative thoughts and judgment are banished, leaving only room for meaningful connection, dynamic expression and healing.

Program Details

Online

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