Laura Coulter, LCSW-C, is the owner and therapist of Healing Hearts Carroll located in Westminster.
The organization’s purpose is to grow the community’s mental health. “We do that through various therapies, medication management and education. Some facets are covered by insurance. Now we will be opening an art studio,” Coulter said. One of the perks is that there will be a small play zone for youth.
Judith Viers, LCSW-C, is a therapist and art and workshop coordinator for the organization. Viers has always liked to use creative interventions for therapeutic purposes as well as educating the community on mental health and coping tools.
There is a lot of research about how art is a coping tool and can help with various mental health needs, including grief, trauma, depression and anxiety. Art can also help improve self-esteem and bring people together.
Art can help give people a new perspective such as cognitive therapy. “Art is a form of mindfulness,” Viers said. “We are in a fast-paced society and art can slow it down.” Art is another way to allow people to express emotions without words.
“Art can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no words exist,” Eileen Miller said in her book “The Girl Who Spoke with Pictures: Autism Through Art.”
Their plan is that they will use art for individual and family therapy, group therapy, workshops and times for open art. “Open art is Reggio-Inspired experience in a therapeutic setting ‘where you can choose your own project with a staff member to help,’ Viers said. Supplies will be provided.
They will also reserve their space for small private art parties for participants’ own cathartic benefits. “Some people have high anxiety and don’t want to interact with strangers so this is a good option for them,” Viers said. The facility is handicapped accessible.
Art activities include rock painting, wood painting, card making, scrapbooking, journaling and memorial art. Memorial art is to help people process grief.
There are multiple types of journals. One is called a junk journal and another is a quote journal; often combined into one. A junk journal uses upcycled materials such as old cards, envelopes and random materials for creating their journal. The purpose of the journal is to express emotions. They can also be timelines of your life with movie tickets, airplane tickets, fliers, cards, maps and other memorabilia. The journal binders can also be handmade from recycled materials in a variety of styles.
Quote journals can be inspirational and contain encouraging messages for the creator of the journal to reflect upon. In high school, Viers made her own quote/junk book which grounded and empowered her to cope with the anxieties of high school.
Card making is the most popular activity. They provide over 1,000 stamps. There are also craft punches, wax seal supplies, paint supplies, markers, embossing supplies, stencils, stickers, ribbon and donated card fronts to cut up and repurpose.
They did a workshop with the Department of Juvenile Services last year. They painted blocks and made buttons. The art they created was entered in the Carroll County Arts Council Peep Show.
They have made over 1,000 note cards for food trays for Carroll Hospital. Making cards promotes inner expression, parent-child bonding and relieves stress. Donating to the community helps people feel connected on a deeper level.
“What I really like about it is that it is for all abilities and ages. It can be as simple as pointing at something with your head if that is the extent of your physical abilities to design your own unique art,” Viers said. Stamps work well with this process.
They can be contacted at healingheartsjudy@yahoo.com. Their website is https://ift.tt/0uiFTVR. They have a Facebook page dedicated to Healing Hearts Art Studio.
Lyndi McNulty is the owner of Gizmo’s Art in Westminster. Her column, An Eye for Art, appears regularly in Life & Times.
