This is small but interesting study and while it focuses on those with combat-related PTSD it has ideas which may be of interest to those of us here in the Parenting with ACEs group.
Who hasn't felt that finger painting or crafting wasn't more than just creative or fun? Sometimes, it can feel and be healing in ways we can feel and know if not necessarily understand and articulate.
Here's maybe some of why we should all keep coloring books on our kitchen tables with a basket of markers, paint and crayons.
An except from the article:
First, based on recent developments in neurobiology and posttraumatic stress, art therapy is often defined as a form of “sensory-based” intervention (Malchiodi, 2003; 2008; Steele & Malchiodi, 2012); that is, it provides purposeful psychotherapeutic experiences that capitalize on the body’s senses in ways that verbal psychotherapy does not. In other words, by tapping the senses (in this case, through the visual, tactile and kinesthetic aspects of art making), traumatic memories can be retrieved and with further psychotherapeutic interactions, restructured and repaired. Second, there is some evidence that art therapy may help to reconnect feeling (implicit memories) with thinking (explicit memories), a process that may reduce posttraumatic stress reactions (Malchiodi, 2003; Steele & Raider, 2001). This notion is based on much of what trauma specialists such as Rothschild (2000) and others have observed—that posttraumatic stress reactions may occur when sensory memories of a traumatic event become disconnected from declarative memories; the reconnection of these two forms of memory may be an important piece in the puzzle of trauma integration.
I tend to be afraid of arts and crafts and more drawn to words. I do like coloring books though. I also know, that even writing, when done in expressive style, and alone or in community, can feel physical and emotional rather than intellectual. It's not overwhelming but the process and flow of creativity rarely feels intellectual.
It's why, in part, it's so appealing, healing and effective. These things we do for joy and creativity might not only be good for our children and their health but for us too and our relationships with them if done together.
Creativity as a way to cope with toxic stress sure might be more appealing than lots of other types of ways people are advised to deal with post-traumatic stress which might be painful, expensive and ineffective. For me, there's little to lose by trying to do more art or arts and crafts.
What helps you cope with the challenges of parenting, ACEs and parenting with with ACEs?
The entire article can be read here.
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