psychotherapy

How Do We Access Creativity?

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Creativity and Parts Series, #4 (final post)

So how do we access creativity, then?

We access creativity by being in relationship with all parts. And we access what is immediately in front of us, first. Sometimes we have to work backwards to find what’s right in front of us. At the center of the onion may be vulnerability, and creativity. But there may be a layer surrounding that, a protective part like procrastination. There may even be a layer or two surrounding that – such as frustration with the procrastination. A good question to ask is “How do you feel towards this layer / part?” And if there’s a strong emotion, that may indicate another layer to notice, step back, and work with. If the answer is something like curious, or open-hearted, or compassionate, that’s generally a green light to go ahead and work with the layer (or part, or emotion).

When we get curious about what’s there, we actually are accessing that open-hearted energy known in IFS as Self-energy. The cool thing about doing this – no matter how many layers or steps back you’ve had to take – is that by being in relationship with any part, we are building up the Self-energy that helps us get to the good stuff. In the process of getting curious, we are creating the superhighway that helps us get to the center of the onion. In fact, the vulnerability and creativity that is the goal is also the essence of the pathway that gets us there. Which is why when we start doing this work, going slowly leads to going fast because we build up Self-energy along the way.

By noticing and getting curious about our protective parts, finding out what they need from us and how we can care for them, we are able to be in relationship with them. When protective parts have trust instead of fear, they may step aside and allow access to more vulnerability and creativity. That being said, when protective parts step aside, they also may lead us to younger hurt parts, known as exiles. Working with a therapist can help us to care for these young parts as well – and when our young parts have access to play and fun, and our protective parts are comfortable allowing play and care, access to creativity can become a superhighway. Young parts often lead directly to creativity when they feel safe!

Working with a therapist who is familiar with IFS, or a mentor or coach in your creative field, may help you to take more steps towards this.

Working with parts:

What is your protective part trying to tell you? What is it concerned will happen if you don’t listen? What does it need from you?

Accessing creativity:

Consider what creative pathways are exciting to you. If there are no barriers, what would you do? How can you care for your protective parts as a part of your creative process? What kinds of creativity did you enjoy as a child? What do you enjoy now?

What is the first step you could take today (or the next step, if you’re already engaged in a project) towards your ideal creative activity?

*Please note that this series is intended to be a jumping-off point in considering parts and the creative process, or additional supplemental material in the therapy process; it is not intended to replace therapy. Please discuss any questions, concerns, or activated responses with your therapist directly.

Journaling Exercise

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Creativity and Parts Series

Journaling exercise: Try writing a dialogue with a part. You can begin by noticing either the sensation you identified or the voice that alerts you to the part. On one side of the page (or in one color), write out what the part may say, and on the other side, you can respond from your Self. Going back and forth between the two, you can create a written dialogue between your Self and your part.

If you notice additional parts while engaging with this, you can add them in another color or column, or repeat the exercise between the newly-identified part and your Self.

Once you’ve completed the “conversation,” you can read it back over for reflection or bring it to your next therapy session.

Journaling Exercise

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Creativity and Parts Series

Journaling exercise: Start by writing what you feel in your body after reading the previous posts. What sensations do you notice? Where do you feel heavy / light, warm / cold, tight / relaxed? Take a moment to write and describe the sensations in as much detail as possible.

If you could give a voice to one of the sensations you noticed, what would it share with you? Let the sensation “talk” to you. Or, if you are aware that this is tied to a part of you you’re already familiar with, what is the part trying to share with you through the bodily sensation? (For example, an internal critic could speak through tension in the shoulders, or a productive part may tell you through your leg jiggling that you should be folding your laundry instead of contemplating creativity.) We’re not trying to change or stop these sensations or the thoughts associated with them; at this point, we are just noticing and tolerating them, if that feels okay to you to do. (And if it does not, you can always listen to your internal stop signs!).

Next, consider the moment when you begin or plan to begin a creative endeavor. (What is your creative endeavor of choice? Art, writing, music?) What thoughts pop into your head? You can take a moment to journal these thoughts, and any emotions associated with them. You may have positive or negative emotions, or both. All reactions are welcome, and all parts of you are welcome.

Notice, do these thoughts feel like they belong to you, or someone else? Consider if these thoughts are barriers to creativity, or encouragement for creativity. Who else in your lifetime may have influenced the development of this voice? It can be useful to notice how much of this voice belongs to a part of you, and how much may belong to people (such as parents, teachers, or coaches) who may have influenced the way you approach creativity. If the voice is yours alone, what led to its development?

You can continue to journal in this way by noticing sensations, giving voice to them, and considering who may have influenced that voice or how it developed internally. You can use this journaling as a tool for deepening your therapy work, or as a tool for increasing self-understanding and self-compassion in your creative endeavors. As you begin to befriend (or at least acknowledge) the parts of you activated by creativity, you are developing a relationship with your parts and your creative process.

Internal Family Systems – Level 2 Training

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I recently completed my Level 2 training for Internal Family Systems therapy (there are 3 levels). The focus on the training was on depression, anxiety, and shame; we also explored topics such as grief, despair, and phobias. At the end of the training, I shared with the group a feeling that it was not an ending so much as it was a launch – I am returning to my days of therapy with an even greater sense of trust in this process and its potential for healing, and an expansion of creativity for applying this model of psychotherapy.

This approach to therapy changed my understanding of not only how to do therapy, but what therapy can do. In a deep way, learning to care for parts of ourselves opens up so many possibilities: to be more present, to get to know ourselves and those around us, and to allow and even welcome joy when it shows up in our lives. It’s gentle, too – we go slow, in building our internal relationship to parts of ourselves and past versions of ourselves, in order to go fast. We don’t just push past internal barriers and protective parts; we get to know them and work with them.

Every person has what they need to heal already inside them. That’s one other thing I love about IFS – that as a therapist, I’m a partner and a facilitator in the healing process, trusting the good intentions of all parts of you. I’m not an authority figure in a position of power over the client. We are exploring, together, and accessing the strengths you have inside you in order to heal, grow, and move forward with curiosity and appreciation for all parts of the self.

Celebrating 5 Years in Business

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Five years ago today, I opened the doors to Perspectives for the first time. My office was a little smaller, and my schedule a little more open. I had spent months preparing the office to open and years preparing my clinical skills before taking the step to become a small business owner.

Here we are at June 1st, 2020. I’m currently working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and my heart goes out to all those who are struggling in these times due to the virus and due to the burden of systemic racism in our country. These are tough times. I miss being in the physical office, but am so grateful to be able to connect with my clients via telehealth. And I look forward to sharing space in the office at 46 Prince Street again someday soon.

As I think back to my opening day and all that has happened since, I’m aware that although I’m a solo practitioner, this work is anything but solo. The work itself is grounded in connection.

I’m grateful for all the individuals who have walked into my office, brave enough to bear the vulnerability of therapy and to trust me to sit alongside them. I’m grateful for my colleagues who work alongside me, inspiring me with the good work they do and elevating us all. We are a community of helpers. I’m grateful for my supervisors and mentors, and my business coach, who give me something to aspire to while simultaneously cultivating the capacity for success. And I’m grateful for my dear friends and family who share my heart and make it possible for me to do the work.

There are a lot of things that go into maintaining a business. Along with the therapy itself, I am continuously looking forward to see what needs I can meet in our community, and reflecting back on what has worked so far.

Five years into business, Perspectives Mental Health Counseling, PLLC, is just getting started.

When to go to therapy?

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How do you know when it’s time to start or return to therapy?

In a first session, I often will ask a client how they knew it was time to come in. Sometimes people are coming in at the encouragement of a friend or family member; sometimes they know they need an outside perspective to explore an issue; sometimes it is clear that anxiety, depression or other symptoms are getting in the way of day-to-day life.

For therapists, it is easy to know when we need to go to therapy. When our own stuff starts coming up for us in the midst of counseling others, or if it’s at all getting in the way of facilitating psychotherapy, we know we need to talk to colleagues or get our own therapy. It’s like how doctors need to be healthy in order to treat their patients; counselors need to be emotionally healthy in order to treat our clients.

For everyone else, it can be harder to answer this question. Generally, I encourage someone to come to counseling when they have issues that are getting in the way of living their life the way they want to. (This could be due to any number of things: a stress response that is out of proportion to the stressor; difficulty sleeping; low mood; overwhelming thoughts; relationship difficulties; adjusting to a traumatic medical diagnosis or event).

When you feel you need a safe person to talk to, to process recent events or explore a part of your identity, it’s a good time to come to therapy. When you need to voice the loss you’ve experienced or the secrets that weigh on you, it’s a good time to come to therapy. When you feel ready to build on the strengths you’ve got and develop additional coping skills to face the challenges or burdens of your life, it’s a good time to come to therapy.

I always tell my clients that therapy is about balancing challenge and support. So, when you feel you need extra support in your life and you are ready to be challenged to grow – that is the time to come to therapy!

Well-adjusted and in therapy

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Not long ago, a friend of mine (not a therapist) mentioned her thoughts on therapy. When I mentioned that some of my own friends are in therapy, she said, “Wow, they must be really well-adjusted.”

I love that statement. Not “there’s something wrong with them” or “what do they need to fix.” The underlying sentiment was that these people are well-adjusted because they know when they need help and they seek it out.

The language we use is powerful. When I tell someone I’m a therapist and they say with a laugh, “oh, my friend here might need to see you!”, they are implying that a) they would not need to see a therapist themselves and b) there must be something wrong with the other person that they would need a therapist. My response is often, “I think we all need a little therapy sometimes.”

People often think the job of a therapist is to label you as “crazy” or “not crazy.” Let me tell you, that is not my job. My job is to support you and to challenge you.

When my friend made that statement, I liked that she assumed going to therapy was a positive thing. Not a sign of weakness or trouble, but something truly positive that people can do for themselves.

There are often negative life events or situations that lead to individuals coming to therapy, but having the strength to be vulnerable in seeking out and accepting help is a powerful and positive action.

Hello, Prince Street!

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As of this Saturday, 8/18/18, Perspectives has a fresh new location at 46 Prince Street. Right around the corner from the Memorial Art Gallery, this office has great neighbors, more space, a beautiful view, plenty of parking, and the same great quality therapy.

Please call Johanna with any questions you may have about the new space! (585)406-3012.

May’s Mindfulness Exercise

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Mindfulness involves observing and accepting the things around and within us in the present moment, without judgment.  In therapy, Johanna may involve mindfulness skills to build awareness of various issues and to develop coping strategies to reach optimal wellness.   The exercise below is not individualized to your needs as it may be in therapy, but is rather intended as a general exercise that you may find useful.

May’s Mindfulness Exercise:

This month, we are going to engage in expanded breathing. Begin by sitting or standing comfortably, and bring your awareness to your breath. Inhale and notice the feeling of your lungs expanding; exhale and notice the feeling of release. Pay attention to the feeling of air passing through either your nose or your mouth.

After taking several breaths without moving, begin to expand your awareness of breathing by engaging in physical movement. You can start by stretching your fingers out as you inhale, and relaxing them as you exhale. Take several breaths to do repeat this, at your regular breathing rate. Next expand your inhale by lifting your arms, and on an exhale release them. Take several breaths to engage in this practice also. You can continue to engage in this expansion or stretch and release with different parts of the body. After doing so, come back to a still position and return your awareness just to your breath as you inhale and exhale.

What do you notice about your physical self as you engage in this practice? What do you notice about your breathing?

NOTE: This is not intended to replace therapy.  Please contact Johanna at (585)406-3012 if you are interested in engaging in counseling for optimal wellness.