I rarely know what I’m going to make before it pours out of my hands and into the clay. I sit with a lump of stoneware and let my hands begin pinching, their energy transferring and shapeshifting. Sometimes the pieces come out feeling wispy and curved, reminiscent of the canyons in the desert, the shadowy slots where I lose myself to find myself. If you look close enough, you can sometimes feel what I was feeling while I brought a piece into the world - maybe I was dancing or maybe I was crying, but always, always I was in some feelings. Usually you can see my tender fingerprints, pressed proof of my presence and spirit embedded in the work itself. Inevitably I find surprise and delight at what my hands create. It’s a practice of improvisation as a compositional form, creating a piece of art that only my hands can make while feeling feelings known by all of our souls.
I practice improvisation in my art because life itself is a series of improvisations. We are constantly weaving through the vast unknown and it helps to have systems and safe spaces to process and practice all the big, scary stuff we have to face. My ceramics studio is a safe space where I allow myself to practice making mistakes and feeling the feels around what that means. I don’t ever really know if a piece will turn out, even after 12 hours of focused work, and that’s okay. My art practice proves to me that I can make mistakes, I can fail, I can unattach myself to an outcome and be okay.
My therapy practice is similar - I’m creating a safe space for my clients to consistently show up and feel and process and practice for all the big, scary stuff we have to face. Somewhere to dig in deep, do the internal work, and have someone guide them along the way.
This beautiful article shares how therapists have been taking their sessions outdoors, embracing the healing powers of nature (anyone want to go on a hike?) One doctor shared his hesitancy for the practice saying, ‘I don’t know exactly what would happen in the outdoors. It starts raining. What do you do with the patient?’ I call you on this, Dr. Petros Levounis - I simply don’t agree. Of course, some people may not be the right fit for outdoor therapy. But! For those it would greatly benefit, not knowing what will happen is exactly the point. You don’t know what will happen - in the outdoors or in life!! If it rains, you’ll open an umbrella, or keep on moving through the storm together. Just like in life, you’ll grab for your tools and keep trudging. The only way through is through - raindrops and all.
May we embrace the improvisational beauty of living life. I’m wishing us all safe spaces to process as we find our way.
PS - I was so happy to find people enjoying my Seeding Mindfulness workbook! You can download it here - for free! - if you’d like. Enjoy slowing down :) And let me know your experiences with the practice as you move through it!
** I have a few openings for new clients in my virtual psychotherapy practice, including EMDR therapy! You can find out more here and schedule a free consult here. **
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⋰ email: grace@cadywest.com