Expressive arts therapy is a creative path to exploring one's inner landscape through the forms of art-making, music, movement, dance, journaling, poetry and more. It's a revelation that creativity isn't just an outlet but a potent catalyst for emotional well-being and healing. It continues to gain traction in mental health innovation.
Recent systematic reviews echo this sentiment. These reviews reveal that expressive arts can be an effective way to address mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and emotional wounds related to trauma. They paint a vivid picture of its therapeutic prowess.
Karen Corona, a psychotherapist and creativity & wellness coach is the founder of Green Leaf: Counseling & Expressive Arts Therapy and Creative Heart Awakenings (www.karencorona.com). She is passionately dedicated to integrating the expressive arts into her work with clients, advocating for this to be more widely embraced in the mental health field as a powerful creative tool for healing.
With over two decades under her belt, Karen is not just a practitioner but a testament to the transformative power of expressive arts. She has always been a creative soul and when she was introduced to expressive arts therapy in graduate school, she was hooked. Her journey ignited in 2008 with a certification from the prestigious John F. Kennedy post-graduate program, has evolved into a mission to weave the therapeutic threads of art into the tapestry of mental health treatment.
Offering a unique approach to mental health, Karen combines Internal Family Systems (IFS) work as a psychotherapeutic modality with the expressive arts. In this way she leads clients through a process to address parts of themselves by externalizing what is internal. The expressive arts can be a powerful tool for reducing stress, boosting self-esteem, and gaining insight into their inner world. Through this holistic approach, people can find healing and transformation.
Karen, reflecting on this therapeutic technique says, "In my practice, I've seen firsthand how powerful expressive arts therapy can be. Using these creative tools for healing emotional wounds can effectively highlight what is going on within so that inner shifts take place in significant ways. They start to understand their emotions better, and they find new ways to cope with life's challenges."
Her sessions often include a blend ofSoulCollage®, Art Journaling, and Intuitive Painting and are really an odyssey into the self, guided by the compass of creativity. These three processes can then be used outside of the therapy or coaching sessions to connect to their Creative Self. This allows them to navigate the world differently.
Karen's goal is to empower women through these creative and expressive art methods, helping them find emotional balance and joy in their lives. With her guidance, clients explore how their inner world is impacting their outer world, unlocking new paths to self-expression and healing.
"The best thing about expressive arts therapy is that it helps you discover who you are and become a better version of yourself," Karen explains. "With engagement in the expressive arts in addition to clinical knowledge, you release what is no longer serving you and embody new ways of being, including accessing more joy and happiness in daily life."
It is through Karen's work with clients that they embark on a voyage of self-discovery and empowerment, navigating through the storms of life with newfound resilience and grace. The expressive arts processes can then become creative wellness tools for continued emotional and mental health.
So, if you find yourself at the crossroads of life, yearning for a path less trodden,Karen Corona's expressive arts therapy and coaching services might just be the beacon you've been searching for. It's a journey not just to heal but to rediscover the symphony of your soul, one brushstroke at a time.
