One Women’s Journey: Creativity & Healing
By Associate Epione Trauma Trainer: Maeve O’Boyle
I read once that trauma interfered with creativity by disconnecting you from your authenticity, vulnerability, trust, passion, and playfulness. I was profoundly impacted by this statement, because as a former professional female musician and an inherent creative I had always considered the opposite to be true.
The ability to create, and to produce sympathetic and vulnerable work under duress and stress had always been, for me, an important and vital way in which to alleviate the pressure and intensity of some of my own personal traumatic experiences and I often wondered about other artists who produced deep and far-reaching works of melancholy or affirmation. Where did these works come from? The answer of course, is experience, whether personal or collective.
Trauma connected me through my creativity to a global audience and allowed me to be authentic in a way that I couldn’t be in my ‘real’ non-performer life. When I put pen to the page, I could speak my ‘truth’ and trust that my audience would understand my anxiety, my hopes, my fears and sometimes my pain. What’s more my listeners could take my creative offerings and ‘hear’ their own trauma woven and threaded through the lines. There is something simply wonderful when listening to a song, when you find yourself and your life story, in its lyrics.
Being creative however, does not mean that you must be a professional musician, author or artist and you do not have to be gifted in the arts to be creative. Creativity is within us, all of us, if we can find a way to harness it.
So how might we harness it? There are some simple ways to spark your creativity.
Firstly, be curious. Everything we see and hear around us can be used as inspiration. Ask questions, seek more information and be ever inquisitive.
Secondly, invent and ponder. Sometimes, great tall oaks grow from tiny acorns. Start small and grow from the centre. There are endless examples of mind mapping techniques online. Vision boards are a personal favourite. Find one you like and enjoy the process of one thought leading you to the next.
Lastly, take risks that build your confidence and step you outside of your comfort zone. This might mean sharing your ideas with someone you trust for honest feedback.
Being creative and the act of creativity can help people with traumatic histories self-regulate and can encourage post traumatic growth. As an Epione trauma trainer I am delighted to work with our team to produce a creative course to facilitate practitioners harness creativity and selective creative tools in their practice to support healing.
This trauma training course encourages practitioners to engage with their inner creative and utilise writing exercises and creative skills sharing that will lead to a greater understanding of how creativity can gently unlock traumatic pasts of the people we serve and give way to growth.
On this International Woman’s Day, we welcome you to join myself, Maeve O’Boyle in our creative journey. To inspire and influence the women in your life, to grow into vibrant creative forces, to lead the way in this colourful world.
Being Patient: Written and performed by: Maeve O’Boyle
