Why Coaching Needs Expressive Arts
Through the work of the JourneyCircles™ Institute I am committed to integrating expressive arts and creative process into the work of coaching and facilitation. Based on my experience working with thousands of clients and students for over fifteen years here are four key reasons that expressive arts are absolutely essential to coaching and developing our work in the world.
Expressive Arts is a complementary approach to any process. The complement and experience of healing, depth work, coaching and transformation is always assisted when bringing in the visual language of the client to both expand the base of knowledge and create touchstones. Many creative forms, materials and approaches can be used to explore emotion, memories, intuitive knowing, experience and embodied sensing.
Art-making creates an energetic connection that can be embraced as a personal language of the soul and a reflection of the whole self. Expressive arts serve as a guide, the engagement itself becoming a process of discovery.
Art as a healing practice, creates a space for connection, action and engaged process that leads to deeper healing and transformation. Integrating expressive arts as a depth coaching tool offers a threshold experience that becomes a powerful touchstone, a transitional image or object that is meaningful to the individual. The art when explored can activate immediate shifts in perspective and perception, and may be relevant to one’s healing and personal growth for years.
The engagement with self and materials becomes a passage way to the inner realm, where personal and collective wisdom or information, is held. Once known, seen, heard and recognized, this inner wisdom can be embraced, explored and expressed. Working with image, symbol and form long past the time of creating holds potency, deepens self-knowledge and become one’s own source material.
The transformative potential of the blend of creative expression and depth work is undeniable to those who have experience this method. It is time to understand the value of narrative process, expressive art and deepen the potential of coaching by inviting our stories guide us.
If you are seeking examples and videos of blended process see this resource page on Art + Healing.
Expand your reach with JourneyCircles™ Process and gain a tremendous asset for your coaching and facilitation practice with the Licensed JourneyCircles™ Facilitator Training.
I hold vision for your practice,
Cat Caracelo | Depth Coach & Founder of JourneyCircles™ Institute