Trauma & Healing

Writing

Taken from a hidden notebook.

All my teachers have told me that I am good at writing. They told me that I write with a lot of passion and that I should take that into consideration in the future. Writing has always been my outlet, it is my way of communcaiting because I tent to keep everything to myself. I have expericed a truamtic event and feel as if nobody beleives me ,even my mom. I feel as my family does not listen nor beelive me. I am writing this letter to my mom, I want her to know how I feel every single day and why I did what I did.

Art

Found in a hidden drawer.

Along with writing, art is also an outlet I use to express my feelings. At times I get so angry I draw whatever comes to my mind. I am scared of my own mind, I feel as I cant escape these thoughts. These voices in my head, being called a liar, and repeadely ignored. I need someone to notice me until it is too late.

Taken after room was searched.

I cannot control my thoughts anymore. Everything seems almost impossible to do. Something as simple as getting out of bed, going to the bathroom, or cleaning my room. I cannot seem to escape my room as it has become my safe haven as well as my prison. I cannot be in thise house anymore I need to leave.

Acceptance and Healing

Taken after j returned home safe and has accepted to get help.

After running away from home for two weeks Ive accepted that I need help. I went about it the wrong way. I thought my past defined me and no one would beelive me. I have always looked up to my sister and her girlfriend. They have always been there for me and never fail to inpsire me tot be a better perosn. Due to my court hearing, it has been a hard day. I have always enjoyed going downtown and sit in front of the lake and look beyond. I asked them to take me to the lake and they did. I finally told someone everything I did during those two weeks. I realized that I made multiple mistakes and need to get help. Being vulnerable is not easy but I am working on it. Healing is not linear.

1

Before being exposed to trauma, everyone is full of hope for the future and with happiness. The world seems to be almost perfect and you feel a sort of high because of how you feel your life is going. You feel no burdens, and no weight on your heart.

2

When trauma becomes present in your life, you feel like you are being followed by it. Suddenly you become more aware of danger, and you are consumed by fear. It is difficult to continue living your life peacefully after trauma and it is difficult to talk to others about how you're feeling.

3

After experiencing trauma, your hope and happiness begins to fade away, whether shorty after the experience or long after. You then feel a sort of weight on your heart, and an inexplicable pain.

healing

Healing is a difficult process. It is difficult to move on from something that impacted you mentally and physically. In addition, it is difficult to accept help from others, when you don't acknowledge how things in your life are changing and impacting you.

Healing

" In times of darkness, there is still room for growth and change".

Healing from trauma is a long and arduous process. Everyone processes trauma differently, and everyone heals differently. Healing has a completely different meaning to everyone. Though the process of growth is full of darkness, the end result is quite beautiful. Flowers cannot grow without the pouring rain, and one cannot heal without time.

Healing the Mind

While working at Rogers Behavioral Health, I have witnessed many different types of therapy in order to heal the mind. Art therapy seems to be a favorite of many of the residents, so I decided to make and take pictures of examples to showcase the many expressions of art that I have seen so far.

Collages

Many of the younger residents have shown me collages they have made in different colors. Some do only their favorite color while others do a page in every color that they can think of. They get their images from magazines, scraps of paper, and printouts from staff and put them in composition notebooks.

Coloring

Drawing/coloring is the most popular form of art therapy at Rogers. There are coloring books or pages on every unit or they can ask for blank paper. Many residents have coloring on their distress protocol as well.

Masks

These are examples of masks that are created on an adult depression unit. It is to represent masking or the process in which an individual camouflages their natural personality or behavior to conform to social pressures, abuse, or harassment. The art on these masks is their expression of the feeling of their own mask or freedom from it.

Diamond Paintings

I have been seeing more and more residents bring in diamond paintings to work on throughout their stay. This is popular among all age groups and there are finished pieces scattered across units.

Painted Rocks

Around the outside of Rogers are painted rocks. The rocks usually have positive quotes and are a fun thing to create for others to find.

Field Trip to MIAD Exhibition: Art Against the Odds, Milwaukee, WI

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