After caring for my mother into her demise for about eight years, I noticed that I was very drained and seemed to have lost my creative spark. Having always regarded myself as a creative person and since I had been a dancer and then a creative arts therapist for so many years, I assumed I always had spontaneous access to this well of creativity. This might manifest in many ways- a dance performance, trying an interesting menu, a spontaneous fun time with a friend… I found that after all that anxiety and planning for Mum, as well as a tendency towards a melancholy perspective on life, I felt burnt out and flat. How did this happen?
Traumatic and challenging life events take all our resources to get through sometimes; the body/mind focuses all reserves on ‘fight/flight/freeze or faint” and we live in the Sympathetic Nervous System for so long , that we lose access to our more relaxed state where we are built to reside in “Homeostasis”. That is where we can refuel, daydream, consider future plans and visions, and renew our bodies. If we cannot access this part of ourselves we burn out our adrenals, tax our immune systems and compromise our quality of life. This kind of stress then can manifest as insomnia, anxiety attacks, depression and autoimmune disorders. Life turns into a chore …
Yet it is possible to find that energy and creativity again. Much of the time after I meet new clients I am assessing how much access they have to the refueling part of their body/minds and a satisfying lifestyle. Is there a balance between work and play? Sitting and exercising? Alone time and socializing? Outlets to express emotions or practice a creative hobby? Sometimes it is very helpful for clients to find a way to express themselves beyond words, which come from the executive functioning part of the brain- of course a necessary part; but then we may overlook the emotional and creative right hemisphere. Perhaps moving, drawing or using the voice will be the way to gain insights into deep parts of oneself that have not surfaced for years. (see ‘Movement Therapy’ on my website)
I can help you access these resources again to find a quality of life that perhaps you have lost sight of, or maybe have never really tapped into yet. All of us have our unique gifts that we need to manifest in this life- our “right livelihoods” and our creative birthright. Contact me for an individual session to find your “life worth living”.
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