Art to Remember…
Support Those You Love During Their Journey of Illness
As human beings I think everyone has experienced a time when someone you love and care deeply about has a serious or maybe even life-threatening illness. Illness of a family member or a close friend is devastating to everyone. Cancer, dementia, Alzheimers, and many other illnesses can change life as we know it. As a patient, when you receive your diagnosis common reactions are often:
– shock and disbelief
– anger
– avoidance
– guilt and blame
– fear of loss of control, independence, and confidence
– sorrow and sadness
– withdrawal
– loneliness and isolation
– fear and uncertainty
– anxiety
The world of the patient who received the diagnosis has been turned upside down and, in an instant, life changed. The diagnosis not only affected the patient, it affects every family member, co-worker, and friend that loves them. They are struggling with these same feelings and EVERYONE feels helpless. As a caregiver, you constantly search for ways to make things better for the person that you love. Unfortunately, when it comes to health care, the process is often out of our control and we have to learn to have faith, do our best, and be there to the best of our ability to support the patient.
This is a perfect time to provide tangible activities such as providing personal care and going to health care appointments. These are all very important. But, it’s important that we don’t forget that support, love, presence, and strong relationships are key to help to keep the patient, family, and friends stay balanced while walking through the illness.
The greatest gift you can give someone who is ill is your time, energy, and love while they are here, not regretting what we didn’t do after they are gone. They don’t want another item to have to clean around. They need to be reminded of their value in your life.
I created the Art to Remember program because I have walked this same walk of the caregiver several times. It never gets easier and each time it’s different and has unique challenges. Intentional Creativitytm is a powerful method that helps you to process, transform, and shift an experience thru art. At this important time, relationships need to be reviewed and deepened while we have time.
It became clear to me that sometimes it’s so difficult to have a conversation with those that we love. This process allows everyone in the group to use art as their communication tool to express what they are feeling and show their support and love.
“Art allows us to express things that we are unable to put into words.”
I want people to be able to heal relationships and find peace within their families.
What is Lift Your Loved One?
Art to Remember is a celebration of your lives together and is an opportunity to spend meaningful time together. In many cultures, a circle represents your tribe or your family. We will explore what your family means to you. Then guided as a group, you will create a large memorable painting using Intentional Creativitytm that is infused with symbolism, color, and most importantly your LOVE and HEALING ENERGY.
Each celebration can be as unique as you are! Drinks and snacks are suggested.
If you wish to make a full party out of the event, you can have everyone who attends the party bring their favorite food item.
I suggest bringing any memorabilia, jewelry, pictures, and items that have good memories and help you to reminisce.
The goal is to spend time and have fun with good memories and past experiences!
How Does It Work?
The stories of your lives together are present in your memory banks. They can be replayed by choice or without choice. We will use Intentional Creativitytm to access these same stories. Working with the stories is therapeutic work and it is a powerful tool to give voice to what you have experienced. There is power to acknowledging and sharing these stories and images that represent what you have shared together. It also empowers the elders of the group to share their lineage, heritage, and invaluable life experiences.
I will prompt and assist you to create your own symbols and healing intention for your loved one and you will breathe and infuse that energy into the canvas. This is where the healing and support begin.
When complete, this painting will be hung on the wall of the patient. From that day forward, it will be a constant reminder of how much they are cared for, loved, and supported. Your energy will be a part of the painting. The energy will be sensed and felt and they can tap into this energy when they need it most for healing.
Your images and love will be a daily reminder of their importance in your life.
As a family member or friend, you will feel reassured that you have had an opportunity to connect with your loved one in a genuine and unique way. Your heart will be joyful as a result of the time you were able to spend with them. Most importantly, you will both have peace
because they will know and understand that they are an important part of your life. Too often we wait to show or tell them and before you know it, it’s too late. Life is too precious.
Don’t regret that you didn’t spend enough time or didn’t tell them how you truly felt often enough.
Now is the time to create these special bonds and time to say what needs to be said.
Who Can Benefit?
- Patient – they feel a sense of support and love from those around them
- Family members – feel as though they did something positive to support their loved one
- Ill children – need a way to express and feel as though they are in control of an outcome
- Parents of ill children – alleviate PTSD and PTSS that parents experience while their children are ill
- Siblings of ill children – have their own processing because their life is also changing dramatically
- Young children of ill parents – use art to come to terms with changing health of their parent and feel a sense of satisfaction and give words to feelings they are unable to express through art
How Does It Work?
You will reserve a day and a time for your program. We will contact you to review the type of space that is needed for painting and gather a little bit of information about your family and the group that will be present.
Invite your group. We can even print invitations for a small additional fee of you desire.
Plan for approximately 3 painting hours. The party can continue after we are done painting, if you desire.
We Provide:
Our mobile studio will come to you and will provide all the supplies including: canvas (size is determined by group size), acrylic paints, protective covering for painting area, brushes, clean up materials, easels or portable tables if needed.
Price is determined by size of canvas and number of people attending event.
We will provide guidance and prompts and will prepare the canvas to be ready hang on the wall.
You Provide:
Drinks and snacks are suggested. If you wish to make a full party out of the event, you can have everyone attending the party bring their favorite food item.
I suggest bringing any memorabilia, jewelry, pictures, and items that have good memories. This is a celebration of LIFE and JOY. Please keep the atmosphere positive with strictly happy memories and refrain from bringing up painful situations.
Come together to provide support, love, and good memories!
If you are interested in more information or wish to book a session
call Joanne at (724) 320-1300.
