Artful Grief is a decade long study of loss by an art therapist, in the aftermath of her daughters suicide. On October 11, 2001, Sharon received a phone call in the middle of the night from the New York City Police Department telling her that her seventeen year old daughter Kristin, had fallen from the roof of her college dormitory. So began her journey into the labyrinth of unspeakable grief. As the ?rst year drew to a close she found no comfort in traditional therapy, and no solace in spoken or written words. In surrender to her inner art therapists guidance, she began to create collages. She cut and tore images out of magazines and glued them on various size paper. The paper was a safe and sacred container, receptive to the fullness of emotion, story and paradox. Over time there was transformation and healing. Artful Grief A creative roadmap through violent dying and grief. A dose of soul medicine for survivors. A way to retrieve the pieces of a shattered life, with paper, scissors and glue. A resourceful tool for those suffering with complicated grief and/or PTSD. A place for the unspeakable to be seen and heard. A process to quiet the mind and open the heart. A visual experience of trauma images as illustrations of hope. A sample of prophetic dreams and meditations that are illuminating. A heartfelt sharing of intimate secrets for understanding and compassion. A surprising grief gift that is inspiring.

A playful, form-bending novel from the Booker Prize-shortlisted, Women's Prize-winning author of How to be both and the critically acclaimed Seasonal quartet 'Playful and audacious' Independent Narrated by a character who is haunted - literally - by a former lover, Artful slips slyly between fiction and essay, guiding the reader thrillingly through a sequence of ideas on art and literature. With Smith's trademark humour, inventiveness, poignancy and critical insight, this is unique experiment in form, style, life, love, death, immortality and what art can mean. Based on four electrifying lectures given by the author at Oxford University, and exploring the explosive connections between art, story, memory and grief - Artful is a tidal wave of ideas to blast away the cobwebs and change how you see the world. ***** 'Artful is a revelation; a new kind of book altogether . . . makes you glad to be alive' Jackie Kay 'Powerful and moving' London Review of Books 'Blending of criticism and fiction, Artful belongs in a genre of its own . . . Joyful for anyone interested in the art of writing, and living, well' Anita Sethi, New Statesman

This earthly plane offers much for us to learn: happiness, wisdom, loss, heartbreak, and enlightenment. It is a Pandora's box of emotions, situations, opportunities, and failures, all wrapped into a package we call life. Nobody is immune, but everyone has the opportunity to grow tall or wither like a flower in harsh light. It's completely up to us how we choose to respond. Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief is a gleaning of insights from artist Diamante Lavender. For her, life has been a long, difficult road, but it has taught many poignant lessons. Her poetry collection is an exploration of the human soul, a traversing of situations that life throws at us. Diamante has always been intrigued by the ability to overcome and move on to bigger and better things. She writes to encourage hope and possibility in those who read her stories. If she can help others heal, as she has, then Diamante's work as an author and artist will have been well spent. She believes that everyone should try to leave a positive mark on the world, to make it a better place for all. Writing is the way that she is attempting to leave her markone story at a time.

The quiet letting go of Autumn, the reflective stillness of Winter, the bright rebirth of Spring, and the flourishing warmth of Summer trace the natural path of grief as it grows and changes to fit the spaces left behind by those we love. Easy-to-use exercise guides and activities invite readers to explore the changeable nature of grief through the ebb and flow of the seasons. As well as contributions from diverse creative practitioners, poems from Dr. Robert Neimeyer and reflections from Claudia Coenen create a starting point to delve into the emotional context of each chapter, encouraging the reader to view each personal account and case study through the lens of a different phase of grief. This heart-centred, compassionate approach infuses bereavement therapy with much-needed warmth, supporting clinically-proven techniques to guide users towards practical, healthy ways of processing their loss. Bringing together voices and art from across the spectrum of creative grief therapy, Coenen provides an accessible, compassionate guide to supporting those coping with bereavement throughout their journey.

Exploring Ethical Dilemmas in Art Therapy: 50 Clinicians From 20 Countries Share Their Stories presents a global collection of first-person accounts detailing the ethical issues that arise during art therapists’ work. Grouped according to themes such as discrimination and inclusion, confidentiality, and scope of practice, chapters by experienced art therapists from 20 different countries explore difficult situations across a variety of practitioner roles, client diagnoses, and cultural contexts. In reflecting upon their own courses of action when faced with these issues, the authors acknowledge missteps as well as successes, allowing readers to learn from their mistakes. Offering a unique presentation centered on diverse vignettes with important lessons and ethical takeaways highlighted throughout, this exciting new volume will be an invaluable resource to all future and current art therapists, as well as to other mental health professionals.

Artful Grief is a decade long study of loss by an art therapist, in the aftermath of her daughter's suicide. On October 11, 2001, Sharon received a phone call in the middle of the night from the New York City Police Department telling her that her seventeen year old daughter Kristin, had "fallen" from the roof of her college dormitory. So began her journey into the labyrinth of unspeakable grief. As the first year drew to a close she found no comfort in traditional therapy, and no solace in spoken or written words. In surrender to her inner art therapist's guidance, she began to create collages. She cut and tore images out of magazines and glued them on various size paper. The paper was a safe and sacred container, receptive to the fullness of emotion, story and paradox. Over time there was transformation and healing. Artful Grief A creative roadmap through violent dying and grief. A dose of "soul medicine" for survivors. A way to retrieve the pieces of a shattered life, with paper, scissors and glue. A resourceful tool for those suffering with complicated grief and/or PTSD. A place for the unspeakable to be seen and heard. A process to quiet the mind and open the heart. A visual experience of trauma images as illustrations of hope. A sample of prophetic dreams and meditations that are illuminating. A heartfelt sharing of "intimate secrets" for understanding and compassion. A surprising "grief gift" that is inspiring.

Transforming Grief into a Masterpiece: A Journey Through Art Embark on a Journey of Healing and Creativity Have you experienced the indescribable bond of being a twin, only to be torn apart by loss? This book offers a poignant, deeply empathetic guide tailored specifically for those navigating the unique pain of twin bereavement. Dive into the powerful narrative of "Artful Healing: Navigating Twin Loss Through Creative Expression" to discover solace and inspiration. Discover the Depth of Twin Dynamics and Loss Begin by understanding the intricate and profound connection shared by twins in Chapter 1. You'll gain insight into the depth of this unique grief, revealing why it can be so challenging. As you explore the initial waves of sorrow in Chapter 2, you'll find practical steps for immediate support and recognize various grief responses, helping you to feel less alone in your experience. Unleashing the Healing Power of Artistic Expression In the heart of this book, spanning Chapters 3 to 8, lies a treasure trove of creative outlets. Learn how painting, writing, music, and even digital art can become your sanctuary and voice. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned artist, each chapter offers simple techniques and profound methods to help channel your pain into something beautiful and meaningful. Connecting with Others and Honoring Memories Chapter 10 delves into the significance of community and connection. Engage with art groups, share your journey, and find solidarity with others who have walked a similar path. Furthermore, Chapters 11 and 12 guide you in creating lasting memorials and sustaining long-term healing practices that honor your twin's memory and celebrate their enduring spirit. This book is not just a resource; it's a companion. Let it guide you through the maze of grief and creativity, helping you transform pain into a poignant masterpiece that heals your soul.

The use of the arts in psychotherapy is a burgeoning area of interest, particularly in the field of bereavement, where it is a staple intervention in hospice programs, children’s grief camps, specialized programs for trauma or combat exposure, work with bereaved parents, widowed elders or suicide survivors, and in many other contexts. But how should clinicians differentiate between the many different approaches and techniques, and what criteria should they use to decide which technique to use—and when? Grief and the Expressive Arts provides the answers using a crisp, coherent structure that creates a conceptual and relational scaffold for an artistically inclined grief therapy. Each of the book’s brief chapters is accessible and clearly focused, conveying concrete methods and anchoring them in brief case studies, across a range of approaches featuring music, creative writing, visual arts, dance and movement, theatre and performance and multi-modal practices. Any clinician—expressive arts therapist, grief counselor, or something in between—looking for a professionally oriented but scientifically informed book for guidance and inspiration need look no further than Grief and the Expressive Arts.

Prescriptive Memories in Grief and Loss: The Art of Dreamscaping introduces a wide range of therapists to a novel, strengths-based and imaginal practice for helping clients at various points on the grief and loss continuum. Grounded in recent empirical research on how the emotional brain encodes new memories, this book describes how to create a resource-rich "prescriptive memory." Chapters by internationally recognized authors explore the theory and application of dreamscaping from a transdisciplinary perspective, including protocols for use with individuals and groups and guidelines for collaboration with other therapists and professionals. Illustrated with full-color dreamscape images co-created by clients and therapists, this is an exciting and innovative guidebook to a new method for cultivating hope and promoting restoration and growth.

A moving reflection on a subject that touches us all, by the bestselling author of Claire of the Sea Light Edwidge Danticat’s The Art of Death: Writing the Final Story is at once a personal account of her mother dying from cancer and a deeply considered reckoning with the ways that other writers have approached death in their own work. “Writing has been the primary way I have tried to make sense of my losses,” Danticat notes in her introduction. “I have been writing about death for as long as I have been writing.” The book moves outward from the shock of her mother’s diagnosis and sifts through Danticat’s writing life and personal history, all the while shifting fluidly from examples that range from Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude to Toni Morrison’s Sula. The narrative, which continually circles the many incarnations of death from individual to large-scale catastrophes, culminates in a beautiful, heartrending prayer in the voice of Danticat’s mother. A moving tribute and a work of astute criticism, The Art of Death is a book that will profoundly alter all who encounter it.