Art Therapy: Finding the Answers Within
Sometimes our bodies carry what our minds cannot put into words. Trauma research shows that stress and unresolved experiences are often stored in the body as muscle tension, posture, and subtle holding patterns. Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk (2014) describes how “the body keeps the score,” holding memory and emotion long after the mind has moved on. Similarly, Peter Levine (1997), founder of Somatic Experiencing, highlights how paying attention to the body’s felt sense can support release, regulation, and decision-making.
Art Therapy, combined with somatic awareness, offers a safe way to notice these signals and discover what they may be telling us. By engaging the imagination and the senses, it helps us:
Release built-up tension
Connect with the body’s wisdom
Find clarity in decision-making
Access an inner sense of peace and renewal
In my own practice, I often turn to simple scribble sketches to connect with my body’s felt sense. This sketch of cupped hands came in response to prompts inviting me to notice how I hold, release, and receive. Alongside it, words emerged:
“Let loose your troubles”
“Let loose your grip”
“Let go, let God”
“Rest in Me”
“Oh weary hands”
By paying attention to what the body holds—and giving it a voice through creative expression—we can move from tension to trust, from holding on to letting go.
️ Art Therapy reminds us that the answers aren’t always out there—they’re already within.
Kerryn Knight – Lead Art Therapist and Founder Empowered Art Therapy
References:
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.
Malchiodi, C. A. (2020). Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process. Guilford Press.
#SomaticHealing #embodiedawareness #bodtwisdom #thebodykeepsthescore #traumainformedcare #arttherapy #LetGoAndLetGod #selfcare
#empoweredarttherapy #kindredartspace