Why art heals

Why art Heals

The Aurora Youth Centre is in the business of healing. We do not use the Greek methodology in therapy but we do realise the impact art has on therapy.

In general the young persons admitted in the centre have suffered some traumatic events, displays limited life skills and have a poor self image and self esteem. To express emotions verbally and deal with the associated emotional pain in this regard is another traumatic experience. Some young persons never build up the courage to truly express themselves. By introducing different art forms the young persons get the opportunity to express what they are experiencing and what they have experienced without saying a word.

When doing art the emphasis is usually placed on the final product. We have however moved the focus from the final product to the process. This is done because the process of art-making itself is integrating. The expressive arts are about making, doing, creating. We face the youth with the knowledge that the arts are inherently healing, and with that knowledge, as well as a respect for the role the individual plays in his/her own wellbeing, we can assist them in their search for wholeness.

The psychologist Carl Gustav Jung wrote about the process of trying to understand himself through imagery and the artistic process. He understood that the art experience was crucial to self-knowledge and believed that self-knowledge brings healing. We agree that knowledge and understanding of one’s self and one’s disease, chemical dependency, can move one towards wholeness. The expressive arts are primarily an educational process that is therapeutic because it moves the young person towards health.

Wholeness and health relate to the state of completeness. If we lack certain knowledge then we are not complete in our understanding. When we learn something new, we gain insight and have a greater capacity for understanding. We begin to grow towards the fullness of who we are. Knowledge and education are deeply related. The goal of education is to bring us knowledge. True education is an internal change, which is measured by what the youth produces. The art products of the youth are concrete manifestations of the real learning, the knowledge that develops within. New materials and information is presented. The young person adds his own thoughts and brings new understanding to his own world. Thus, education is the interweaving between inner and outer realms. Meaning the internal images of each young person meets the form of art and becomes part of a dance between inner imagining and outer form, between creation and expression. This expression indicates a connection the young person has with his inner world, thoughts, dreams and emotions. Art is a response which moves the young person from one place to another, and which connects feelings, thoughts, materials and insights. Arts leap into being when these different worlds merge.

Another special function of art in regard to the internal world is that it can also engage the unconscious. Art thus allows the patient to express the unknown from the unconscious depths of one’s being and allow the unknown to become knowledge in the light of consciousness. This in it self is a very helpful therapeutic tool.

In the Aurora Youth Centre’s art programme different themes are used to address different areas of the young person’s lives.  Doing a self portrait or portrait of my family and friends gives the therapist an indication of different relationships and the importance there of. Using different poems with the general theme of my favourite place, the youth painted their favourite place on earth which indicated belonging and security. The youth thoroughly enjoy doing graffiti. They use this art form to leave a message to the young persons who will still be attending the programme. The young persons are encouraged to use art as a way to express emotions. The use of different colours in this regard gives the therapist a good indication of emotions the young persons struggles to verbalise. Dealing with past traumatic events as well as planning for the future are themes often used with creating collages.

Music and dancing is used as a form of expressive art. A weekly drumming circle leads to the Aurora staff reaching for ear plugs but the youth use the opportunity to express emotions in a loud and fun way. Music is an important part of the young persons functioning and they enjoy dancing or singing, to different genre of music to express their specific emotions and feelings at any given time.

The youth are encouraged to journal daily. Thus using words, poetry and creative writing as another way to express feelings and emotions as well as give a true description of experiences. This is used in individual therapy to address specific problem areas, develop problem solving skills as well as emotional skills.

Now the question, why do art heal?

When the educational process is used therapeutically the young person is moved from a state of poor self knowledge, emotional distress and limited skills to a place of health and wellbeing. A state where the inner world of feelings, emotions, thoughts and experiences, meets an outer from of expression leading, to understanding and ultimately healing.

Reference: The Expressive Arts Activity Book. A resources for Professionals.

Suzanne Darley and Wende Heath

Quote

I personally believe this: "We have only today; yesterday's gone and tomorrow is uncertain. that's why they call it the present. And sobriety really is a gift...for those who are willing to receive it." - Ace Frehley

A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR

A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR 

                                      

I recently had the opportunity to watch a DVD released by the Pretoria Branch of Community Pharmacists. The aim of the DVD appears to contribute to efforts in the prevention of substance abuse in South Africa. It quoted statistics released by the United Nations on drug abuse in South Africa. The following will get the attention of any concerned citizen of the country:

In 1995 it was estimated that there were 125 drug syndicates in South Africa. It increased to 438 in 2007 and in 2010 there were more than 700 syndicates in South Africa. Indeed an indication that drugs have a very lucrative income potential. But there is more!

From 1992 to 1995 drug abuse in South Africa increased with 600%. It is estimated that the increase since then rose to 1100%.  It also quoted the following figures –

21% of the population smoke dagga on a regular basis

60% of the dagga users will receive treatment in rehabilitation centres

27% of the population experiment with LSD, Mandrax and Ecstasy

37% of teenagers prefer parties where drugs will be used

42% of teenagers between 15 and 18 years will use heroin

42% of teenagers between 15 and 18 years will use “tik” as drug of preference in the Western Cape.

Even if the above figures were rough estimates, it still paints a bleak picture. One cannot help to ask questions about South Africa’s supply reduction strategies. Can we afford not to have a specialist drug policing unit? If we fail to address the huge increase in the influx of illegal drugs, we might end up like the Columbians and other South American States who are entangled in ongoing battles to protect their demo-cracies and the safety of their citizens.                      

  GHJ Kruger

BY GOD VIND ONS RUS

deur ds. Jannie Smith

“Vertrou altyd op Hom, my volk, stort julle hart voor Hom uit!  God is vir ons ‘n toevlug (62:9).  Psalm 62

Ons leef in bitter onseker tye.  Wat gaan môre bring?  Wat gaan die ekonomie doen?  Gaan ek my werk behou?  Sal my salaris kan byhou by al die prysstygings?  Om in sulke omstandighede op die Here te vertrou is maar moeilik.

Die Psalmdigter het ontdek dat sy lewe soos ‘n muur is wat enige oomblik kan omval.  Daar is vir hom twee moontlikhede:  Hy kan op mense vertrou, of op die Here.  Om in ‘n krisis op mense te vertrou, is ‘n groot waagstuk, want hulle is soos gras wat vinnig vergaan.  As jy ‘n mens op ‘n skaal sit, weeg hy niks (10).  Selfs diefstal, rykdom en geweld sal ‘n mens nie deur krisisse help nie (11).

Daarteenoor is God soos ‘n onbeweeglike rots.  Wie dus op Hom vertrou het stewigheid en stabiliteit in sy of haar lewe – al is die lewe baie onseker.  God is die een vaste punt in ons lewe.  Wanneer alles verbygegaan het – ons gesondheid, geld, of lewe – sal Hy nog daar wees!  Hy is soos ‘n skuiling wanneer die storms van die lewe woed.  Geen probleem is vir Hom te groot of te klein nie.

Soms is dit nodig dat ‘n mens gebreek word.  Eers wanneer jy aan die einde van jouself gekom het, jou eie verganklikheid besef en weet dat jy eintlik maar net ‘n asempie is, ontdek jy wie God is.  Dan kan jy, soos die psalmdigter, rus vind by God (6-9).  Voor die Here kan jy jou bekommerde en moeë hart kom leegmaak.

Mag u in hierdie tyd die vrede van God “wat alle verstand te bowe gaan” ervaar, en mag u hierdie vrede ook leef teenoor elkeen wat met u die pad kruis.

GEBED:  Here God van genade, U is my rots en skuiling. 

Dankie dat niks my van U liefde kan skei nie.

CO-DEPENDENCY CAN BE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS by Marianna van Dyk

CO-DEPENDENCY CAN BE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS by Marianna van Dyk      

· Co-dependency is a dependency on people, things and behaviour in order to find self-worth, identity and security. It results in an overreaction to things outside yourself and an under reaction to things inside yourself.

· Co-dependency is a loss of the self.

· Co-dependency is a set of behaviours that blocks the development of a relationship with yourself.   

An author on this subject once referred to co-dependency as a human condition, meaning that we all suffer from it to an extent. Some people however develop major problems in this regard.

 Co-dependency often develops in families subjected to emotional pain or where discipline is too harsh and rigid.

 A co-dependent person’s focus is on people and things outside himself and not enough attention is given to the self. This often results in little self knowledge and poor self acceptance. The co-dependant consequently has a very strong need for attention and encouragement from other people, because he fails to give it to himself. Co-dependant people feel empty inside. 

 There is also a strong need to take care of other people while neglecting your own needs. This is often done to compensate for a poor self image and not because the other person needs or require assistance.

 Weak personal boundaries are also a characteristic of co-dependency. This often results in   the co-dependent being taken advantage of and feeling like a victim. Healthy intimacy often lacks because co-dependents don't know themselves well enough and finds it difficult to trust and share. They struggle with feelings of anger, fear and guilt.

 From the above-mentioned it is clear that the co-dependent is searching outside himself for something that is lacking inside himself. Unless this condition is identified and addressed the co-dependent will remain an unhappy and unfulfilled human being. Co-dependency often leads to chemical dependency or other forms of addictive behaviours.

 The following strategies are useful in combating co-dependency:

 · The improvement of self knowledge and getting in touch with who you really are. Feeling your feelings. Learning to like yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin.

·  Improvement of life skills — especially the skills to assert yourself and maintaining appropriate boundaries.

·  Mastering the ability to detach and letting go of past hurts. Learning not to take everything personally and stop trying to control others.

Therapy and/or involvement in an appropriate support group may be necessary in most cases.

 The following are helpful

· Let go and let God

· Live and let live

· Easy does it

· First things first

 A support group for co-dependents meets twice a month at the Aurora Centre. Enquiries: Santie Froneman and Marianna van Dyk.

Tel: 051 — 447 4111.

  

Poem: You are

You are…….by Russell Kelfer 

You are who you are for a reason

You’re part of an intricate plan

You’re a precious and perfect design

Called God’s special woman or man

You look like you look for a reason

Our God made no mistake

He knit you together within the womb

You’re just what he wanted to make

The parents you had where the ones he chose

And no matter how you feel

They were custom-designed with God’s plan in mind

And they bear the Master’s seal

No, the trauma you faced was not easy

And God wept that it hurt you so

But it was allowed to shape your heart

So that into his likeness you’d grow

You are who you are for a reason

You’re been formed by the Master’s rod

You are who are , beloved

Because there is a God.

‘N STERKTEPERSPEKTIEF OP DIE BENUTTING VAN VERHOUDINGE AS STERKTE BY CHEMIESE AFHANKLIKE ADOLESSENTE deur ELMARI VAN DER WALT

‘N STERKTEPERSPEKTIEF OP DIE BENUTTING VAN VERHOUDINGE AS STERKTE BY CHEMIESE AFHANKLIKE ADOLESSENTE deur ELMARI VAN DER WALT

Die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing word hedendaags gekenmerk deur sekere hoërisikofaktore asook uitdagings waaraan die adolessent daagliks blootgestel word. Die misbruik en progressiewe afhanklikheid van chemiese substanse – wettig asook ontwettig – word as van die hoogste risiko­gedrag by die adolessent geklassifiseer. Alhoewel chemiese afhanklikheid dikwels as patologies en onomkeerbaar afgemaak word, kan dit wel ook beskou word as ‘n ervaring waaruit heelwat sterktes asook hulpbronne verkry word – dus ‘n leerervaring.

Chemiese afhanklikheid by die adolessent beïnvloed belangrike en betekenisvolle verhoudinge.  Verhoudinge kan dan ook ‘n invloed uitoefen op die adolessent se keuse om met wettige asook onwettige substanse te eksperimenteer. Die hipotese word gestel dat die adolessent wat chemies afhanklik is, verhoudinge as sterkte kan benut.  Verhoudinge, wat as ‘n sterkte beskou word, word deur Wolin & Wolin (1993:111) beskryf as ‘n intieme en vervullende verbinding met een of meer persone. 'n Betekenisvolle verhouding met 'n ander persoon bied aan die adolessent die bewys dat hy wel liefde kan ontvang van ander asook liefde kan gee aan ander (Wolin & Wolin, 1993:111).

Laursen (2003:1) is van mening dat daar duidelike bewyse bestaan dat versorgende en goeie verhoudinge bydra tot die adolessent se veerkragtigheid en die wyse waarop die adolessent moeilike en uitdagende omstandighede en situasies soos die misbruik van substanse en chemiese afhanklikheid hanteer.  Daar is sewe elemente geïdentifiseer wat van belang is in ‘n sekure en goeie verhouding tussen die adolessent en ‘n betekenisvolle ander persoon, spesifiek ‘n volwasse persoon (Laursen, 2003). Hierdie elemente is vertroue, aandag, empatie, beskikbaarheid, erkenning, respek en deugsaamheid. Samevattend kan dit gestel word dat die sewe elemente van 'n betekenisvolle verhouding soos uiteengesit deur Laursen (2003) van belang is in die bou en behoud van adolessente wat chemies afhanklik is.  Die teenwoordigheid van diè sewe elemente binne ‘n verhouding tussen die adolessent en ‘n betekenisvolle ander persoon verseker sekuriteit asook ‘n gevoel van behoort binne daardie verhouding.  Die elemente kan ook verder benut word om verbrokkelde verhoudinge te herbou.

Die navorser het na deeglike bestudering en konsultering besluit om gebruik te maak van gestandaardiseerde vraelyste as data-insamelingsmetode. Daar is van elke deelnemer verwag om een PMSI-vraelys (persoonlike multi-sifting-inventaris), een CFI-High-vraelys (kinder-assessering: hoërskool) asook nege Hudson-skale in te vul. Die vraelyste word as geldig asook betroubaar beskou. Die spesifieke vraelyste is deur die navorser gekies aangesien dit fokus op verskillende verhoudinge (met ouers, sibbe, portuurgroepe) asook die aard van daardie verhoudinge.  Die vraelyste sluit ook ander aspekte wat van toepassing is op die studie in, naamlik trauma dinamika en alkohol- en dwelmmisbruik.

Tydens die ondersoek is daar gefokus op verskillende verhoudinge waarby adolessente gewoonlik betrokke is.  Die verhoudinge sluit in ouers of versorgers en sibbe, die portuurgroep, skool en onderwysers, betekenisvolle ander persone, die gemeenskap en omgewing, verhouding met God asook verhouding met die self. Na afloop van die studie is daar tot dié gevolgtrekkings gekom:

· Adolessente kan positiewe verhoudinge met ander persone tot hul voordeel benut en as sterkte gebruik wanneer hul voor uitdagende situasies, soos substansmisbruik, te staan kom. 

· Leidinggewing en ondersteuning speel ‘n belangrike rol binne verhoudinge wat as sterkte benut kan word.

· Goeie kommunikasievaardighede is nodig binne ‘n positiewe verhouding.

· ‘n Goeie verhouding met die skool en onderwysers (wat insluit vertroue, respek en beskikbaarheid) bied aan adolessente struktuur en gee leiding rondom gehoorsaamheid en respek aan ander persone binne ‘n verhouding (vgl. 3.3.4.5 en 5.4.5.2).

· Adolessente toon ‘n behoefte aan ‘n persoon wat na hulle luister en beskikbaar is indien benodig.

· Die verbetering van luistervaardighede binne verskillende verhoudinge kan dus as sterkte dien.

· Adolessente wil ervaar dat hul persone met wie hulle verhoudinge handhaaf, kan vertrou, wat dus ‘n verhouding versterk en struktuur aan daardie verhouding verleen.

· ‘n Gevoel van omgee en positiewe motivering binne verhoudinge word deur adolessente as ‘n noodsaaklikheid beskou en skep ‘n gevoel van veiligheid vir adolessente. 

· Adolessente wil egter ook ervaar dat hulle ‘n positiewe bydrae lewer tot verhoudinge, en wil graag me-dedeelsaam wees en ander persone tot hulp wees.

‘n Atmosfeer moet dus geskep word binne bestaande verhoudinge waar wedersydse hulp, kommunikasie en ondersteuning teenwoordig is.

· ‘n Verbetering wat selfpersepsie en selfbeeld aanbetref, kan tot voordeel wees vir adolessente aangesien hul dan meer vertroue in hulleself sal hê.

· ‘n Goeie verhouding met God, of dan ‘n Hoër Wese, bied aan adolessente standvastigheid en gee aan hul ‘n sin van bestaan.  Dit bied dan ook ‘n gevoel van hoop en betekenis, en het ‘n positiewe invloed op die morele ontwikkeling van adolessente.

Aanbevelings is na aanleiding van die literatuur- en empiriese ondersoek aangebied, byvoorbeeld:

· dat wegbeweeg word van oorsaak-gevolg-denke en dat die adolessent met behulp van die sterkteperspektief bemagtig kan word om ‘n sinvolle bydrae te lewer tot sy eie herstel- en hulpverleningsproses;

· dat die adolessent dikwels verhoudinge het met ‘n verskeidenheid groepe (soos ouers, sibbe, vriende, die skool, die omgewing/gemeenskap waarin hul woon, betekenisvolle ander persone asook met God) wat verskil van mekaar en elk op hul eie wyse ‘n invloed het op die adolessent se keuse om met substanse te eksperimenteer, asook in die herstelproses van die afhanklike adolessent;

· dat adolessente wat hulself as negatief beleef, geneig is om met substanse te begin eksperimenteer – veral as hulle emosionele funksionering laag is, hulle nie ‘n standvastige geloofsisteem in plek het nie en hul psigo-sosiale funksionering dikwels deur hul uitdagende omstandighede op ‘n negatiewe wyse beïnvloed word;

· dat adolessente positiewe verhoudinge met ander persone tot hul voordeel kan benut en as sterkte gebruik wanneer hul voor uitdagende situasies, soos substansmisbruik, te staan kom. Maatskaplike werkers behoort te fokus op die rol wat leidinggewing en ondersteuning binne verhoudinge speel en dit as sterkte benut om goeie kommunikasievaardighede, vertroue, respek en beskikbaarheid te bied aan adolessente. Adolessente wil egter ook ervaar dat hulle ‘n positiewe bydrae lewer tot verhoudinge, en wil graag mededeelsaam wees en ander persone tot hulp wees. 'n Atmosfeer moet dus geskep word binne bestaande verhoudinge waar wedersydse hulp, kommunikasie en ondersteuning teenwoordig is

Die hipotese dat die chemies afhanklike adolessent verhoudinge as sterkte kan benut in die herstelproses, maar ook as ‘n voorkomings- en beskermende faktor, is bevestig tydens die studie.