Barbara E McGlamery

Everything is unpredictable. The world, both at home and elsewhere might seem chaotic and when not chaotic, dull and repetitive. We can get stuck in ruts and not feel we are moving forward with our lives. You might already have a diagnosis of anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. Or you might just have a sense of unease or dismay at how your hard life is right now. Some also suffer from trauma or PTSD that compounds the misery. The anxiety all of these disorders provokes can be distressing and debilitating. And worse, disheartening. But in the unpredictability and instability, there is freedom. No two moments really are the same. It’s within our possibilities that things can change, we can feel better or get more in touch with our emotions in a non-threatening way. How? Through creativity. The creative arts therapies can help by unleashing the very best part of yourself, your creativity. You don’t have to be good at the arts to gain benefits from it. You don’t have to be an artist or performer. Getting out of your head: putting paint to paper or acting in an improv can lift mood and help you find new ways to cope with the problems of life