TOM GIBBONS, MSW, PhD Student
Words are definitely an important part of psycho- therapy (and life) – it is a big part of what makes us human, the ability to use language. But sometimes words can only take us so far in encompassing all the various dimensions of human experience and the therapeutic process. Art has always been a huge part of our cultural and inner life, largely perhaps because it is able to communicate the non-verbal aspects of life, where a lot of therapeutic understanding and healing take place. As the saying goes, the menu is not the food!
There are no answers here as to how to adapt to the new realities of our current situation, but the traditional therapeutic approach can surely help us, to become aware of and identify what is bothering us, as best we can, and to talk about it, address it head-on with the support of our counselor (or friend). Maybe art can help along this process a bit, especially when it’s hard to put your finger on what’s bothering you...
Sleeplessness
(Pen and Ink on Paper, 20” x 15”)
The current strange covid time definitely accentuates certain aspects of our social structure that were probably already problematic to our clients, and no doubt ourselves: loneliness, lack of support, disconnection, a more or less pervasive sense of disease. This is what I have tried to capture in the drawing, “Sleeplessness”, which could just as well have been called “groundlessness.” Nighttime can be difficult as we toss and turn, maybe waking up more often than we would like from fitful dreams, as our worries come to the forefront and we are confronted by uncertainty and our inner demons.