Artist Statement

"5-4-3-2-1 how to be more present in the current moments of the 'here and now'. Can you name 5 things you can see? 4 things you can feel? How about 3 things you can hear? And 2 things you can smell? Finally, name one feeling."

These pieces represent my completion of college and my continued understanding of what it means to be a therapist. As I started working as a therapist, I became aware of the moral implications of the term. Therapists maintain professionalism by avoiding physical contact, maintaining eye contact, listening intently, and avoiding countertransference at all costs. However, as I began to practice, I became engrossed in the reality of the human condition rather than the idealized conception of the therapist's role.

Occasionally, stories of someone's childhood and past traumas would tug on my heartstrings, and at those moments of deep emotion, touching someone was acceptable. Moments of having to reground myself when my thoughts start to race, or in the silly times when I removed the mask and felt confident in my traits and skills. I realized that to be present for myself and my clients, I must stay rooted in the present moment, despite the taboos associated with being a therapist, and be a caring human.

To visibly anchor myself in the uncertain moments of my days, I positioned myself in each piece. Throughout the scenes, a blue sphere represents me. It is a reminder of my primary coping skill that serves as a gentle reminder to me, as a newly qualified art therapist, to be in the moment and treat myself with compassion.