Shed It All PRACTICES TO CHANGE OUR MINDS A DECOLONIAL THERAPY DECK MAKE TIME 1/15 The system — intersectional oppression & capitalism — we live within does not want us to have time to think, breathe, or rest Shed It All invites us to make the time to change our minds BREATHE When we make time to breathe we regulate our central nervous systems and reclaim autonomy over our bodies. The cards help us breathe when we slow down to shuffle, select, and reflect. THINK When we make time to think we can reflect and become aware of how we have been treated. The cards help us to cultivate self awareness through call and response. REST When we make time to rest we can dream up new ways of being in right relationship with ourselves and each other. The cards help us to rest by giving us an opportunity to use our imagination. ABOUT 2/15 Shed It All is a decolonial therapy deck created for those who are feeling the impact intersectional oppression is having on their mental health. For those who are weary and wondering if change is coming these cards were created with you in mind. Change may feel impossible...especially considering the systems of power that are working to keep us complacent, confused, or misused. Shed It All invites us to direct our energy to create change from within. Change that ripples out into our communities. With the understanding that what we can do is the important work of healing the effect these systems have on our minds. By taking the time to reflect on, repair, and re-imagine our mental health. THE CARDS 3/15 Shed It All introduces three ways we can change our minds via the process of reflecting, repairing, and re-imagining Reflect Reflection cards support us in processing the effect intersectional oppression has on our mental health. Repair Repairing cards initiate integration of newfound knowledge, found via reflection, in order to heal the effect intersectional oppression has had on our mental health. Re-imagine Re-imagining cards inspire us to envision a world and life beyond the impact of intersectional oppression. DEFINITIONS Decolonizing Mental Health Highlighting how trauma from oppression and colonization plays a role in mental health. Offering the proper support we need to cope with and heal from that trauma (Zapata, 2020). Art Therapy "Art therapy is the use of nonverbal creative processes using paints, pastels, clay, etc., as communications for aiding in problem-solving, healing and individual growth" (Venture, 1976). 4/15 Intersectionality Intersectionality is how multiple identities interact to create unique patterns of oppression. Identities such as our race, gender, culture, socioeconomic status, abilities, etc. Therapy Deck A therapy card deck may be “instructional, designed to be used in therapy, or intended to be played with family and friends." (Lyford, 2022, pg. 11). ART AS THERAPY 5/15 As an artist and art therapist I have experienced the transformative and healing power of self expression. It has allowed me to express myself, heal myself, and to imagine different possibilities for my life. Art therapy can take place in traditional individual or group sessions. However, art therapy can also take place in community, with an emphasis on accessible access to mental health care in schools, forensic systems, inpatient or outpatient programs, hospitals, after school care, summer camps, and more. As I reflected on my journey to mental health I realized that my practice emphasizes accessibility as well. My journey was rooted in decolonization that began with using the tarot as a tool for self reflection and care. The cards were a mirror that helped me to see myself and in turn decide who I wanted to be, what decisions or changes I needed to make, and what I wanted to create. ART THERAPY 6/15 About Art Therapy " Truly the mind that resists colonization struggles for freedom of expression." - bell hooks My intention in sharing this information, prompts, and suggestions for creatively responding to the impact of intersectional oppression is to cultivate freedom of thought and expression. The prompts in Shed It All are influenced by my art therapy education. In session we utilize directives or prompts to initiate exploration, collect information, and somatically address our client's needs. At the start of the session or group the materials are introduced, a topic is discussed, and the directive is given prior to the client beginning the art making process. The deck structure follows this format via the prompts on the card and creative activity suggestions listed later in the guidebook. To mirror the close of an art therapy session processing questions for each card are offered to reflect on the creative process, engage with the artwork through metaphoric exploration, and to bring closure to the moment. HOW TO How to Use Shed It All With a loved one: pull a card with a friend at a picnic, during a night in, or while you're apart so that you have something to share and explore when you reunite. In a group: do you have a mental health, social, or spiritual role? Create a decolonial group to explore these themes via Shed It All. Have a group of like minded individuals in mind who would benefit from this work? Choose a time to meet to explore these themes in person or online! With a mental health professional: use in or out of session (as homework) to explore themes of identity, intersectionality, oppression, self esteem, incongruence, family history, breaking patterns or habits, restructuring your life, etc. You may also use the cards to strengthen your relationship with your mental health professional through sharing, storytelling, and self expression. As Self Care: you can use the cards on your own during your down time, in your self care practice, integrate them into your spiritual routine. Dive into a prompt and its creative suggestions to focus your mind, relieve stress, or plan for the future. 7/15 CHOOSE YOUR CARD 8/15 Focused Pull Separate the deck into its three suites. Pull from the area of focus that you most need to work with at that time, ie. only shuffle the reflection cards Trust Pull Shuffle the entire deck together and allow your hands to decide if you need to reflect, repair, or re-imagine at that time Deep Dive Seperate the deck into its three suites. Pull one card from each. Allow time to work through the prompts, to process, and decompress from your exploration Once you've decided on a spread, create a space where you feel grounded and calm. Take a few deep breaths, stretch, light a candle, get cozy on your bed, floor or couch, whatever you need to do to create a meditative and thoughtful space for you to connect with yourself. CREATE 9/15 Responding to the Prompts Choosing to interact creatively with prompts that help us to develop self awareness aids us in tapping into the mental health benefits of art making. When we make art we are: Work through our emotional response : the themes, prompts, and reflection questions in the deck will likely elicit a sensory or emotional response within us. Creative expression is a way to understand our emotions, more safely explore them through externalization, and find relief through the art making process. Making meaning of our experience: in reflecting on the creative process and the creative outcome that is born from it we can cultivate self awareness and make meaning of our experiences with the intention of choosing how we show up in the future. Transforming our minds and our lives: when we make art we are tapping into the transformative power of creation. Making space to empower ourselves through our creative expression helps us to cultivate self esteem, belief in ourselves, and our ability to make change. FORMS OF EXPRESSION 10/15 To get us inspired to use our imagination and respond to the prompts creatively I want to share four forms of artwork and ways that we can use them to express ourselves Performing Arts Expressive activities that are performed using the body Media Arts Art that is created using or with the aid of technology Visual Arts Art that is created using or with the aid of technology Literary Arts Creative expression that utilizes words to express an idea or tell a story ACTIVITY IDEAS 11/15 Performing Arts Movement Dancing Singing Rapping Acting Spoken Word Speech & Debate Music Comedy Puppetry Improvisation Media Arts Photography Filmmaking Digital Art: collage, drawing, illustration, etc) Animation 3d Modeling 3d Printing Design Audio Podcasting Blogging Vision Board CREATIVE ACTIVITIES 12/15 Visual Arts Painting Drawing Printmaking Found Object Mixed Media Sculpture Ceramics Mask Making Jewelry Making Quilt making Weaving Design Literary Arts Fiction Poetry Lyrics Creative Writing Journaling Narrative Folklore Humor Mythology Article Essay Short Story ART AS THERAPY 13/15 My hope is that this deck helps us to create intentional space for tending to our mental health. Space that helps us to slow down so that we may reflect on and begin to heal from the systems we live within. The goal of this process is to assist us in making the time to re-imagine our lives through creative expression. Before you dive in, I'd like to share a couple of tips for engaging with the creative practices in this deck: • Use what you have: found objects (magazines for collage, nature materials, old books), recycled materials (egg cartons to hold paint, food coloring to paint with, office supplies, old clothing or fabric), gifted or borrowed materials are all ways to access creative expression that don't cost a thing. • Explore technology: if you have a phone, computer, or tablet you have access to free creative apps such as sketchbook, freeform, bazaart, canva, and more to use for your response to the card prompts. • Create in community: this work is impactful to explore on our own or with a therapist. However it can also be impactful in a group setting. Some of our safest spaces are with our loved ones so invite one, two, or a few to explore the cards with you. REFERENCES 14/15 As I dove into research for this project there were three pivotal texts, written by Black women, who inspired this work Black Feminist Thought Patricia Hill Collins Marginality as a Site of Resistance bell hooks Cultural Humility in Art Therapy Louvenia C. Jackson, PH.D Rest Is Resistance Tricia Hersey REFERENCES Guidebook References A Pioneer in Art Therapy. (2022, April 26). Union Institute & University.https://myunion.edu/a-pioneer-in-art-therapy/ What is intersectionality and why is it important? (2022, February 16). Global Citizen. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/what-isintersectionality-explained/ Zapata, K. (2020, September 21). Decolonizing Mental Health: The Importance of An Oppression-Focused Mental Health System. Calgary Journal. https://calgaryjournal.ca/2020/02/27/decolonizingmental-health-the-importance-of-an-oppression-focused-mentalhealth-system/ 15/15 REFLECT REFLECT What were you taught about who you are and where you come from? Processing Questions: How has this story impacted your view of yourself? How has this story impacted your view of others? What parts of the story do you hold most dear? What information is missing from the story? REFLECT REFLECT What assumptions do others make about you? Processing Questions: How does it feel when others make judgments about you? How do those assumptions impact your self concept? Share a time when you have corrected an assumption? What assumptions do you make of others? REPAIR REPAIR Without the limitations of intersectional oppression who would you be? Processing Questions: How would you move through the world? How would your body feel? What would you do? Where would you go? REFLECT REPAIR What tools do you need to empower yourself? Processing Questions: What does empowerment look like? How does empowerment feel? How do you express yourself when you are empowered? What is the quality of your thoughts when you feel good about yourself? RE-IMAGE RE-IMAGINE What does liberation mean to you? Processing Questions: What does liberation look like? What does liberation feel like? How do you claim it for yourself? How do you support others in liberating themselves? RE-IMAGE RE-IMAGINE What is currently making you mad enough to initiate change? Processing Questions: What is the root of your anger What part can you play in writing this wrong solving this problem? Who or what can support you in making these changes?