Art of myself: Creating deeper engagement with the self through art

by Dafni Asimakopoulou-Kouloulia

Manuscript, May 2022

Status

Available

Call number

MANUSCRIPTS ASIMAKOPOULOU-KOULOULIA, D.

Genres

Collection

Publication

Athens, Greek, Processwork Hub, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Diploma in Process Work

Local notes

http://www.processwork.edu/files/Finalprojects/Asimakopoulou-Kouloulia_D__May_20...

Abstract
This is an educational project with the content being creative practice.

The purpose of this project, initially, was to create five inner work exercises based on art, which would be used to do a two-day art inner work workshop for six individuals to participate in, and have the opportunity to use art, have fun, and explore their inner worlds.

In the process, I also used these exercises with myself, in order to deal with the voice of my inner critic who judged my way of doing a final project and blocked me every time I tried to express my thinking process. Using the five exercises with my own inner experience, I got the help that I needed, deepening my experience of dealing with my inner critic, finding ways, energies, and voices to support me in this journey.

My exploration using these exercises became a big part of this project and has been included.

After creating the exercises, I reached out through the phone to six individuals from my wider circle of friends and acquaintances, informing them about the two-day art inner work workshop, letting them know in a few words, to what they would be committing, and inviting them to participate. I did the workshop at my home-office space. When the people came to my place, I started the process with a consent form, which they all read and signed. Next, I split them into dyads through a game, so they would find and have their partner, with whom to share and get support, if they needed, throughout the whole process. In the beginning, we used some visualizations, through which I guided them, in order to meet their inner critics who might arise, as well as a new part of themselves that could support them, if the critic started to speak to them, and help them stay more connected to joy and their spontaneity.

We used a lot of art materials for the exercises, which I had provided. I guided them through the whole process of the exercises, and after each one, they took some time to think, write down, if they needed, and share with one another their findings and feelings with their partners.

At the end of each day, we sat all together as a group for sharing time. They each showed their creations and talked about their processes or difficulties, getting some feedback. The sharing was always only about things they felt safe and wanted to share. When the two-day workshop ended, they took some time with themselves and afterward emailed me how this experience was for them.

Through this process I was happy to find out that people, without necessarily having any therapy experience, could, through art and simple inner work steps, gain access to hidden, until then, parts/voices/energies. Not only could they meet these parts, but also had the chance to experiment with them, play them out, embody them, interact with them, fight or enjoy them, and discover their perspective.

This project offers the reader five inner work exercises using art, which they can use to explore and discover experiences, which are further from their awareness, and needed aspects of their wholeness. The detailed description of the use of these art inner work exercises with my own inner experiences, offers the reader a deeper understanding of the exercises, as well as aspects of the theory of the Process Work paradigm. The reader can also see in the description how Process Work tools, and knowledge that I gained through using these exercises, supported me in this journey, and played a crucial part in forming and performing them.

This project also offers an inside look into how people from varying backgrounds, and of different ages, used them, enjoyed them, and gained access to their self-teaching through this simple and fun procedure.

Barcode

ASI002
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