Healing

Most of us have experienced trauma – or know someone who has.
The Healing Project brings a message of hope.

Your trauma is not terminal. You are not broken.
You can create your own life raft of hope and resilience
with practical strategies.

Barbara employs art to deliver a message of hope and serve as a catalyst for positive social change. Workshop participants open all the cupboards and drawers, consider what they saw and select a power object to keep. They leave their reflections and comments in Esperanza’s (Hope’s) backpack.

Click to enlarge details

In my project on Recovery and Healing, I was joined by team members Marya Hornbacher, an author who is in recovery from addiction, and David Swarthout, a psychotherapist specializing in addiction.

Marya has already influenced my thinking. She indicated when people ask her if she is “in recovery” she responds with strength, contentment, and peace of mind “Today, I’m alright.” I decided to name the healing cabinet after this insight.

It might be difficult to find anyone whose life hasn’t been touched by addiction and trauma. But the stigma often prevents us from talking about it – so we suffer alone. I now believe my loved ones are sick of people treating them like it is all over – that they are recovered.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for addiction, valuable resources can be found on our company website, providing a path towards recovery and healing.

I now know that Today, they are alright.

This new insight has informed the direction of my large 5‘ X 6’ W X 7 ‘ work. The sculpture has influenced the workshop design which will engage our audience moving forward

Follow my process of creating this artwork at my Makers Journal.

What Do People Think

June 4, 2022 Outcomes

2021 I.C.O.N/ TODAY Workshop

Invent Present Outcomes June 2019

Covid Crises – Healing Bracelet from Me to You

Addiction Lesson Plans for Teachers

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Men’s S, M, L, XL, 2 X, 3X Price $30.00

TODAY T-Shirt : Limited edition created for this project.

Order from Barbara : drb@bridgescreate.com

The Talismans

Higher Power Door Knobs

Everyone who has ever been to a 12 step program has heard that if you do not believe in a G(g)od(s), you can choose anything for your higher power – even a door knob. As I created these door knob sculptures, they became little soldiers for me, fighting against the effects of all trauma.

See more Talismans

Details: Click to Enlarge

Created to be worn on your wrist or ankle (wranklet!). Each wranklet has a theme and a healing charm. The purpose is to provide a present object which reminds you of the fact that YOU are in control.

The Workshops

The TODAY workshop invites everyone who has a connection with trauma to join us for three hours of resource sharing, art-making, conversation and most importantly – identifying strategies for change.

This includes all people who have had their life touched by trauma: people recovering from disordered eating, gambling, chemicals, alcohol, or sex addictions and people recovering from death, divorce, cults or abuse.

Each participant will go to the drawers and cupboards of TODAY, I’m Alright to choose a talisman to discuss at the workshop and then take that object home with them to help in their recovery. It will be a physical reminder of what they learned and the recovery strategies they identified.

Friends and family are also invited to this workshop. Everyone needs to evolve and change for recovery from trauma to be successful. Recovery is way more complicated than to ” Just Say NO”.

NOTE: The chance for recovery always starts with the triad: Counseling, Support Group and if you are self-medicating for a mood disorder -Chemical Adjustment! Our workshop is meant to be a supporting strategy. Workshop Outcomes October 2018

Resources from Dr. Swarthout