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“Five years ago, FRONTLINE‘s groundbreaking film, The New Asylums, went deep inside the Ohio prison system as it struggled to provide care to thousands of mentally ill inmates. This year, FRONTLINE filmmakers Karen O’Connor and Miri Navasky return to Ohio to tell the next chapter in this disturbing story: what happens to mentally ill offenders when they leave prison. The Released is an intimate look at the lives of the seriously mentally ill as they struggle to remain free.”
THE NEW ASYLUMS: LINK
THE RELEASED: LINK
RELATED:
DRAWING TIME- ART THERAPY IN PRISONS AND OTHER CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS
Art Therapy With Prison Inmates: A Pilot Study: prison_pilot_study_article-final_draft_version
I try to connect to my journal every day- but it can be as little as throwing in a note into the basket of papers. There are times when the mind is in need of deeper work and I am certainly in that frame of mind.
I have been “distracted” by my sock monkeys. Yet, can a sock monkey be a type of journal- each stitch a thought?
In all honesty, I have held back on starting a new journal as the current one was started when my mom passed away (Nov 8, 2008)… Letting go is easier as a concept.
OK- that’s it- the basket has been spilled onto the floor, there is glue, scissors, news articles, journals, notes, ideas, lists, inspirations… I’m diving in!
Love, Katarina (Kat) Thorsen
To read more about Katarina’s sock creations, go to POST STREET
To read more about Katarina’s work with sock monkey/art therapy for at-risk youth go to SOCK MONKEY MONTHLY
To read more about Katarina’s art therapy and visual art, go to KATARINA’S ART BLOG
I have no doubt about the power of journalling. Personally, I need to organize my current one… It’s all in a large basket. But it still counts as a journal! In fact, I have many journals going all at once it seems. That’s OK! My journals can challenge space-time continuum- not following a linear route and are created through collecting, sketching, in binder here, in a notebook there. It’s the tactile part of journalling that I favor. DARE TO BE MESSY!
The internet offers a great way to share with the world, but nothing beats the power of actually cutting, pasting, scribbling. Glue on your fingers, the warped paper and a journal so thick it won’t close. I tell students that keeping a journal can help reduce anxiety and stress- but the students often complain that they get stressed at the thought of maintaining a journal… No worries. Let that go. Connect with your journal once a day. Simply picking it up, shoving in a piece of paper you want to keep, writing to-do list inside keeps the flow going. That way you can allow the natural process- then take personal retreats- surround yourself with collaging materials and interesting pens, glue, scissors, bits… then spend some time making a page (or pages)… Or just write- stream of consciousness. The main thing is to get those voices out of your head and onto the paper. ENJOY!
Here are some of my favorite books on journaling:
Artists’ Journals and Sketchbooks: Exploring and Creating Personal Pages by Lynne Perrella
Art Journals and Creative Healing: Restoring the Spirit Through Self-Expressionby Sharon Soneff
Creative Awakenings- envisioning the life of your dreams through art by Sheri Gaynor
MY FAVORITE JOURNAL ARTISTS:
LYNDA BARRY [MY FAVORITE GRAPHIC NOVELIST/COMIC BOOK ARTIST!!!]
There are many online exercises out there… Here is an example:
Creative Journal Exercises and Activities
Love, Katarina (Kat) Thorsen
To read more about Katarina’s sock creations, go to POST STREET
To read more about Katarina’s work with sock monkey/art therapy for at-risk youth go to SOCK MONKEY MONTHLY
To read more about Katarina’s art therapy and visual art, go to KATARINA’S ART BLOG
Sock Monkey on Radio
In this version of ‘Art of the Mind’ we have our first session of Art Therapy. We have Art Therapist Kat Thorsen, from the Keith Lynn Secondary School (KLASS) to introduce us to Sock Monkey Therapy. Also in studio is KLASS student Hannah Pettinato. Local Singer Songwriter Diane Reyes also performs live for us. Later in the program we speak with former Minister in the Provincial Government and Radio Personality Rafe Mair. Rafe shares his lived experience and gives us his take on the Government’s performance in Mental Health.
Rafe Mair
Here is the archive from our March 29 episode, may take a moment to load. Please be patient, you’ll really enjoy it.
Part 1 (30 mins)
Part 2 (30 mins)
Diane Reyes on YouTube
