All The Art! And a lil' Bit of Mental Health!
Shavuot – Celebrating Summer Grain & Receiving the Torah
Everybody from the Orthodox to the Reform, knows the “big holidays”; Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Yom Kippur, and Chanukah. One of the more “off-the-beaten-path” holidays is Shavuot, or Shavuos (also known as Pentecost), which is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar – even if you’ve never heard of it.
cybersafety for your kids
Make a list of your cybersafety concerns. Ask other parents what they monitor and the programs they use to do it. Have an open conversation with your kid about monitoring programs. Trust is a two way street, I don’t recommend doing this behind a child’s back. When it comes to keeping an eye on the kids and their participation on the cyber highway there are two key ways to do this.
is being creative a superpower?
Solaramentalhealth.com has a lot to say about being creative as it relates to mental health, “Look at it this way: without anxiety disorders, the world would never have been graced with the talents of: Abraham Lincoln (U.S. President), Emily Dickinson (American poet), Vincent van Gogh (Dutch artist), Brian Wilson (American musician/Beach Boys frontman), or T.S. Eliot. In fact, Eliot gave us the sentiment, “Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.”
Putting your wellness first
Being a woman in today’s world is crazy. Stupid crazy hard. And yet, we get up every morning and show up. Sometimes all we can do is try and that’s good enough too. Some days can be so chaotic that you aren’t even sure which hurdle to tackle first. So where in all this is wellness? Or self care?
grief and loss – help children deal with death
When your teen loses a friend as a parent, you have been hit with a double whammy. You yourself are trying to process this death and then you also have the added bonus of processing your child’s grief. It’s a double hit to your psyche.
creativity in counseling
As a counselor who works with children, preteens, teens and emerging adults, I constantly struggle with finding creative and engaging ways to provide therapeutic services to my clients. I have a background in art and play therapy so I am almost always found with art materials and things to play with either in my portable therapy kit or in my office. Creativity in counseling can be very crucial when it comes to making an impact on the therapeutic relationship and experience for yourself and your clients.
parental controls that stick
I’m not talking about taking the door off the frame in your kids room and forcing them to be compliant. I’m talking about digital parental controls. In this day and age we have to be aware of where our children are going online. Scams, spam, pedophiles and other scary things lurk in the cyber world and we have to help our children stay safe. Here are a few ways in which you can do this with specific examples to easily follow.
perler beads projects of all kinds
There are so many cool and fun art projects for kids of all ages. One particular one is beads, also called Fuse beads or perler beads. These are fan favorites at summer camps, art rooms and craft tables across the world.
What is a perler bead you ask? They are these cute plastic small tube shaped beads with a hole running through the middle. No bigger than a green pea, these perler beads come in just about every color of the rainbow AND more!
fun art projects for kids of every age
Making fun art projects with kids and teens is a creative outlet for many people! For me, some of my projects have turned into great gifts and even business sales for me! It’s such a fun way to destress and gives me a small profit from my sales as well as greatest gifts for friends.
mind over matter is it a thing? or does it hurt us?
Everyone wonders if mind over matter is a real thing. Can you truly control your thoughts? Your actions? Can you really change your emotions in a particular setting? Positivity, affirmations and gratitude are some big time trends for this decade.
we lose creative people to suicide far too often
Being creative is a superpower. But, it comes with its own set of challenges like everything else. Creativity can be an outlet for those with issues as well as sometimes their creativity is a result of their mental health struggles.
Why is mental health awareness important?
Recently the United States has launched a new three digit number to access mental health support in this country. It’s as easy as dialing 988 and you will be connected to a live, trained operator who will listen and guide you through your needs. It actually links you to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800 number which is 1-800-273-8255 We all can agree a 3 digit number is much easier to remember and dial when in crisis. Just like 911 is. So it’s about time…
What is a visual journal you ask?
What is a visual journal you ask? Some of the earliest forms of art like cave drawings, called Petroglyphs, are, in fact, visual journals. They depict daily life, struggles, battles, the fight to live, hunting etc… Compare that today and if you look at my social media feeds you see images of my daily life, my struggles, food I like to eat and other daily documentation. My personal journal looks quite the same. And it wouldn’t be my journal if it didn’t have some bling or other artistic additions to it.
creative projects for winter time
I am all about homemade for the holidays! I am always looking for creative projects that also reflect my personality and the personality of the people I am giving things to. This year, I am really focusing on giving gifts I have made with love. So here is a small collection of the good stuff I love to make and give!
I wanted to begin by sharing creative projects for the tummy! Starting with homemade hot chocolate stirrers. They’re easy to make with kids of all ages! Hit up the local dollar store for your plastic spoons and other accessories.
Resilience in mental health
Being resilient is something I wasn’t so familiar with. I was taking some professional development classes and had this amazing speaker, Dr. Katherina Gilboa. Her book was called from Stressed to Resilient. I listened. I took voracious notes. I was DETERMINED to become resilient! I bought her book before the course was even over. I was going to improve myself!
Kreative Keto meal prep ideas
So what does an art obsessed certified licensed counselor know about meal prep ideas and why should you care? About three years ago I started focusing on better nutrition for myself. I was probably at my heaviest, taking daily doses of blood pressure medication and cholesterol medication. Granted both of these conditions are genetic thanks to my mom and dad but also can be managed through diet, nutrition and exercise.
Shabbat is here!
You’ve heard about it, if you’re Jewish you definitely know about it, if you have Jewish friends you’ve probably attended at least one Shabbat service in your life. And if you haven’t and you’re interested please feel free to reach out to me and I would be more than happy to have you as my guest.
Shabbat represents the end of your work week. It is literally the separation between the time in which you work and play any time and the rest and regrouping you spend for 24 hours each week.
Taking The Journal Visual! Upgrade the Diary!
When you think of “the journal” you may be instantly bored by the idea of keeping one, but a visual journal is a regular journal upgraded, it’s the 2.0 version! Visual journals use a mixture of words and art; like drawings, magazine cut outs, or paintings even. They are like a diary with artistic flair. Typically a visual journal still outlines the day ro day musings of the author but might add drawings of ideas or sketches for an upcoming piece of art. Many famous artists had visual journals and used them to do initial sketches of ideas or drafts of an image they were looking at at the moment.
how to seriously kill it decorating a christmas tree
I don’t know if decorating a Christmas tree is a bigger deal for a “lonely Jewish girl” or if I’m just weird. Okay wait. I am weird so that doesn’t really help my argument here. LOL but I absolutely love decorating for the holidays! Growing up we had a “Hanukkah Bush” that incorporated both of the religious faiths of my parents at one time. But I absolutely love decorating the tree! I love decorating the mantle and the rooms in general and this is just one of my most warm and fuzzy favorite feelings ever.
How Not be a lonely Jew on Christmas!
If you immediately caught the Lonely Jew on Christmas reference in the title to one of my favorite South Park episodes then you and I can definitely be friends! I’ve always been a fan of South Park. I love the straight-up honesty and ridiculous unrealistic dialogue between all the characters. They make fun of literally everything. And on the surface I’m totally okay with it. If I thought about it any deeper than that it would probably be terribly disturbing. LOL but that’s not what I’m about here today.
face painting on the cheap! halloween, or anytime!
I absolutely love Halloween! I love decorating. I love the food. I love the overall fall vibe it’s got going on, I love everything! And some of the fun part of it is dressing up! I have a whole suitcase in my closet full of different fun dress up costumes and accessories. And Halloween is definitely a big part of that suitcase as is face painting!
Diverse & Inclusive Holiday Decorating for Kids
During the month of November and December we have a lot of holidays going on for a lot of different people. Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and winter solstice to name just a few of the most common. Christmas gets a lot of commercial attention, but your family’s holiday can be just as much fun and just as lovely as those glossy magazine spreads, even though it may not be Christmas.
Halloween Candy Cravings Kicking Your Butt? It’s Time to Kick Back!
Halloween candy is super easy to get addicted to and it takes so much time to get over. I have a huge candy jug on my desk and everyone is totally surprised that I don’t dive into it every day. It has taken me a while to find my willpower but it is there. Lurking under the protective layer of blubber that is my body. Hahahahaha!
How to Thrift! Class is in Session!
Let’s thrift! Thrift shops are the place to go for all things secondhand. I LOVE walking around aisle after aisle of cast offs looking for my next big find. When my kid was younger I hit up some of the local thrift stores to stock up on shorts and shirts for his summer camp. Since he barely comes back with any of his own clothes, I wasn’t going to spend a lot of money on new clothes that would last three weeks max. Sadly the cost of clothing at thrift shops has gone up so much that I can buy new clothes for about the same price. These days you have to know your stuff to play the thrift game.
Is that vape pen or dab pen dangerous?
The newest hottest trend for young people is an e-cig or vape pen, and for those where cannabis is legal, it is the dab pen. But following everyone else down this particular yellow brick road does not lead to “happily ever after”. Vape pens and dab pens are hot, they’re cool, it smells awesome and it’s killing you. No, literally, it’s killing you.
Is an Emotional Support Animal(ESA) the Same as a Service Animal?
I currently have the most spectacular ESA (Emotional Support Animal). He is a border collie/ papillon mix named Biz. Aka the Notorious B.I.Z. AKA getting down to BIZness. He’s amazing and awesome and very popular at my school. I got him during covid and at first it was a challenging friendship. I’ve never had a dog that came to me as a puppy. And we both realized we needed to learn about navigating the ins-and-outs of a very energetic, very charismatic dog in my house. He also never lived in a house before so this was also a new territory.
Self Help Books I Swear By
Everyone is all over the place with self help these days. It’s a huge buzzword right now. With the Brene Brown followers and Mel Robbins backers it’s no wonder the self help movement is on the rise. Okay, we’ve also been dealing with COVID and we all need some self help these days so that may have a part in things too.
Giving thanks! Gratitude during the holidays!
One of the things most important during the holidays is giving thanks or gratitude. I remember one year at Thanksgiving we actually swam in the pool right before we had lunch. What are you going to do? It’s Texas LOL. Here we are back to that time of year where the leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler and snow may be found on the ground. But not in Texas! It is hot year round. But I am still giving thanks . . .
Mask Making as Art Therapy! Exploring Who You Are!
People have been making masks and wearing masks for all kinds of reasons for thousands of years. We wear them as a form of entertainment like in a play, we wear them to disguise ourselves like in a costume party. Famous people wear masks or disguises so as not to be recognized. Masks were worn during Greek mythology times. They are worn as tools for telling a story during a rite of passage or recreating an event that happened in the past.
Hanukkah or Chanukah! No Matter How It’s Spelt, It’s the Festival of Lights!
How many of you hear the word Chanukah and immediately start singing “Hanukkah oh Hanukkah come light the menorah”? It’s definitely one of my favorites when it comes to singing Hanukkah songs. growing up Jewish and at different times of my life in different Jewish Community settings somewhere a large community and others were quite small. In high school I only knew of about 10 people at my school who were Jewish. And found out 20 years later that several others so I graduated with were also Jewish but kept it under wraps.
Upping Your Pumpkin Decorating Game
Let’s get creative with some super amazing pumpkin decorating and carving techniques this year. I’m the Halloween QUEEN! I absolutely love this holiday. I love fall! I love the smells of fall like clove, cinnamon, pine, pumpkin, apple pie and many others! I love the warmth of the winter season like cozy blankets, hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, warm flannel PJs, and lifetime movies. I have a panache for halloween. I love things that are creepy and crawly. I’m fascinated with the concepts of ghosts and haunted places. So wrap all this up in two months of holiday bliss for me and I’m in heaven.
Drawing a Mandala is Art Therapy
Drawing or coloring a Mandala is a form of art therapy that is a very popular thing right now. There are hundreds, probably thousands of adult coloring books out there that are of mandala designs. The art of drawing them as well as just coloring them has so much therapeutic power.
What everyone should know about cognitive behavior therapy(CBT)
Recently a friend of mine’s teenage daughter was going through a difficult time. They were desperate to find a therapy style that would work to support her needs. And spent a great deal of time researching, talking and investigating different therapeutic styles that would support their daughter. A wind-up finding a CBT therapist and after weeks of intensive therapy. Their daughter is doing well. Her mom attributes it to CBT therapy and said that it was such a game-changer I should look into it and become CBT certified myself.
taking holiday stress in stride starts with understanding
If the holidays are all about family, togetherness, food and fun, at least that’s what mine are about, then why the hell do I feel so much holiday stress? Shopping for the perfect gifts, budgeting for those gifts, wrapping and hiding those gifts(my brother and I were masters at finding the wrapped gifts my mom thought she had hidden well!). lol #sorrynotsorrymom Maybe we’re missing loved ones who have passed, or are no longer in our lives. Perhaps that one family member who has to talk all the time about his favorite orange president until you find yourself silently stabbing yourself under the table with a fork. Many people suffer from all these different types of stress during the holidays. So let’s chat about them and how to work to prevent the holiday blues from tarnishing your holiday mood.
Bustin’ Myths About Art Therapies | Best Art Therapy Techniques
What even is art therapy? How in the world does it fit with straight up couch therapy? Therapy in the old days typically was portrayed as a dark mahogany walled-in office with a therapist sitting in some kind of a fancy leather chair and a patient lying on the couch talking about their issues. The therapist is typically portrayed as an older male (think Freud) who is taking notes and asking questions. This is obviously an antiquated version of what therapy looks like. So let’s bust all the old myths about therapy and specifically art therapies.
mindfulness for kids
Mindfulness is a buzz word for this decade it appears. And more recently in the last several years as we have struggled through covid and everything that comes with it. Having a healthy grasp of your mindfulness is more important than ever. However, oftentimes we only look at mindfulness as it applies to adults. In this blog we’re going to talk about mindfulness with our kids, teens and young adults.
Rosh Hashanah! Let’s Celebrate The Jewish New Year!
As a child growing up Jewish, I remember celebrating certain BIG Jewish holidays, like Rosh Hashanah, in a large synagogue outside San Francisco somewhere. Don’t ask me, I don’t remember the name. (maybe ask my mom) But the place was HUGE and with many buildings. I also don’t remember the inside of the sanctuary ONE BIT. But I remember the lobby, which was the sanctuary for kids looking for sanctuary from the sanctuary. LOL!
8 Art Therapy Activities to Help Kids Identify & Manage Feelings
Your kids may be having a serious case of the feels these days—from sadness and anxiety to feeling disconnected, lonely, and bored. And no wonder! While most of us are not certified art therapists, we can still incorporate a few art therapy activities to help them identify and manage their emotions.
mental health is many things
What exactly is mental health? According to the website called mentalhealth.com, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. “
creative minds don’t think like everyone else
Have you ever wondered how an artist like Salvador Dali came up with the paintings that he did? Have you ever stared at an MC Escher painting and wondered what the heck is going on in that guy’s head that he was able to not only think of the works that he created but actually make them? How are their creative minds different from your mind?
Trick or TREAT 2022! Halloween Food I Love!
If you know me. Then you know that Halloween is my favorite holiday!!! FAVORITEEEEEE!!! I think my poster word for this blog is going to be trick or treat 2022!!! When we were kids, my cousins and I used to make fake body parts out of food like cooked spaghetti for brains and peeled grapes for eyeballs.
peace of mind is achievable for yourself and your family
When you read the phrase “Peace of Mind” what do you think about? Going home to double check that you did in fact close the garage door when you left for work? That’s peace of mind. Your child is coughing and has a fever? You take a COVID test and it’s negative. That’s peace of mind.
breathing exercises for anxiety for kids and teens
Anyone who can breathe can do breathing exercises, therefore anyone with anxiety can do breathing exercises for anxiety. It’s just that simple. Breathing is one of the few things our autonomic nervous system controls. It basically means this happens even when we don’t tell it to. That and blinking. I know there are more but I can’t remember them at this time. Lol
Yom Kippur is Saying I’m Sorry, and it’s good for everyone!
Yom Kippur is one of our major Jewish holidays! Being raised Jewish in a very SMALL synagogue near San Francisco I got a front seat view of all the experiences and practices involved in my faith. I have ALWAYS loved honoring the deep traditions and the values I have been taught. When lighting the Chanukah candles on my grandmother’s menorah it makes me think about how many family members and generations who have lit the same menorah as me for decades before myself.
back to school stress management
Summer days are over and we are back in the swing of things across the country. Schools have reopened, lunches are being prepared, homework is getting done (or not) and stress levels have gone up. I want to get into back to school stress management challenges and opportunities with you, in the hopes I can help!
Creative drawing is so much easier than you think!
How many of you doodle? I am a huge doodler. My mom will tell you she’s not artistic but I can tell you that if you looked on the kitchen counter she has at least one or two pieces of paper or old envelopes that she has drawn repetitive patterns or just circles or # type images. She says she does it a lot when she’s on the phone. It gives her hands and eyes something to do while she’s talking. I don’t think she’s the only person that does creative drawing, without thinking they are doing creative drawing. Wink wink.
Get On My List For Updates & Event Info!
Michelle offers in-person camps and art experiences, she also hosts live art events and can bring an art experience to your location. Her blogs give you the inside tips and fun stories of being creative every day with your kids, but also just for you!
Every Family Needs Creativity!
Let’s get creative together, relieve stress, and ignite the imagination! Enjoy creativity with your kids or on your own! In-person, online or with wine!