creating monica

Read the full interview @ https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/ambassadors/oprah/tour/lady-gaga

Part of the Building Mastery skill for me is converting my yard to groundcover. Last week when I got on the ground to weed and plant, I was in a lot of pain with my body tensing up. My first thought was hurry up and finish so I can go lay down. Then I remembered my physical therapists advice and I breathed into the pain, and I shifted my body into yoga stretches and suddenly the pain eased up and I was able to stay outside for another 45 minutes, accomplishing well more than what I had set out to do. #leanin #breathedeeply #painmanagement #chronicpain #ptsdrecovery https://www.instagram.com/p/CAlKVDylxeT/?igshid=1sdfpixjsaq1z

as I sit • 05.20.20 • a poem i wrote while grounding myself through a flashback of sorts • #ptsd #ptsdrecovery #acceptance #ptsdpoetry #arttherapy #ptsdwriting #flashback #ptsdhealing #ptsdawareness https://www.instagram.com/p/CAjmHtfFZfn/?igshid=1h3qnmkog1s1v

The ABC PLEASE skill in dialectical behavioral therapy is all about the basic essentials for me: Am I remembering to eat? Take my meds? How much am I sleeping and how good is the sleep? What does exercise and movement look like for me? How am I taking care of myself - doing things that I enjoy or that helps relax me - and what gives me reassurance of my ability to accomplish things in my life? Overwhelm and an intense fear of all things out of my control (Iile death for example) are constant daily companions in my mind and body. The #abcpleaseskills help ground me in what I can control, what I can do for self, and a reminder that I’m worth investing the time and energy into taking care of. ♥️

it’s been a while since I’ve written any poetry. this piece goes along with the collage by the same name • the darkness • 05.10.20 • #complexPTSD • #ptsdrecovery • #anxiety • #panicattack • #ptsdpoetry • #ptsdsurvivor • #traumapoetry • #traumahealing • #ptsdawareness https://www.instagram.com/p/CABmfnEpwRP/?igshid=3zo47lsyzcqp

playing with collage, I loved how the water changed color and flowed so I left it as is. #arttherapy https://www.instagram.com/p/B--VFuTJ2lt/?igshid=1lj0zgmhd2ppl

Over the past week, I worked on this collage that represents some of the processing I’ve done about the trauma related to my husbands sudden death in the ER in 2014. The more I walk through the story of how I experienced that day, the more I understand the many layers of how my body and brain responded and survived such an emotionally intense experience. • 03-22-20 • #artherapy #artcollage #prolongedexposuretherapy #traumarecovery #traumahealing #widowlife #ptsd #ptsdrecoveryart #ptsdrecoveryjourney #ptsdart #ptsdarttherapy https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FXdkZJo0N/?igshid=14wojzt6kvul6


https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FMSl9JWfT/?igshid=1hmxgfkw8n39a

The DBT skill “IMPROVE” is really helpful when we can’t change the situation, however we can change how we are experiencing the world and the situation. The improve activities or self soothing can help relax the body and allow the mind the space to follow. • #DBTskills #coronacoping #selfcare #improvethemoment #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealth #anxietycopingskills #dialecticalbehaviortherapy https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FMSl9JWfT/?igshid=38its0i6vngl

Sometimes I can’t find the words so I just try to capture the feeling and I draw shapes, or the way the energy feels, or how the movement would flow. ••• 01-11•20 #arttherapy #ptsd https://www.instagram.com/p/B98eAk6lLqj/?igshid=ejiwg8is6rsl

There is no such thing as abnormal psychology: https://www.bps.org.uk/blogs/presidential-blog/there-no-such-thing-abnormal-psychology https://www.instagram.com/p/B9jSf4qJijV/?igshid=aiy806dm3wvg

Assigned this mandala exercise I didn’t know where to begin. My art therapist said begin with a favorite color. I began with spirals in deep red, adding first the patterns on the right, babygirl pink in her cocoon by the darkness. To the left, a rumbling, seeds of thought growing, roots taking hold. • one of the coolest things I love about this is how I see things differently from each direction: Childhood at the top as brain and leaves of my life tree; childhood at the bottom, the rich layers of soil feeding the growth arising in me. As is, follow the path forward, making peace with the past and growing into the future • January 03, 2020 @ Hopkins IOPA • #mandala #arttherapy #ptsd #postraumaticgrowth https://www.instagram.com/p/B9f8QlUFF6d/?igshid=viylrd9iuwqm

First week of prolonged exposure therapy, I began bawling on my way to body work appointment. In my sobs of release I understood the enormous size of the grief I have been holding at witnessing the failed resuscitation of my husband in the ER. • “I pray you believe what I have said. I reported what I saw and heard, but only part of it. For most of it I have no words.” – Ed Murrow • #traumatherapy #prolongedexposuretherapy #arttherapy https://www.instagram.com/p/B9f6HMlF46Q/?igshid=15ol64d61z4w

Letting go, moving on, these are things I struggle with.. for if I let go and am I letting go of his memory, forgetting all that he was... #movingonquotes #acceptance #dbt #themiddleway https://www.instagram.com/p/B9fyP2KFzmr/?igshid=mqhq1ja9lsrh

“The winds are dark passages among the stars, leading to whiling void pockets encircled by seeds of thought, life force of the Creation.” – Peter Blue Cloud. ~Peter Blue Cloud • A collage I made around December 18. 2019 as I was struggling with anger and rage at an ex who turned out to be a predator and caused so much trauma and harm to me and my tribe. I was beginning to hold space with the idea of radical forgiveness and came across some inspiring quotes and images. I love how swirls showed up in the collage - my art therapist pointed out that is symbolic of processing and potential change. #radicalforgiveness • #dbt • #anxietymanagement • #dialecticalbehaviortherapy • #dbtskills • #mentalhealthwarrior • #copingskills • #complexPTSD • #complexposttraumaticstressdisorder • #ptsdrecovery • #mentalhealthblogger • #radicalacceptance • #trauma #consentviolatorsdontgettoruinmynight • #collage #collagetherapy #radicalselfforgiveness #creation #posttraumaticgrowth https://www.instagram.com/p/B9fTtRAJDYM/?igshid=hhy4gho9pjm2