“I post videos because I want to encourage people to receive the same benefits others and I receive from these processes. I hear from viewers every once in a while, and they report feeling a sense of calm just from watching the videos.”
In this interview with American Art Therapist, Megs Mitts, she reveals how making art as therapy videos has helped her regain hope after losing her job and experiencing feelings of isolation, worthlessness, anxiety and depression during the pandemic.
Carla: Can you tell me a bit about yourself – where you live, what lead you to art therapy and where you practice / who you work with?
Megs: I have been using art since I was little to express myself and process strong emotions. I remember creating a monster drawing of my sister, which I slid under her door to express how mad and hurt I was by her. I also used art to express my gratitude in the form of gift giving, and I still do to this day.
The helper side of me was honed by my grandma; a nurse who was almost aggressively passionate about helping others. Together, we would rescue cats and raise their kittens on her farm, while I watched her care and support others through her actions. She was most proud helping others by sharing her gift of floral arrangements from her prized garden.
I found out about art therapy when I was a junior in college, getting my Bachelors in Fine Arts- Ceramics. It felt too late to switch my major and there wasn’t a program for this field at my college at the time, although my College Advisor encouraged me to get the credits I needed to build my own supporting education. About 5 years after graduating, a friend in Med School told me about a presentation of art therapy, and informed me that there were graduate programs I could look into to full-fill my interest in the field. I found a distance learning program that felt most suitable for me and how I gained my Master of Arts in Art Therapy.
I practice outside of Philadelphia, USA, and have been a part of residential facilities, wraparound (home services) and school-based. I am attempting to shift into providing more community arts and creative self-care care services to individuals and organisations. I also use art-as-therapy to manage my anxiety and depression, and share those processes for others to utilise. I am developing a self-care program that foster mastery of intuitive wellness, as well as customisable, creative wellness plans.
Carla: What inspired you to make the Earth Day Art Activities video? Where did the ideas come from?
Megs: The video was created in hope that others would bring a similar activity to their community. I was feeling quite lonely through social distancing, and since I have not been able to help due to lack of work, I wanted to provide something that would help me feel connected while providing enjoyment for families and the kids in my community. I plan to make another community arts drop soon that is appropriate for social distancing, with the help of my nephew.
The ideas are mostly my own adaptations of preferred outcomes. I enjoy the challenge of someone saying “I’m having this problem,” looking at what materials are available or preferred, and creating an activity to help with that problem using my understanding of art therapy. I often times refer to the Expressive Therapies Continuum to develop these activities.
Carla: How do you imagine viewers to interact with it, and how might it be useful?
Megs: The community arts project was meant to be a way for kids to engage with the outdoor environment in a different way. I am guessing that families and kids are finding the same social distancing limitations and routines to be redundant, so I wanted them to have something else to pique their interest in nature and their community. It was also another opportunity to emphasize the adaptability, accessibility and potential for the field of art therapy, especially in times like these. I received messages and pictures showing others excitement about the Random Reds, and it was more rewarding than I could have imagined.
I post videos because I want to encourage people to receive the same benefits others and I receive from these processes. I hear from viewers every once in a while, and they report feeling a sense of calm just from watching the videos. For those who practice the process, they report a surprising sense of relief and gratitude. I make the art-as-therapy videos for parents, teachers, adults and children to use wherever they find themselves. I know these processes are beneficial for integrating learning outcomes from social skills in schools, as well as self-care and personal growth, while promoting the accessibility and adaptability of art therapy as a profession. I really hope that applications of art-as-therapy will act as a gateway to seeking out art therapists in their area.
Carla: How have you been impacted by the global pandemic?
Megs: Due to the pandemic, I am out of work and on unemployment. Before the pandemic, I was school-based. I was not able to continue helping others through tele-health due to licensure restrictions in my state.
Once I overcame the sense of worthlessness that is strongly associated with being unemployed, or not working enough, I started focusing on ways I can practice my skills through the pandemic.
I developed @1oak_creative_wellness on instagram, to provide resilience-based, art-as-therapy tutorials to support those in social distancing, using materials that could easily be found at home. I also created more personal art and share those products on my instagram page, @art_from_anxiety , challenging myself to be more vulnerable in hopes it will resolve some of my anxiety and depression through isolation.
Carla: Do you have any message for the readers of my blog / newsletter, who include many Australian Arts Therapists?
Megs: When I was in grad school, I remember attempting to research a certain topic and could only find resources from Australian Art Therapists. It definitely piqued my interest in how art therapists were developing the field in Australia. I made it a goal to get to Australia for the opportunity to work with art therapists, but until then I will settle with linking up and learning from you online. Keep up the good work.
As an art therapist in the professional world, I often times feel very alone. I also feel the need to constantly prove myself and my practice to the other professionals, facilities and participants I work with. I can’t tell you how many jobs told me “you won’t make art” with their population, and I had to change their mind through my actions, proving the fields adaptability and potential. Having a community of art therapists that I’m connected to through social media makes me feel validated and not so alone. I feel very close to some of the art therapists I’m connected to in Australia, and Europe; through the stories, posts, comments and messages we share online. It’s easier to feel close to someone who shares my passion and promotes processes I can be inspired by and support, even if I’ll never see their face with my own eyes. I hope you know that you’re not alone, as an art therapist making an impact on this world. I also hope we can be closer as a field, and I’m making efforts to make those connections easier.
Carla: Thank you Megs for generously sharing your story and for offering not only art activities and videos but hope, encouragement and support. We hope you do get to Australia so we can meet in person and celebrate getting through tough times together!
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