Help Trauma Survivors Heal Through Art

Our HAICU group has explored many different creative ideas via journaling and mixed media art. We explored the artistic form of Maximalism, created stories of where we are today with mixed media, expressed our voice artistically, created symbols for where we are now, explored forgiveness, and used collage as an oracle.

The most amazing thing we did (funded by the Network Against Domestic Violence) was participate in the planning and execution of a 4 day, three night, family camp for survivora.

It was such a joy and a gift to spend this time with mothers and their children. We made art books, nature art, printmaking, block printed camp t-shirts, learned about plants and herbal medicine, learned about the sacred power of water, sewed hearts filled with lavender for calming ourselves, did wild watercolor painting techniques using salt and plastic wrap, made masks, painted rocks, made a camp sign, sang around the campfire and so much more.

It was the first time most of these women and their children have ever gone to sleepover camp and the first time they felt totally safe and supported in a group atmosphere. The transformations in them because of that fact were such a blessing to witness.

One mom gave me permission to share this story with the wider world.

She told me she never got to go to camp when she was a kid and it had been her dream.

When she got to her cabin she layed on the bed with a stuffed dog from her childhood.

She hugged her close and said “Goldie, we finally made it to camp)!!!

Some of these women are now connected with our HAICU group and a couple women are being supported by us outside of the group.

This life altering experience has changed us all…moms, kids and staff members.

Personally, I know I am not the same person I was when I stepped onto that camp property and for that I am so grateful!

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