The Broken Self © A Gestalt Art Therapy approach - Face to Face Workshop

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THE BROKEN SELF©

Have you ever felt (or are you feeling) broken?

Even though the difficult and painful situation has already passed, the sensation of feeling broken is still alive.

Have you heard of "heartbreak"?

There is medical research that shows that emotional pain is transferred to the parts of the body and the body suffers what you feel.

If we reflect on our lives, we can see how many times we have felt lost, or we have lost someone, we have felt unheard, and/or not loved. We have felt fear, sadness, and abandonment.

An interesting tool to work with PTSD.

All these emotions have somehow made us feel "split" into pieces - broken.

Kintsugi and Resilience theory are both concepts that center around the ideas of healing, growth, and transformation in the face of adversity. Let's explore each of these concepts and then discuss how creating a piece using Kintsugi can be therapeutic.

Kintsugi as a Philosophy:

Kintsugi is a Japanese art form in which broken pottery is repaired using lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Instead of disguising the cracks, Kintsugi highlights them, turning the object's history of damage into a beautiful and valuable part of its story. This philosophy embodies the idea that imperfections and challenges are not to be hidden or discarded but embraced as an integral part of an object's, or a person's, history.

Resilience Theory:

Resilience theory focuses on individuals' ability to adapt and grow positively in the face of adversity, trauma, or significant stressors. It suggests that resilience is not just the ability to "bounce back" to a previous state, but also the capacity to develop new strengths and insights through the process of overcoming challenges.

Therapeutic Benefits of Creating a Kintsugi Piece:

Creating a piece using the Kintsugi technique can have therapeutic effects aligned with both Kintsugi philosophy and Resilience theory:

• Embracing Imperfection: The act of repairing broken pottery with precious metals symbolizes the acceptance of imperfection and the beauty that can emerge from it. Similarly, during the process of creating a Kintsugi piece, individuals can reflect on their own life experiences, accepting their flaws and learning to appreciate their unique journey. 
• Narrative Transformation: Kintsugi transforms brokenness into a story of transformation and value. This parallels the resilience process, where individuals can view their challenges as opportunities for growth. Engaging in the physical act of repairing broken pieces can serve as a metaphor for repairing and transforming their own lives.
• Mindfulness and Focus: Creating a Kintsugi piece requires focus, attention, and precision. Engaging in this mindful process can help individuals temporarily detach from stressors and anxieties, promoting a sense of relaxation and calm.
• Symbolic Representation: The visual outcome of a Kintsugi piece, with its intricate gold lines highlighting the mended cracks, serves as a tangible reminder of one's ability to overcome difficulties. This can boost self-esteem and self-efficacy, key components of resilience.
• Cathartic Expression: The act of repairing and beautifying broken pottery can provide a cathartic way to express emotions related to pain, loss, or trauma. The physicality of the process can help release pent-up feelings and promote emotional healing.

In summary, creating a piece using Kintsugi techniques aligns with both the Kintsugi philosophy and Resilience theory, offering therapeutic benefits by promoting acceptance, growth, mindfulness, and emotional expression. It's a tangible way for individuals to engage in a transformative process that reflects their own journey of resilience and healing.

In this workshop from the Gestalt approach and from the beautiful metaphor of the ceramic technique you will know:

• To identify which these broken parts of your life
• To find the nutritious part of each experience that has happened to you
•  To integrate the pieces of your life in a powerful and transformative way.

We do not seek to "forget" or erase these painful experiences, we seek to accept and integrate them, and from this act, we will be closer to healing and transformation.

During this workshop, we will explore the main teaching from the Kintsugi as a philosophy and the Resilience theory.

This will be a "hands-on" workshop, where the "process" will be the most interesting. The "how" will be more important than the "what" or "why".

The final result is not the objective, although you will be surprised at what you can create and, above all, integrate into your "here and now"

Materials included in the workshop cost

Workshop information:

Day: August 12th, 2023

Where: Gestalt Art Therapy Centre.

2 Findlay St. Ashgrove. Brisbane. Qld.

Time: 10 am to 12 pm (Brisbane- Australian time)

Cost:

Members of the Gestalt Art Therapy Center Participation: $95Aud Click here to pay by Credit card (Paypal)

General participants

Click here to pay by Credit card (Paypal) Participation: $120Aud

Workshop REGISTRATION HERE

We are not registered for GST

Silver members: $40 per year

Gold Members: $60 per year

Membership is from one year, until December 31st, 2023.

Payments with PayPal have platform commissions applied.

Please note:

Covid Requirements

Following the Australian Government Health Department's indications and with the objective of offering a safe space for all patients and Counsellors:

Every participant before being admitted to each Face-to-face session/ workshop:

• Before each workshop/ session temperature measures will be taken. If the participant has symptoms like fever (37°C or more), coughing, sore throat, or shortness of breath, unfortunately, he/she will not be admitted to the event/ session, and the session will be rescheduled.

Important information from Government:

Testing positive for COVID-19

Any person who tests positive for COVID-19 will need to immediately isolate at home or other suitable accommodation for at least 4 full days from the date the person had their test. Follow the advice from Queensland Health, including the first steps to take if you have COVID-19.

Close Contact

If you are a close contact, on the day of the event/ session you should have a negative test and wear a mask.

If there is a positive test, please reschedule the session.