Why QUESTIONS + ART?

Questions have a wonderful way of helping us to see things we hadn’t noticed before and make up things we’d never before imagined. With questions, instead of trying to fit yourself into grief “stages” and “tasks” and other people’s advice, you’ll get closer to your own experiences, hurdles, strengths, and unique answers for YOUR ways forward.

Art-making is a great way to relax and de-stress, and seeing your grief experiences expressed as something concrete that you can look at, and even show to others, can lead to big insights and healing conversations. But one of the best things about art-making is that it grows our creativity “muscle”, and that’s important because…

Making meaning after loss is an act of creativity

Creativity isn’t wedded to theoretical models of grief, or the way things were or should be, nor is it about right and wrong or singular truths. Creativity is about expressing yourself, sharing your points of view, and making things up. Living with great loss, trauma, chronic illness, or disabilities is an art, and you get to decide how you want to express yourself, what’s important to you, and what kinds of meaning and beauty you want to create with your life.

Making changes that last

The power of questions and art is in how we use them, so each book in the Questions + Art After Loss series includes a discussion of how to engage with questions and art-making experiences for the purposes of making meaning (spoiler art: you don’t have to know all the answers or be “good” at art!).

In addition, you’ll learn about 3 practises that build important meta-skills that are necessary for creating real and lasting changes: reflection, self-awareness, the ability to feel calm and safe, and the ability to notice and nurture what feels good.

Is the QUESTIONS + ART AFTER LOSS series for you?

It doesn’t matter if you don’t consider yourself “artistic” or “creative” or haven’t done any kind of art-making since you were a kid. If the idea of creating your way through grief by reflecting, journaling, and making any kind of art is appealing to you, then you’ll enjoy the Questions + Art approach to exploring and making meaning after loss.

Other signals that you’ll find the Questions + Art After Loss series helpful and resonant include:

• Grief theories that outline “stages” and “tasks” of grief don’t mirror your experiences, and you’re left wondering whether you’re “doing it right”, or knowing that none of these theories have the answers you’re looking for because your answers are within you.
• The fog of grief (and perhaps chronic illness or disability) has you too exhausted or unable to read and take in a lot of information, so you’re looking for something that’s light on information and advice, and focuses on reflection, experiential learning, and action instead.
• You’ve realised that you tend to intellectualise your experiences or use information to distract or distance yourself from your feelings, so you’re looking for an approach that will bring you back to your experiences and embodied wisdom.
• All the advice about what you should feel and do in the midst of grief has you feeling overwhelmed, stuck in analysis-paralysis, or disappointed in your failure to implement any of it. You don’t need more information. Instead you want support that will guide you to turn your reflections and insights into doable, consistent commitments and actions that will get you the changes you want.
• You’re offering grief support as a therapist, spiritual director, coach, support group facilitator, peer support volunteer, or other kind of healing professional, and you’re looking for ideas for activities and questions that can open up and enrich your conversations with people who are struggling with grief.

If the QUESTIONS + ART AFTER LOSS approach sounds like your kinda thing, then check out the first book published in the series, Untangle Your Grief…