Creativity: The Foundation for Professional Development and Self Care

At the LPCANC Annual Conference in October Eva Miller, MPS, ATR, LPC, Pasadena Villa Outpatient Center-Raleigh, and Karen Kuebler, MPS, ATR-BC, LPC, Veritas Collaborative, focused on helping the professionals using creative arts. The outstanding presentation started out with the “left brain” by engaging the participants on the nature and benefits of the creative process not only for our clients but for us as therapists. Then we moved to the “right brain” and experienced hands-on what creative arts can do.

Everyone was instructed to choose a sand tray object that represented their professional self or one that they were drawn to, which became the focus as the group used writing and later visual arts as part of the process. The sharing of insights and perspectives among the group really brought everything to life. Not only was the presentation very educational but the attendees left feeling more relaxed and grounded proving the positive influence exercising creativity can have on us.