Expressive Arts: Shame & Tenderness

Weekly 90-minute sessions that focus on the relationship between permission, shame, and creative expression through visual art, writing, and somatic practices. Workshop sessions build off of each other and are formatted so that participants can choose to attend one, multiple, or all. Erika’s focus as an art therapist is to create judgement-free spaces of expression that foster self-compassion and tap into our ability to connect and learn through creativity. It does not matter what your artistic experience is, all are welcome, as this is an opportunity to honor your inner artist.

-Session Topic-

Shame & Tenderness: This session centers creating softness around the weight of shame and its heaviness by using creative directives to visualize self-compassion and release the pressure shame builds.

Sessions are 1.5 hours and participants are welcome to attend all, several or just one session. The materials provided include: watercolor pads, paper, watercolor paints, colored pencils, oil pastels, pencils, markers. 

About the Facilitator:

Erika has spent the last decade weaving art into her practice as a therapist and community advocate while personally using art to connect the world we see with the possibility of the world we can create. Working extensively in community from a trauma-informed lens, she has valued and advocated for a social-ecological approach to trauma and its impact. She's held a range of positions in the field including clinician, advocate, educator, and partnerships manager. Uniting her passion for both art and wellness, she serves as the Director of Healing Arts at Sunset Youth Services and Co-founder of Queer Arts Featured. It is her great joy and humbled honor to spearhead the inclusion of Healing Arts at Queer A.F. and foster a new chapter in its community impact.