Processing Religious Trauma Through Creative Expression

How can art therapy help with trauma processing?

Art therapy has to work around neurological barriers by accessing blocked emotions and nonverbal memories through embodied processing. Expression through imagery and symbols in art therapy allows for reconstruction of experiences and provides avenues to recontextualize events in order to move forward. Symbols and imagery add depth and hold more power when we are able to visually see what is important to us.

Using photography as a tool for creative expression, I was able to reflect on messages that I was taught growing up in a nondenominational Christian household.

In this series, I chose to focus on the celebration of my body while reflecting on shame, resiliency, and empowerment related to religious trauma.