Drawing Is For Everyone: A Tool For Embodied Experiencing
Drawing can be a powerful tool to return to embodied states. What comes between most people and drawing? The early childhood messages that we carry with us through our lives; somewhere we came to believe that “artists” are the only kind of people that use drawing, and that we know something about what art is. But, in a parallel analogy, most of us do not consider ourselves writers, yet we write post-it notes, love letters and emails to ourselves and others.
For many of us, Focusing is a process of coming back to our childhood selves where we relearn how to construct meaning through the embodied knowledge that comes from the Felt Sense sense and felt sensing - to trust the felt sense as a place of implicit knowledge. Like drawing, somewhere along the way, usually, when we go to school, we were taught that knowledge and learning is something specific that doesn't involve the body. Our education teaches us that drawing isn't valuable unless it's in service of producing “artwork” that aligns with culturally imposed aesthetic conventions. We were told to discard drawing as a problem-solving process visual problem-solving skill or a process tracking record in favour of linguistic and mathematical models.
The good news is we have an amazing capacity to learn new things. This workshop aims to challenge your beliefs about the role of drawing in contemporary culture and Introduce you to a discipline called Perceptual Learning. With an open mind and intention, we will use drawing to: Find the inner voice that tells you something about whether you are or are not an artist; clear space; explore places that have no adequate language to express; create containers to hold complexity, paradox, and in-between places; and keep process records and go deeper into your focusing practice.
Basic drawing materials participants will need:
Sketchbook or a stack of blank paper
Pencil and a box of 24 crayons is perfect but pastels, water colours, ink markers are welcome
Body cards (handout will be provided in email confirmation letter)
All are welcome to attend. Some familiarity with Focusing will be helpful but is not required. This webinar will leave you with process instruction to return to these activities if you’d like to incorporate them into your Focusing practice.
Presented by The International Focusing Institute, hosted by Jenna Chevalier
Jenna Chevalier is a Focusing Trainer and a Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapist in training at Focusing on Borden, in Toronto Canada. Registered with the Ontario College of Teachers, Jenna holds a Master's degree in Education. She was formerly a Visual Arts and Special Education teacher who designed programs for adolescents coping with emotional and behavioural regulation challenges. She is currently finishing a Masters of Counselling Psychology. Jenna currently offers a range of coaching services, courses and workshops through her company, Well Being Partnership. She is an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider and offers ADHD, wellness, recovery, Focusing, and academic coaching. She will be licensed as a psychotherapist in February of 2022. Jenna is a visual artist, graphic designer, RYT200 certified yoga teacher, and workshop presenter on a wide range of topics. She has been Focusing since 2011. Web: www.wellbeingpartnership.ca Social: @wellbeingpartnership
Saturday, June 12, 2021
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, PST
This live online class is pay-what-you-can. The suggested payment for US residents is $30.
Registration info: Contact The International Focusing Institute with any questions: Phone: (845) 480-5111 Email: elizabeth@focusing.org
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