Today, in this week’s installment of my series dedicated to sharing some things I’ve found that help me to feel a little more comfortable when I’m having a Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Day, I am excited to be featuring Andrea Schroeder, Creative Journaler Extraordinaire.
1. Hey, Andrea, and welcome! Thanks so much for coming to visit with us today! Now, I know you have a few different sites and many different offerings. Could you give us a quick overview of all the things you are up to online?
My “original” blog is here: http://www.ABCcreativity.com which is where Creative Journaling and Creative Meditation collide in sparks of Creative Magic.
My Creative Dream Incubator blog is here: http://www.CreativeDreamIncubator.com which is all about growing your creative dreams.
And I am starting something new – a whole Academy of Creative Magic. Right now it’s just one little thing but I will be growing it over the summer:
http://www.CreativeMagicAcademy.com
2. How long have you been doing this kind of work? What are some of the ways it’s changed your life?
I’ve been doing this kind of work, like as work I do for other people, for about four years.
I’ve been doing this kind of work, like as in using these tools for working on my stuff, for about fifteen years.
And I don’t know that I could possibly list every way it’s changed my life. It’s been so magical and amazing and that’s why I am so passionate about sharing it with others.
The main thing is that it helps me be more me and believe in me. It’s helped me to break through limiting patterns and beliefs and make big sweeping positive changes in my finances, my health, my self esteem and my career. It’s helped me to be a heck of a lot happier.
3. What do you hope that other people receive from what you do?
Above all I want to help them believe in themselves and believe in their dreams. Because when you’ve got that – everything is possible.
4. Have you ever used what you do in the context of art therapy, or working with people like us who live with long-term health challenges?
I have never done a course specifically for people with long-term health challenges, but I have certainly had people with all sorts of health challenges participate in my courses, and as private clients. What I found is that people who are suffering from something can really benefit from that little bit of relief that comes when you’re in that bubble of creative magic.
A big part of my training does involve healing work, and I have worked with clients and help them activate their body’s innate ability to heal. I have had some dramatic results, (You can read about that here: http://www.abccreativity.com/2011/02/09/new-thought-healing-practitioner/ ) but I don’t present myself as someone who does this, as there are no guarantees. But I would eventually like to do an online creative journaling course on healing work (I have done these in person).
5. Bearing in mind that we are generally dealing with some kind of pain, or fatigue, or other illness-related limitation on any given day, could you maybe give us some suggestions for a very easy way to make some art a la Andrea?
The real magic in my creative work comes from me being where I really am. Writing how I’m really thinking. Painting what I’m really feeling.
So I would suggest starting right there. Write out what sucks. What hurts. What is annoying.
Really get in touch with how it feels. What colour is it? Paint over your words with that colour. Scribble. Add other colours in. Write some more if more words come to you.
Just take what you are feeling inside and put it down onto the paper.
Being able to see it outside of you can be profoundly transformative. It can give you inspiration and information.
And sometimes it can provide relief. Obviously you have a big and painful physical component to what is going on, and Creative Journaling is not a cure for that. But beneath that there are also many emotional things happening – like judgment and resistance and frustration. Being sick sucks and it triggers all sorts of emotional stuff. Creative Journaling can ease those parts of it, which can sometimes provide some relief from the physical components too.
6. Do you have any new or any upcoming offerings you’d like to tell us about?
I do!
I have a new session of the Creative Dream Incubator e-course ( http://www.CreativeDreamIncubator.com ) starting on May 30.
And the first session of the Creative Journal Magic e-course ( http://www.creativemagicacademy.com ) starting on June 13.
Thanks so much for inviting me over Jenny.
I love what you’re doing here.
xoxo
Andrea 
Oh Yay.
Thanks so much for inviting me for a visit Jenny.