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So Analog! Where Digital Meets Analog is dedicated to the documentation of my Hipstamatic photo experiences. Please visit for images and info.

So Analog!

Artist Trading Cards Recap

Artist Trading Cards

It’s been a long time since I updated, and instead of recapping with lengthy paragraphs, I will highlight the past few months with mostly imagery and a few new posts.

As mentioned previously, I participated in the first Art Therapy Alliance Artist Trading Card (ATC) swap organized by Gretchen Miller, but I never posted the cards I received. The following are the received cards from the first swap!

By Andrea Davis in Dallas, TX

By Mary Stanwood from Pitt Meadows, BC Canada

By Kathy Schnur from Oxford, MI

By Gretchen Miller from Cleveland, OH

I enjoyed receiving handmade art so much I decided to participate in the Second Art Therapy Alliance Swap organized by Melanie Glassey. The theme was Collage Unleashed and I actually made two sets of cards, because I wasn’t satisfied with the first set (too messy/busy/sticky/etc.). I ended up creating four ‘simplified’ collage images that even incorporated glitter (a material I usually steer away from).

Created with magazines, paint, Sharpie, glue, & glitter on bristol board

The second swap ended recently, and I received four lovely artist trading cards this past week from all over the U.S.A. Funny enough, I received a card from my former art therapy classmate at Pratt, Lindsey Kazmark. Now that I’m gathering more ATCs, I need to figure out how to display them. I’m anticipating participation in future artist trading events via Art Therapy Alliance / International Art Therapy Organization / Art Therapy Without Borders.

By Bev Therkelsen from Andover, MI

By Melanie Glassey from Reinholds, PA

By Lindsey Kazmark (former art therapy classmate!) from Hillsborough, NJ

By Rainy Day from Tucson, AZ

My ATCs are finished, and ready to be mailed!

As previously mentioned, I signed up for the first ever Art Therapy Alliance Artist Trading Card (ATC) swap. I used playing cards for the surfaces of my cards, and deconstructed magazines, photographs, jewelry, and old collages to create these cards. I finished them within the past week, and need to send them off. I can’t wait to see what I get in return. I’ll post updates!

ATCS

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Antidotes to professional burnout

As a therapist, there are always challenges of balancing institutional stress and chaos while still needing to be accepted, recognized, and respected within the institutional framework. Dolginko and Robbins (1987) suggest the following as possible ways to avoid professional burnout:

1. We need to put limits on our work so that we have time with friends and family.
2. We need to process our reactions concerning both patients and the institutions within which we work. Ideally, that should be done both verbally and nonverbally in peer groups and informally with other mental health colleagues.
3. We nee periods of time to get completely away from our work to replenish our personal resources.
4. We must examine our own issues regarding separation and be able to leave a situation that becomes so toxic that it makes our effectiveness and potential growth impossible. (p. 177-118)

Dolginko, B. G., Robbins, A. (1987). The institution as a holding environment for the  therapist. In The artists as therapist (pp. 116-136). New York, NY: Human Sciences Press, Inc. Schaverien, J. (1985). Creativity and the Institution. International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape, 3-6.