Art for Change · Principle 3 of 5
Grounding in the Body and the Present Moment
Expert interview with Markus Scott-Alexander · 8:01 min · in English
About the principle
In creative therapy it matters to help clients stay grounded in the body and in the present moment, because safe contact with the body supports emotional regulation, presence and the capacity to stay with one’s own experience without being overwhelmed.
Regulating the nervous system. Grounding in the body can help the nervous system move from restlessness, high alert or emotional distance towards greater calm and stability.
Building body awareness. Many people lose contact with the body under stress. Creative therapy can help the client gradually sense tension, warmth, weight, breath or the need for a pause.
Creating calm and presence. When attention gathers around the senses, materials and movement, it becomes easier to be present in the moment.
Extract from the book Art for Change – Creativity in Working with Trauma and Mental Health.
Exercises
- How do you feel the ground beneath your feet right now?
- Draw or shape what the body is trying to tell you
- Work slowly with clay, fabric or natural materials and notice the senses
- Follow the breath while drawing repeating patterns or shapes
- Move the body slowly to calm music and feel the rhythm
- Find three colours or objects in the room that bring a sense of safety
Guidance for the therapist
Invite the client to work at a pace the body can follow. Watch for signs of dissociation, overwhelm or emotional shutdown, and help the client back to concrete sensation in the present. Make clear that the client can always pause, change the exercise or stop.
Questions for reflection
- What do you notice in your body right now?
- Is there anything that helps you feel more present?
- How did your experience change when you turned attention towards the senses?
- Was there a material, a movement or a sound that brought particular calm or grounding?
- What might be helpful to return to in everyday life when you feel unsettled?
About Markus Scott-Alexander
PhD, REAT. One of the first Registered Expressive Arts Therapists and a pioneer of phenomenological, intermodal expressive arts therapy. He was senior faculty at the European Graduate School until 2020 and now leads the World Arts Organization from Edmonton, Canada – with a focus on body- and nature-based, cross-cultural healing work.
In the interview, Markus answers: ”How to work with the body in creative therapy practice”