Entries by Raina Cowan

Art Therapist Barbie

It’s National Barbie Day 2024, which commemorates the release of Barbie on this date, March 9th, in 1959! I loved my Barbies as a kid, and still do. They allow me to engage in creative play, imagining all sorts of people-centered scenarios. Kudos to Mattel for so many changes to Barbie over the years. There […]

What I Wish I Knew Before Infertility

What I Wish I Knew Before Infertility: This question was asked during a webinar for the recent release of the anthology: Infertilities: a curation. https://www.wsupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/infertilities-curation The event was hosted by Literati bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI. Here are my thoughts, some of which were informed by the discussion: Fertility is NOT a given. It is […]

A Well-Seasoned Therapist

7-27-23 This is a piece about being a “seasoned” (aka: older) therapist. I wrote this a week or so ago, before I saw the sad news yesterday that the phenomenal, one and only badass singer Sinéad O’Connor had died. I am gutted. I still have her albums (yes, Vinyl) that I played on repeat.  She […]

What is Art Therapy Part 2

If you read segments 1 & 3, you know I skipped Part 2! Here it is:   Art therapy is a dynamic modality, used individually and with groups, in diverse settings with a variety of clientele of all ages. I hope to capture some of the variety of approaches here. I want to acknowledge that […]

What Is Art Therapy Part 3

This is Part 3 of my #marketingmondays series on What Is Art Therapy. I may have accidentally skipped Part 2. All I know is I wrote this, and it doesn’t quite seem like Part 2, but it’s what I wrote so I’m gonna go with it. Who says it has to be linear, right?! Before […]

What is Art Therapy?/ #Marketing Monday

I’m going to spend the next few #MarketingMondays exploring what Art Therapy is. Please note, it’s difficult to convey in words what is primarily experienced through the body. Art therapy (art making) is by nature a physical experience as much as it is mental. As Confucian scholar Xunzi (340 – 245 BC) said, “What I […]

Pet Loss

TW: Pet Loss A month ago this past Friday, we had to say goodbye to our beloved 16 year old kitty. He was super social with people and our other cats, insisting on greeting and inspecting everyone and everything that came through our doors. He was demanding, mischievous and rambunctious, especially at night (some cats […]

,

Tips for Contacting a Therapist

It takes courage to contact a therapist. Whether it’s your first time seeking therapy, or you’re a seasoned pro, here are some tips to help you find a good therapy connection: First off, if you are in crisis, call a crisis hotline. You will get immediate assistance. Help IS out there. For example, the National […]

What TO Say to Someone Experiencing Infertility

Let’s start with what NOT to say to someone experiencing fertility struggles, or Infertility. –Don’t say “Relax, and it will happen” or “Stop stressing and let nature take it’s course”, or anything remotely like either of those examples. -Don’t say “Things happen for a reason” or “It will happen when (or if) it’s meant to […]

Legitimate, a post-Infertility/Adoption Reflection

A significant milestone happened the other day. I briefly picked up my 9 year old, resulting in a back spasm that brought me to my knees. Ibuprofen, ice, stretching and rest gave me time to ponder. This is no longer a little kid I can carry and hold. She is made of solid muscle and […]