Judged for spelling.

I am a terrible speller. I teach numerous workshop involving my 'two worlds' of counseling and art -and sometimes both! Last year I taught meditation, art & therapy in Cape Cod where the 70 clinians in my audience were mostly more educated and credentials than myself.  I even had to two doctors in attendance.  

I teach writing on whiteboards to avoid "Death by Powerpoint".  Although it would be wiser of me because Powerpoint has spell-check.  So I usually start off with this little joke to set the tone:

"I take pride being a creative person, but I am a bad speller -as you will see.  I actually feel sorry for you people, you only know one way to spell a word.  I am much more creative than that."

So let's make a deal, don't judge me for being a bad speller and I won't judge you for lacking imagination! 

Judging is a tricky thing.  "Judge not least ye be judge" but what does that mean?  Especially since we are also charged to have a good judgment.  

Also, judgment is subjective.  Last year I won first place in a large art competition.  Out of 100s of entries my piece was judged to be the best in one of the four categories (sculpture).  What a compliment!  ...until I looked around to look at what the same judge considered the best in the other categories.  In my own subjective judgement they picked crap!  It was the worst stuff!  There was so much better art that was not given one of the many colored ribbons.  Now their judgement almost feels insulting.  But I still cashed the $500 check!  

Art Therapist are very territorial!

Yet there is only around 5,000 of them in the US.
In comparison there is:

-10 times that amount of Married Family Therapist (MFT) 48,000.

-100 times Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) 552,000.

-And are even more Social Workers (MSW) 682,100.

-Add other types of counselors (substance abuse 260,200, school counselors, Christian and pastoral, etc.) you got a lot of people doing the work of therapy and many use art sometimes.

But this little group thinks they own everything "art" + "therapy" activity or wording! So I avoid using those words together.

Well, I shouldn't say that all Art Therapist are very territorial. I've had a few official real Art Therapist in my workshops on "Art & Therapy" (Please note the use of the "&" sign.) They were great people that I have friended me on social media and could be reading this right now. So, ...I am sure there are some reasonable Licensed Art Therapist! 　

It's just the unreasonable ones seem to be drawn to talk to me, criticize the book that I wrote on art & therapy group projects, discuss theories of existential ghost-like artist, and metaphysicalcolor art experiences. One told me he kinesthetically experienced the 5th dimensional color Phaphalophethan. Which he explained as the color of a soldier returning home after war. Or was this just a memory of the TV show, "The Good Place"?

Perhaps I am just jealous. If I had infinite time, energy and resources -tomorrow I would go to the University of Tallahassee and get a master's in Art & Therapy -I meant Art Therapy! (Wow! Then I would actually have the credentials use the words together!!!!)

Resources:  Emotional Enrichment is in my wheelhouse.  It's starts with emotion identification.  Most of us don't know what we are feeling or why we are feeling it.  I created a process I initially used with my clients, but now everyone!  It's called a two part exercise and experience called Emotion Mapping and Mood Management.  To do so I created audio/written products that you can see here:  https://gumroad.com/caseycolecorbin 

I wrote a book on art & therapy (see what I did there?)  5 years ago that features pour art (in it's primitive stage, this art form as advanced significantly with cool additives for cells that pop up on their own.)  Obviously I've adjusted when I teach it now and you can imagine the wow factor! 

Pour Art (also called Fluid Art and Flow Art) has always been about lack of control.  Letting go and not being so 'tight'.  In my book I offer a group exercise on this that build community within the group members by first agitating them!  It's great fun!  Here's my book info:

Create! Expressive External (Art) and Internal (Mindfulness) Therapeutic Activities to: -Increase Creativity -Problem Solve -Get Past your Past! Individually or in Groups! by Casey  https://www.amazon.com/Create-Expressive-Therapy-Problem-Solving/dp/1481145916 

Ton's of free resources on my Facebook page about learning this art form:   https://www.facebook.com/DynamicFluidArt/