What does art have to do with financial therapy?
You're creative. You can use that to get better with money! 🎨💸
You may know that I'm not only a financial therapist, but I also got my start in mental health as an art therapist. I often bring creative practices to my financial therapy work, but it's a quiet thing I offer, almost like a secret ingredient.
But lately I've been asking myself - Why have I been so quiet about something I'm sooooo passionate about? 🤔
Two reasons:
First, because art-making is sometimes scary to people, and money is already such a tender topic - I don't want to overwhelm.
Second, because thinking in images and working creatively with clients is so in my blood... it's like a fish talking about water, sometimes I forget how special this side of my work is.
But recently, I keep coming back to art as central to how healing (including money healing) happens. And I realized: I need to talk about it more!
Actually, less talk, more images. 🖼️
Plus, my buddies at the Colorado Art Therapy Association (I volunteer on the board) advocated for May to be Art Therapy Awareness Month in Colorado! So here's some more awareness for ya! 🖌️
Here's what I've witnessed again and again: creativity and money healing are inseparable.
Money as a Creative Practice
The right side of your brain🧠, the one that processes images and is the seat of intuition, creativity and socializing, is ALWAYS RUNNING. But it's a quieter engine compared to the near constant chitter-chatter of the left side of the brain with language processing and logic and judgements.
Both sides of the brain are so important. And while personal finance typically addresses that left side of the brain, your other hemisphere has a lot of untapped wisdom about your money.
I'm suuuuper into your right side of the brain. Let's see what it has to say. 💭👀
For example, it's one thing to hear, “you need to save more”, and another thing to make an image of the container your money is in now, and the container you need it to be in.
As you take in the following images I drew, what do you notice? Which container do you want your money in? Isn't it interesting that the first one was my initial gut reaction to the thought of savings? A ROUNDED BOTTOM?! 😲
^This second image sits better with me, but now that I look at it, it needs a tightly fitting lid with a pretty handle. Someone hand me scissors and glue! It's collage time!
What does your money container look like? What does it need to feel better for you? 🤔
Suffice it to say - this image caused a noticeable change in me, and have led to increased comfort with my savings and insight into clients' discomfort with savings. Contrast that to empty phrases like, “have an emergency fund!”... for people like me who are visual thinkers, none of it feels real until I make it with my hands.👐
Money is lifelong, sometimes frustrating, contextual, multifaceted, tangible and ephemeral ... just like art.
Your Invitation to Art-Money Integration
Starting today, you'll see a new feature at the end of Dear Money newsletters. I'll share a recent image or creative piece of mine. They might relate to money, but sometimes to other things. Art speaks to complex ideas, and multiple levels of feeling and knowing. You just feel the meaning, no words needed. 🫶
It's my hope that you'll experience the power and effectiveness of image-making for personal finance. Even if you're saying to yourself “but Rachel, I can't draw!”, I promise that the process of making something “ugly” will do more good than making nothing at all. Art's for everyone.
I encourage Club members and my clients to keep a dedicated, unlined journal for their money healing work. And I extend that suggestion to you! ✨
I feel I was put on this earth to bridge the gap between finance and mental health in creative ways. And once you start the work, you'll realize there's not much of a gap at all. 💵
If this all sounds interesting and you'd like a guide, join the Club to get monthly art therapy & money workshops (as part of all our other weekly events). No art experience, no problem!
Remember: You can be an artist with your money. 💰🎨