Alexandria Art Therapy, LLC

01/26/2024

This week in How the Light Gets In, a cozy afternoon with a friend has us thinking about connection as a means to a happier life. We’re also sharing information about clinician openings, our latest blog posts, and links we like.

Dear Friends, On the MLK Jr. holiday, the first day of snow, I took the train into the city to meet up with my friend Rajani. Snow on a federal holiday rendered the city silent, everyone indoors making coffee, hunting for thicker socks. Except the dogs, of course. The dogs of DC still had to go out,...

01/17/2024

New Blog: The new year is often a time of fresh inspiration, new resolutions, and fresh starts. But this year? I don’t have a single new idea in my head. So what do you do when you’re in a creative rut?

The new year is often a time of fresh inspiration, new resolutions, and fresh starts. Last year, I began the new year feeling excited about a new iteration of The 100 Day Project. Other days I’ve felt rejuvenated for new activities, trips, or plans.  But this year? I feel a little meh. My

01/12/2024

In the first newsletter of 2024, Dot's choosing a word for the year, going to the art museum, and learning philosophy from four year olds. Bring it, 2024.

Dear Friends, I’ve spent these early days of the new year making space. I returned the giant stroller that’s been on loan to me since Nora was an infant, freeing up my foyer for the first time. I’ve packed up the holiday decorations and reinforced the boxes, knowing that the next time I open t...

12/29/2023

For the final newsletter for 2023, I’m reflecting on the overarching themes of my letters this year. As an art therapy practice, it makes sense that our newsletter is about creativity and mental health. But looking back at the year of letters, I found they closely mirrored the themes of the “First Year Seminar” I took in college. FYS 101: Composing the Self. FYS 102: Engaging the World. Whether you’re a long-time reader or finding us for the first time, I hope you’ll join me for this reflection—both on 2023, and on a time nearly twenty years ago.

Dear Friends, I hadn’t planned to write a letter this week, this cozy time between Christmas and the new year. The time when, in childhood, I’d pester my mother to take me outlet shopping with my Christmas money. I’d read a whole stack of books. I’d introduce cocoa into my morning and evenin...

12/21/2023

In this season of hubbub and extra stress, we’re revisiting one of our most popular blog posts: 100 Ways to Self Soothe. The next time you feel anxiety, panic, or just a heightened sense of agitation, give yourself a small moment to self-soothe and return your body to a state of calm.

Now more than ever, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Maybe you’ve dealt with anxiety throughout your life, or maybe the pandemic has brought up new stressors in your environment that make your body feel like it’s on high alert.  In a world with so much nervous system activation, self-soothi...

12/15/2023

This week on How the Light Gets in, we’re grappling with illness and its subsequent disappointments, what writer Dani Shapiro calls “the fleas of life.” How do we cope with disappointment? Do we do it “gracefully,” as society would like us to (i.e. “quietly”)? Or do we allow ourselves a loud wallow?

Dear Friends, I come downstairs, and my living room looks like it’s snowed. It’s not snow, of course. It’s just a mountain of discarded Kleenex viewed through the blur of pink eye vision. Happy holidays! We’re having a grand time. In addition to pink eye and the runny nose inspiring my daugh...

12/06/2023

New blog! The idea of “setting boundaries” probably isn’t new to you. But in truth, many people misuse the idea of boundary-setting as a way to police other people rather than create structure for yourself. In this blog, we explore the framework of thinking of boundary setting as taking a pause.

The idea of “setting boundaries” probably isn’t new to you. You may have heard it in therapy, or you may have seen reference to boundary-setting on social media.  In truth, “respecting my boundaries” has become one of the most weaponized types of therapy-speak, with many people misusi...

12/01/2023

This week in How the Light Gets In, we’re thinking about authenticity and the performance of authenticity. “Authentic” is the 2023 Merriam-Webster word of the year, and for good reason—it’s not so simple anymore. How do you find a sense of authenticity that’s right for you, especially during the performative season of winter holidays?

Dear Friends, If there was ever a phrase that represented the type of parent I wasn’t going to be, it’s “Disney On Ice.” The mayhem. The merch. An arena of zillions of children. No thank you. Pre-kid me would rather do absolutely anything else. No way am I going to take my child to that kind...

11/17/2023

In this week’s newsletter, a trip to the roof of the National Gallery brings unexpected delight in a hard week. Are you prepared for surprise, even in the places you think you know well?

Dear Friends, Last Friday was my birthday. My mom came to visit from Florida, in part to spend the day with me, and in part to help me throw my daughter a small early birthday party the next day. (Nora’s actual birthday is the day after Thanksgiving–not the best time to celebrate with friends.)

11/03/2023

This week on Substack, we’re thinking about that one person in every community who’s kind of “a lot,” but they’re dear to you anyway. Can seeing others, and being seen ourselves, be the highest form of human potential?

Dear Friends, Much to my surprise and delight, my daughter Nora is an art kid. At two, she would put every single sticker from a pack on one sheet of paper, making a giant, layered mound. We called it her “El Duende sticker period.” Then she began to love crayons and markers, decorating the whol...

10/25/2023

New on the blog: If you don’t consider yourself to be a creative person, you may not be sure where to start. What exactly is “the creative process”? And how do you “surrender” to it?

Many people set out on a creative endeavor with a plan. You might want to paint in a particular style, or a particular subject. You might want to make a particular object. You might have an outline for a story you want to tell.

That’s a great place to start. But in order to surrender to the creative process, you have to be open to the unknown. More on exactly what that means in this week’s blog.

“The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” - Bruce Lee People describe the impulse to create in many different ways. Maybe the creative process is fun for you, or calms your nervous system. For many people who consider themselves to be creative, the process of making art (of ...

10/20/2023

This week on Substack, we’re considering what is normal (and not) in the world these days, as well as welcoming a new associate art therapist to the team.

In order for me to write poetry that’s not political, I must listen to the birds, and in order to hear the birds, the war planes must be silent. - Marwan Makhoul Dear Friends, I have never lived in a war zone. The closest I’ve come was my time in Saudi Arabia during the Houthi missile strikes in...

10/12/2023

Welcome, Kristopher! We’re excited to announce that Kristopher Forren, ATR-P will be joining our practice as an Associate Art Therapist under the supervision of Laura Miles, LPC, ATR-BC and Adele Stuckey, LPC, ATR-BC. Kristopher specializes in working with adults and older adults who are experiencing life transitions that bring feelings of depression, anxiety, or grief. Kristopher also works with LGBTQIA+ adults seeking to explore their identity and express their authentic self.

To schedule a complimentary fifteen-minute consultation, send us an email at info@alexandriaarttherapy.com.

10/11/2023

New on the blog: Autumn is a time of cool weather, holidays, and coziness. For some people, this is a welcome relief from the heat of summer. But for others, the fall marks the beginning of a difficult time of year—less sunlight, seasonal depression, or difficult memories. Today we’re sharing three art prompts to help you check in with yourself as you transition into fall.

Autumn is a time of cool weather, holidays, and coziness. For some people, this is a welcome relief from the heat of summer. But for others, the fall marks the beginning of a difficult time of year—less sunlight, seasonal depression, or difficult memories.  Autumn is a time when trees cast

10/06/2023

This week on Substack, Dot gets a new e-bike, and the rest is history. What does it feel like when we finally get the support we need for the hills in our lives?

Dear Friends, Last weekend, I bought an e-bike. It was a big purchase, one I’ve been considering for a while. Up until now, I’ve ridden a Schwinn Breeze coaster bike from 1960. It’s got no gears, no frills, and no effective kickstand, since there’s a giant yellow kid seat attached to the bac...

09/22/2023

This week on Substack, we’re suffering through new routines and new emotional landscapes of grief—or are we actually adapting?

Dear Friends, Perhaps it’s like this for everyone, but this September has brought a total routine overhaul for my family. Last week my daughter (FINALLY!) went back to preschool, so I tried to clear the week as best I could to account for “after school restraint collapse,

09/13/2023

From the blog archives: If you’re experiencing infertility, it can feel heavy and all-consuming. Your calendar is turned over to tracking and appointments. Your brain may be able to think of little else. When it comes to self care and infertility, “just relax” is no diagnosis. Self care through infertility requires a combination of mindset shifts, support, and good boundaries. In this two-part blog series, we offer some self-care strategies for infertility (and a great response for anyone who tells you you’re not getting pregnant because “you’re too stressed.”)

If you’re experiencing infertility, it can feel heavy and all-consuming. Your calendar is turned over to tracking and appointments. Your brain may be able to think of little else. In truth, wanting a baby and having to grapple with the fact that it may not happen is one of the worst experiences in...

09/08/2023

This week on Substack, we’re thinking about decision making. How do you choose between two not-great options? And what if you actually don’t have any major decisions to make? Can you ride the wave of not being in control, or does your brain come up with other nonsense to keep you busy? (Give you one guess if you experience anxiety…)

Dear Friends, I’m an artist who works well with constraints. For this newsletter, my constraint is this: I don’t start writing the letter until the first workday of the week it comes out. So on weeks like this one, beginning with Labor Day, I am writing on Tuesday morning, and you’re reading t...