So today I am going to talk about something completely different from our past blogs and that is the topic of art therapy, specifically for traumatic brain injury (TBI) recovery. I am writing this in March, which happens to be Brain Injury Awareness Month. It also happens that I have spent the last 1 1/2 months delving into the art world and teaching myself how to sketch or draw. This has been very therapeutic for me and I would like to share my experience with you. I will even show my Matty the Coon Dog character from the very first version to his current revision status at the end of this post.
Brief History of How I Got Here
Up until recently I spent 30 years working in the accounting field. However, in December of 2021 I had a nasty fall while hiking in the woods. I knew something was wrong, but getting a correct diagnosis took some time. Many visits to the ER, doctors, months in therapy and then finally a specialist who was able to get me back on the road to recovery. Long story short, I had severe whiplash and a coup contrecoup injury. After my treatment, and a serious discussion with my specialist and husband, it was determined that I needed to leave my job. My brain just could not handle that level of stress any longer. We all agreed it was probably best to step back for now, while I continue to heal.
So now I am a part time manual laborer, and even though I was able to sew and quilt, I felt like I needed a different activity to pursue. One day I picked up a pencil and decided to try and draw animals inspired by family members. The result was more impressive than I thought it would be. In my free time, and when brain allows me, I have immersed myself into learning and practicing all I can. The result is a constant drive to practice sketching and painting.
Benefits of Art Therapy for TBI Recovery
I am not going to rewrite a whole article on art therapy for TBI recovery since I am not a professional. I am going to share a link to a great resource, and that is https://www.flintrehab.com/art-therapy-for-brain-injury-patients/ . And I am going to share some of my experiences in relation to that article.
They state there are 7 benefits of art therapy for brain injury patients, and those are:
- Sharpen fine motor skills and visual perception
- Improve concentration and attention
- Boost problem-solving skills
- Relieve symptoms of depression and build social skills
- Improve self-management and self-esteem
- Increase mental flexibility and perserverance
- Overcome emotional barriers
How a Brain Injury Can Change You
Since my fall I have changed. I used to be quick thinking, able to bounce from one task to another, remember things and solve problems with ease. There was a plan for each day and I could manage my time and activities without a problem. I used to be able to make meals so fast and without much thinking that cooking dinner was a breeze!
Then it all changed. Getting up in the morning just to get ready for work caused confusion and took so much longer. I would get off balance just trying to make coffee and cook up a quick breakfast sandwich. Some mornings I was in tears before I even left the house. Noises, lights and quick movements would bring me to my knees (internally of course because on the outside I was trying to remain normal). I ended up with a great specialist after a trip to the grocery store practically paralyzed me. The lights, noise and motion of looking up and down shelves made my head feel like it was bobbing somewhere above me and I really just could not move.
Experiencing the Benefits of Art Therapy Myself
By turning to art I am slowly building back those capabilities. Some times I push myself too hard and need to rest for a day or two, but it is helping me heal. The first benefit I noticed was the relief of depression. For a whole week in January I experienced a level of depression I had never felt before. I did not know what to do, and my quilting and sewing were not helping.
Then one day I picked up a pencil and started sketching. I was having fun so I continued and began seeing progress and improvement. This gave me a focus and purpose. It lead me to thinking about a long forgotten dream of writing a children’s book. Now I have a focus and something to concentrate on. I am slowly building a strategic plan to accomplish this dream, and I am experiencing all of the seven benefits listed above. Most importantly that depression has not been an active participant.
Meet Matty the Coon Dog
For those that know us, it is pretty obvious who this character is based on. For those who do not, this is based on my husband. He is a generally friendly and loving guy who sometimes gets into mischief and has the attention of “Look, a squirrel!” and LOVES to nap.
First Few Versions
The first version I did was just from my idea of what a cartoon coon dog would look like. Much room for improvement here!
I then looked at some pictures online and came up with a few more revisions of this dog. Check out the legs of the second one!
YouTube Tutorial Favorites of Mine
Not being happy with the results I then hit up YouTube and started taking some tutorials on drawing, sketching and cartooning. I have watched so many this past month, but I have a few favorites. They are:
- The Pencil Room
- Check out her FREE Learn to Draw Course playlist for drawing basics. You will learn so much if you are new to drawing.
- Christopher Hart
- I have watched a number of his videos, he has lots! I draw along to help me initiate my creativity and see how lines and shapes can create characters and objects. They are quick and fun!
- Emma Jane Lefebvre
- My favorite is her Beginner Illustration Series, but she also goes over watercolor which is my medium of choice. I am not good at it yet, but it is so much fun!
- Matt Dragovits
- Matt has videos on here from Disney artist Jeffrey Varab that are outstanding for learning how to draw dogs, cats, dragons and monsters. I have not watched them all yet, but they are on my immediate watch list.
Current Final Revision of Matty
Here is where Matty stands today both in colored pencil and my attempt at watercolor. I am using very generic watercolor paints and need to upgrade, but they are fine for now since I am just starting out.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hesitated on writing this because it is so personal, but I also want to share how great of an experience this has been for me. Hopefully this post will encourage others to at least try some version of art themselves, brain injury or no brain injury. You can draw, paint, sculpt, carve like my husband does. I know there are many critics of art, but I also feel there is no right or wrong, just room for improvement. As I always say, do not let fear hold you back. The worst result is you do not achieve the result YOU desire, and you learn from that experience and try again.
If you have suffered a brain injury and have used art to help you recover, share below in the comments. Or if you have a comment and no brain injury, I would like to hear from you also!
My Specialist Who Put Me Back on Track to Healing
If you or someone you know has experienced a brain injury and do not seem to be healing I would like to recommend Dr. Charles Simkovich from the Simkovich Concussion Institute. You can schedule a free consultation with him in person or over the phone to see if he can help. The most outstanding testimonial of his work would be Caitlin Little who you can read all about. She has been on the news, in magazines and has a Facebook page Caitlin’s Journey to Healing. I met her and her mother during one of my treatments and this is truly the most amazing story. Dr. Simkovich was the doctor who finally helped her. And he helped me when I thought I could not be healed. We are not a paid sponsor, just a satisfied patient and feel his treatment process needs more attention.
See more of our blog posts here.
