The creative process is very useful in bringing about change. I typically have my clients “create their path” after identifying their goals. It sometimes takes minutes and for others it can take weeks. Clients will tell me they have thought about it and created it in their mind. That is very different than drawing it on paper or painting it on canvas. My perception is that actually creating something seems to use a different part of the brain that establishes something more permanent in the individual. It gives them a compass for direction if they find themselves off course. The physical act of creating something sets in place what the cognitive brain has considered. I use their path often during times of difficulty to assist clients in being able to find their way when they are lost and without direction. They soon learn to use it on their own.
Developing the creative process is very helpful in being able to ground oneself and to establish a clear understanding of what one is facing. I have been using the creation of images on paper during sessions to better understand and accept what is true and to motivate clients to take action where they have been resistant to doing so. The use of EMDR helps to create the possibility for change when the need for change has been resisted.