Christina Standridge

Upon entering this master’s program, I was going through intense postpartum troubles with my third baby and had very little confidence in myself or the process. The support from my spiritual connection with God, my husband, family, and friends helped me to take everything step by step and “Trust the Process”. I used to roll my eyes at that statement and still do sometimes out of habit, but I have a new appreciation for the phrase. Throughout the course of this program, I have had to slow down and consistently take little steps each day and go along with each process as it came as I went through postpartum, going through the adoption process through children services, supporting the family while my husband was away, and dealing with typical life stressors on top of it all. My cohort was and still is such a huge support and we all kept each other uplifted and updated through school and the throws of life.

I now view myself as more patient, able to slow down and prioritize, quick to listen, easier to step back and reflect, and filled with more faith as an emerging art therapist. Coming into the program, I could not imagine what I would be like as an art therapist, but I knew in my soul that this was the path I was meant to take and now I can envision it all with more clarity. The artwork I chose throughout my experience at SMWC works almost as a timeline to the exploration of peace that I deeply yearned to find. I only found it through deep spiritual exploration and creation. I just wanted to feel content in where I was placed and couldn’t understand why my fight with anxiety was so prominent. Creating these pieces allowed me the time and space to explore and process the learnings, my thoughts, feelings, fears, and hopes all while expressing myself in ways I didn’t know I could.

The first image reflected my anxiety and level of faith through the Art Therapy Dream Assessment (ATDA). The malleable spiral staircase that seemed to be made of iron began to collapse with each step I took until I had to jump across with faith to reach safety. This dream was very motherhood centered but was a pivotal part of my art therapy identity as well. Through my practicum experience, I started to unravel my hidden Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) surrounding my identity as an emerging art therapist and realized I had many ANTs in my brain, and they were quick to multiply. Through the draw a road assessment I realized how this season of change was truly beautiful but also daunting as I couldn’t see where the road led passed the giant mountain ahead so maybe slowing down and enjoying the ride would bring me new views with faith. I began to learn how to cope with my anxieties and learn how to let them wash over me while washing them away in my own spiritual art therapy and this led to new grounding experiences and clarity on how I could help my future clients. Through exhaustion of this journey, I finally learned I cannot control everything and laid it all down and humbled myself which also led to a period of rest and healing. Peace, unity, and faith became the center in my life and how I envision my future professional career to unfold. The realization that my future would need to be helpful without being absorbed unlocked a new professional fear of becoming too attached or intertwined but eventually led to a rebirth and a reminder that with each slow step I will grow and become a part of something larger than myself without controlling or worrying or becoming absorbed. Instead, I will remain rooted in the process of art therapy through my spiritual journey of creating with faith, healing with the mind frame that I am merely a guide for my clients to oversee their own process as I take on a very Adlerian and holistic approach. This is peace and it is a beautiful process.