Book Study: The Creative Fight by Chris Orwig

I used to think social work and photography were two very different things, that photography would always be my hobby and social work my career but I’m learning that that isn’t necessarily the case. In chapter one, Orwig states, “creativity is essential to life. It’s like the oxygen that gives us life and the sunshine that provides growth. Creativity is like an electric current to illuminate our path. It is a fire that reinvigorates our resolve to do what matters most. Creativity is hope when all seems lost. It sustains us so that we can thrive. When the creative juices flow, we become more productive and alive. We move forward and accomplish impossible tasks”. How does this NOT intertwine with wellbeing and mental health? The thing with art therapy is that it has a reputation as being for people who are already skilled in that medium, but that’s not the case. Sure there may require a very basic understanding of how to use whatever tools required, whether that is a pencil or a camera, but masters in the field of art are not the only people who can (or should) benefit from creativity or art-making. “Creativity is a gift from the divine, but it isn’t limited to a specialized group”.

Additionally, creativity is one of few things that actually thrives on overcoming difficulties. “Creativity doesn’t hinge on getting everything right… [it] flourishes when times get tough. The tougher the times, the more creativity grows”. This can be used in two ways: 1) as a form of self care, or 2) as a form of therapeutic photography to help yourself, or a client, face their problem and utilize a creative medium to solve or overcome their problem. Creativity is a means of expression, of thought and intention in the purest form. The more it is utilized, the stronger and more meaningful it will become.

Photography as Self Care

In the mental health world, we talk a lot about self care. The general consensus is that we cannot extend our arms out to others when they are too full carrying the burdens of our own lives. We can only give so much before we need to give back to ourselves. In school, we are required to make weekly "daily care" logs to further ensure we are taking time for ourselves as we navigate through our field practicums. For me, self care can vary from lounging on the couch with a bowl of ice cream to being productive in other areas of my life.

My favorite version of productive self care is photography. There are a million and one ways my camera has gotten me through the stress of a difficult week. The very basic level is by, well, taking pictures. Photo projects keep me grounded, like my Project 365; they give me something to shift my focus on to, something to fall back on, something to work on that isn't "work". My project 365 is something I look forward to, not always in the moment, but knowing how rewarding it will be upon completion. It's hard to explain why, but a big part of it is being able to look back and have documentation of how my photography has improved over twelve months. It's like writing in a journal- you won't know if or when you've moved forward if you don't document the process.

And speaking of writing in a journal, photography is expressive in a way that words sometimes just cannot convey. Photographs can read between the lines when our words fail us. Don't underestimate the power of imagery.

The process of editing is therapeutic to me as well. I upload my SD card, put on my favorite music, and relax, alone, making art. My editing process can vary based on my mood, and that's okay. On more than one occasion I've gone back and re-edited photos only to discover that I was no longer feeling the original edit.

What's important to remember is that you absolutely do not have to be a photographer to utilize therapeutic photography, just as you don't have to be an artist in art therapy. I've been using photography for self care since before I even knew what self care was or why it was important, as well as before I knew how to properly use my DSLR. It's true what they say: if you want to get better at something, you have to keep practicing. Therapeutically speaking, it's more about doing something you love and are passionate about, and turning that love inward as a means of rejuvenation.

Social Media Blues

We live in a society filled with technology, cluttered with perceived perfection, bombarded with selifes. We’ve become obsessed with how we are perceived online. Hours of our weeks, sometimes days, are spent on social media sites seeking everything from companionship to inspiration, everything we used to find offline in the so-called “real world”.  This is our world today, this is our generation and our future generations. This is what we’re working with.

Social media has become a huge part of who we are, or who we want to be. How we want to be perceived, how we want to design our virtual personas. We use our best photos in our profiles, we showcase our best qualities. We tell hundreds of acquaintances and strangers what we’re thinking, what we’re watching, who we’re with, what we’re doing. Hundreds of acquaintances and strangers read every word of it.

It isn’t all bad. We’re all in this together, right? We’re all hilariously and hopelessly addicted to this form of social interaction.  I’ve found support through groups of first-time-moms after my first child was born, groups of photographers eager and willing to provide constructive criticism, groups of like-minded social workers sharing ideas, inspiration, and providing support to one another.

But what happens when our virtual presence begins to outweigh real-life and starts to negatively affect our emotions? When we post a picture that doesn’t get any likes? When our tweets result in harassment? When we become hyper-focused on what’s happening on our screens and forget to step away?

“For those who post status updates, the reinforcements keep coming in the form of supportive comments and likes. And of course we know that behaviors that are consistently reinforced will be repeated, so it becomes hard for a person who has developed this habit to simply stop” (Medical News Today).

Can we stop? Are we reliant on these reinforcements?

Am a a horrible photographer because I don’t have many likes on my facebook page? If I have thousands of likes, does that mean I’ve “made-it”?

A few years ago I started participating in what I called Facebook-Free Fridays. I spent the time that I would have otherwise spent on social media doing other things, like trying a new hobby or working on homework. This was a huge eye opener for me for two reasons: One: it was HARD to step away, harder than I had imagined it might be. This in itself is scary because we often don’t even realize what a huge part of our daily lives social media has become. Two: the amount of free time I found when I stepped away was astounding. Think there’s not enough time in the day? Disconnect and see what happens.

Think you’re not good enough? Disconnect and see what happens.

Medical News Today (2015). Social Media: how does it affect our mental health and well-being? Retrieved fromhttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275361.php

Therapeutic Photography

I used to think that social work was my career and photography was my hobby. It’s become more complicated than that, though. I know beyond a reason of a doubt that there is a therapeutic value to photography of which we have hardly scratched the surface.

In a world full of selfies, what is it that we’re trying to say? What are we hoping to perceive? Why are we hiding behind our screens, tucked safely away in our Instagram accounts?

Why is the camera feature on a brand new smartphone such a high selling point?

I would argue that it boils down to perception and documentation. We are obsessed with how we are perceived online. And we are obsessed with documenting our lives. These two things can become messily intertwined.

The introduction of digital photography opened so many doors for anyone with the slightest interest in photography. Suddenly it was all about instant gratification; it was more than just no longer having to wait weeks to develop film. We no longer needed to have a firm grasp on technical aspects because our cameras started doing that for us. Exposure triangle? No thanks, I’ll just keep it on auto…

In a way, a major piece of the art of photography is lost somewhere in here. Photographs become snapshots. Moments are captured, but the message is lost.  What we are left with is a hard drive full of occasions, photos taken because that’s-just-what-we-do and because maybe one day we’ll actually make that photobook we said we’d make last year.

What if we took the time to dig deeper? What if we could bring back the meaning and the art behind a photograph? What if we could document our moments in a way that feeds our soul and caters to our own perceptions in a way that communicates our emotions in an honest way?

Photography is an art, and art, like other forms of therapy, is expressive communication. Enter: therapeutic photography.