Transitions/ Glow-up workshop, uses writing, and ancient Japanese repair art, to illuminate challenges, and identify strengths that can pull you forward into the future.

Kintsugi is an ancient repair art, in which broken bowl pieces in a potter’s studio, rather than being discarded,
in an act of acceptance, are transformed — from debris to a masterpiece. The ceramicist accurately, and lovingly stays true to every break…reconstructing, with precious gold-covered adhesive, elevating the value — well above the others.

In making a brand-new start in your life to move forward, create your own version of Kintsugi. Represent and document your emotional work. Allow the shattered pieces to stand for experiences you have grown from. Identify all the new thoughts, reflections, coping strategies, and more, that, like gold, have strengthened you, and elevated the value of your experiences.

Work with flowing art materials in the presence of a supportive and experienced art therapist. Allow the treasure you bring home, to inspire accrued healing with every visual encounter.

As an art therapist, Dahlia offers goal oriented, multi-media meditative art projects in workshops/groups with adults, for discussion and transformative healing work. The projects combine collage, painting, adornment, and writing. Dahlia first trained rigorously at Pratt in Brooklyn, for sculpture and art education. She soon acquired a graduate psychoanalytic art therapy degree from New York University, and increased the level of individualized attention provided to each participant.

From there, Dahlia worked at several hospitals, and private programs. Using individualized observations, she assisted participants in meeting various treatment goals, while having fun, through creative expressions. While challenging group stamina, focus, and combining high art methods, she has pushed the boundaries of art, poetry,
journaling, drama, mindfulness and exhibit within therapeutic settings, as well as started community reintegration programs and patient artbooks/magazines. Her recent focus, particularly with adults recovering from chemical addiction, centers around habits and ritual. From the identification of rituals as transformative, birthed Essential Healing Arts, Llc. Art experiences are offered as ways to acknowledge a marked switch in thinking, while providing psychological support, to cushion you as you transition from the brink of an old life passing, into unexplored life experiences. Dahlia enjoys regularly witnessing cathartic and joyous moments of meaning and enlightenment with participants. The whirling thoughts of the creator through each intention, and step, is as significant as the product itself. From the combined perspectives of both a trained fine artist, and a psychoanalytic therapist, Dahlia aims for each participant to “come as they are” – no artistic skills necessary, and meander toward a metaphoric state of healing.