Prepare. Intent. Create. Transform. 2023 Creative Offering

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

As many of my creative friends & followers know, in 2008 I started an annual end-of-the-year creative practice where I would create an altered book or art journal identifying intentions I wanted to focus on, invite in, and give to others during the new year ahead.

Last year, I launched an updated ebook and virtual workshop & group opportunity to inspire and discover the hopes and aspirations of intention through this creative practice. It was fun and inspiring to gather together in this special way to artfully work on this process together. It is hard to believe another year and another book has transformed. It is that time of year I begin to do a final look at my year through the lens of my intentions.

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Shortly, though it will be time for this artful process to begin anew – Preparing, intending, creating, and transforming a fresh book…

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Creative Action Link Round Up: Self-Care, Responsibility, Community

Posted on August 20, 2017 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

creativity in motion

Social media is a powerful tool for self expression and engagement of all kinds…giving a voice for many and often a way to cast attention, influence, and respond to causes, values, and efforts we hold dear or reject.

Below are some links I have been reading, saving, and sharing from and on social media recently. Most are rooted in self-care, individual influence and responsibility, and creative community action through the arts. Many offer ways we can effectively activate resources, ideas, and our gifts both on and offline with others (and ourselves) as artists, creatives, mental health professionals, helpers, and human beings.

Self-Care:

How to Take Care of Yourself During Dark Times– tiny buddha
How to Take Care of Others Without Burning Out– Stanford Medicine
five ways to be online, while the world wakes up to itself- Sas Petherick Coaching
Life is Tough. Here are Six Ways to Deal…

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Creativity & The Arts in Healing

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

I will be offering a version of this 6 Degrees of Creativity online workshop from 2014 at this Creativity & the Arts in Healing conference- part of the 2017 Expressive Therapies Summit Los Angeles:

creativity in motion

The UCLArts & Healing Conference in partnership with the Expressive Therapies Summit presents Creativity & The Arts in Healing to be offered this spring March 30 through April 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, California at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport. This 4 day conference is an opportunity to learn arts-based tools for facilitating communication, building connection, promoting positive emotions, fostering engagement, reducing stress, and managing the impact of trauma. Offerings include 125+ workshops delivered by leading national experts in art, dance, drama, drumming, music, and writing integrated with mental health practices. Select any one or combination of days. Over 30 continuing education credits are available.

Specialty tracks include:

Mindfulness & Wellbeing
Children & Adolescents
Community Building & Social Justice
Expressive Writing & Journaling
Play Therapy
Special Populations

Creative expression invites self-reflection and dialogue that can lead to meaningful self-discovery, connection with others, and personal empowerment. Studies have shown that the…

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Creative Deeding in Action

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

creativity in motion

This past month has seen much creative deeding! The Hope-filled Postcard Art Exchange that Nancy Lautenbach and I organized went super well with almost 100 participants swapping art across the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia— You can check out some of the postcard art submitted on the 6 Degrees of Creativity Facebook page and on Instagram — So much hopeful energy and positive vibes shared through the handcrafted images made specifically for this collaborative effort! These blog posts from art therapists who participated in the exchange described more about their process: Carolyn Mehlomakulu’s The Power of Hope-filled Art and Sally Swain’s Clouds of Hope. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project!

I also recently received word that undergraduate art therapy students at Millikin University implemented their own creative deed project for their Materials and Methods class, inspired by last year’s 365 project. It was awesome…

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Create Fest: The 1st Annual Virtual Creativity Festival for Mental Health Professionals

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

creativity in motion

Check this out! Create Fest — The 1st Annual Virtual Creativity Festival for Mental Health Professionals!

I am soooo excited to be a part of this offering!

Lisa Michell and Courtney Armstrong have brought together 12 influential therapists, and asked each to offer inspired approaches that will help you partner with your creativity to do your best work and elicit deep transformation within your clients (and yourself).

Discover new, creative ideas and earn 12 CEU’s from the comfort of your own home or office and… each speaker will lead an inspiring activity you can do during the festival to experience these transformational strategies yourself!

I am speaking about topics related to self-care, trauma focused work, and creativity’s role in supporting mental health professionals. It was a pleasure to speak with Lisa about these topics– It’s an honor to be included in the debut of this event with such an inspiring line…

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Introducing: Creative Deed 365

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

creativity in motion

Happy New Year!

I am excited to introduce my new 365 Project for 2015… Creative Deed 365!

Since 2013, I’ve completed two 365 projects with 730 pieces of daily art as part of my own creative daily practice. This year I am making small pieces of art (2.5 x 3.5) to randomly gift to others as acts of kindness and to spread creative goodness to others in the spirit of 6 Degrees of Creativity’s 2014 Creative Deed Project. I want to dedicate 2015 to sharing this process with others and give all the art away with year long positive messages of hope, inspiration, and possibility.

I invite you to participate and become a part of this new creative adventure with me:

Make a request to join the Creative Deed 365 Group on Facebook to contribute your own art in the spirit of this project.

I’d also love to send…

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Paper Stash Show & Tell

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

creativity in motion

In July, I organized a Paper Stash Swap for my 6 Degrees of Creativity online workshop community, where interested members signed up to exchange artsy paper stuff and goodies with another participant:

Let’s Swap Some Paper!

Below is some the creative goodness I put together for the couple of fun stashes I mailed to Nancy and Jessica. These packages included a variety of scrapbooking paper, tags, paper bag books, scrap collage bits & pieces, bingo cards, book catalog file cards and more:

Preparing Creative Goodness for Paper Stash Mailing

Here’s a collection of awesome paper stashes I received from Jessica, Roseann, and Nancy (thank you!) which included lots of colorful printed paper, book & dictionary pages, maps, tags, tickets, and so, so much more:

Paper Stash Treasure

The second part of this Paper Stash Swap is this month’s Show & Tell where we can share what we’ve created with…

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Make, Swap, & Meet Up: San Antonio Art Therapy Artist Trading Card Exchange

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

Art Therapy Alliance

Coming this Summer….. An Artist Trading Card (ATC) Exchange and Meet Up in San Antonio, Texas co-organized by Andrea Davis, LPC, ATR-BC and Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC, CTC-S:

Make, Swap, & Meet Up!

This Artist Trading Card (ATC) Exchange coincides with the annual American Art Therapy Association Conference this July in San Antonio, Texas. Members of the Art Therapy Alliance and 6 Degrees of Creativity communities who will be at this year’s conference are invited to participate and spread the word to others who might be interested!

Bring your finished handmade ATCs, meet up in a fun, creative way with others from the art therapy community, network, and swap your art with other art therapists and students.

ATC Exchange Overview:

You will create 3 Artist Trading Cards to exchange with 3 other community members who are participating in this exchange in San Antonio. Create 3, Receive 3!

Please make sure your ATCs are…

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Calling Sock Monkey Makers!

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

creativity in motion

Calling sock monkey makers: I’m organizing the 3rd Annual 6 Degrees of Creativity Sock Monkey Swap!

Everyone who signs up for the sock monkey swap will be randomly paired with another sock monkey maker. You’ll be making one sock monkey for someone, and someone will be making one for you. To sign up for the swap, e-mail your full name and a mailing address to me at 6degreesofcreativity@arttherapyalliance.org by November 25, 2013. During the week of November 25, you will receive mailing info from me on where to mail your sock monkey to. Please note you are responsible for postage, which could be to an international destination. Please don’t sign up for the exchange unless you are committed to the swap and following through. All sock monkeys should be mailed out by December 16, 2013 to their new home.

Need sock monkey making information and tutorials? Check out…

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Posted on October 7, 2012 by Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

Nice post from Jolie B. Studios!

Spaces To Create

I knew, right when I glanced into the mailbox, that it was full of fun!

The Gluebook Goodness segment of the 6 Degrees of Creativity 2 workshops brought more than anticipated. Loads of paper, tons of ideas, and great excitement for what is to come.