Expressing grief through art therapy

Oct 13, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: The Archdiocesan Office for Human Development’s Women’s Ministry hosted its second Bereavement Support Group activity at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre on September 30.

The gathering began with an opening prayer, followed by a session of Praise and Worship. Afterwards, a healing art workshop took place, guided by a group member. During this workshop, participants were encouraged to channel their grief and emotions into meaningful and captivating pieces of art.

As we took a break from our daily routines and immersed ourselves in some creative expressions, we centred our activities around faith and spirituality.

I found myself deeply engrossed in the process of learning to draw, and to my surprise, noticed that my usual trail of thoughts had taken a back seat. The experience was soothing and relaxing, providing a welcome escape from our mundane concerns. It was rather amusing to witness some ladies attempting to rekindle how to draw using a compass set, considering that most of us had not used one since our school days. We were also given sketchbooks to take home, to practise and draw whatever inspired us.

While it was fun and games, we moved on to sharing our thoughts, feelings and how life went on without our spouses, how we coped, how we cried, how we missed them and most of all, how much we turned to our Lord, Jesus when we needed comfort.

Having a supportive environment where we could openly express our emotions with sisters who share similar experiences was incredibly meaningful. It reassured us that we aren’t isolated in our struggles.

Discovering that others also grapple with unconventional thoughts and emotions made us realise the universality of our experiences, making us feel more at ease. We’ve chosen to perceive ourselves as survivors rather than victims. We live with optimism, expressing gratitude to the Lord for every challenge we’ve faced and eagerly anticipating our journey towards healing and a happier future.

I lost the love of my life, my husband, five years ago. Before this support group, I wondered why the Church never had a support group for those who had lost their spouses until, lo and behold, a few weeks later, a close friend sent me the flyer. I attended the first meet; it was a huge success. We went with the flow, allowing each of us an intimate and safe space to be with like-minded or rather, I would say, similar grief-minded ladies.

Loss, grief, memories and coping with these becomes a real-life struggle when we lose our loved ones. While married couples constantly bicker, annoy and paint a rather terrifying picture of being married, we miss these times more than anything when our spouses depart. Now, what we are left is annoying ourselves!

Time flew by during our art endeavours as we transitioned to sharing our thoughts and feelings about life without our spouses. We discussed coping mechanisms, moments of grief, and how we leaned on our faith in Jesus Christ for comfort.

I am anxiously looking forward to the next session for widows and widowers scheduled for Oct 21 at the Bread of Life Corner, Petaling Jaya from 11.00am to 1.00pm.