July 17, 2025 | Vanessa de Largie
I’m so excited to write this blog. I’ve dreamed about reaching this moment for TWELVE MONTHS and here I am. What a meaningful accomplishment.
In the beginning
A year ago today, after weeks of suicidal ideation and years of dealing with agoraphobia and complex trauma – I MADE A RADICAL DECISION.
I made a decision to commit to 365 days of art therapy in the hope of healing my mental health.
Every SINGLE day over the course of a year. I showed up and created art.
Art therapy isn’t about talent or drawing skills or art school.
Art therapy isn’t about trying to be Pablo Picasso or Henri Matisse.
The Oxford Dictionary defines Art Therapy as:
a type of psychotherapy that uses artistic activities like painting, drawing or sculpting to help people express themselves and explore their emotions.
Art therapy (for me anyway) makes my non-verbal – verbal.
Exploration & Experimentation
Boy oh boy, have I explored artistically this year and it’s been an internal journey like no other.
I’ve played with:
- acrylic paints and markers
- watercolours
- oil pastels and chalk pastels
- pour paints
- coloured pencils
- ink
- glitter pens
- ephemera
- collage and mixed media materials
- beads
- graphite
I have attempted:
- drawing and sketching
- painting
- collage art
- art journalling
- making jewellery
Non-judgement, being loose and honouring the inner child
When I first started out on this journey a year ago, I judged myself harshly for not being perfect at artmaking.
However, I quickly realised if I was going to make it through 365 days – I needed to be kinder to myself.
Accepting myself (in addition to accepting my bad art) changed everything.
Occasionally, I would make good art. Paintings and drawings that I was proud to share on social media in their raw state.
Children don’t question whether their drawing is a masterpiece. So why should adults?
Conclusion:
This article doesn’t even scratch the surface of my art therapy journey and how it’s SOOTHED my mental health and helped me recover from severe trauma, sexual violence, agoraphobia and suicidal ideation.
I am now a fulltime student at university studying art therapy and health.
So, it’s fair to say, that art therapy has completely transformed my life in more ways than one.
I am becoming centred again.
And I am so, so grateful. ♥
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Check out the artworks that Vanessa created during her 365 days of art therapy.