Family | Sheila Collins

The Art of Grieving for Children of any Age

by Sheila Collins | Sep 7, 2022 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Our Children, pets, Rituals, The Art of Grieving, the Big Body

As I was walking my dog Cody one morning this summer, he started to pay attention to something underneath one of the bushes that line a communal driveway in our neighborhood. Looking over at the spot I identified a small rock and a feather, and moving closer,...

The Art of Grieving Back to School Edition

by Sheila Collins | Aug 25, 2022 | Community, Environment, Family, Institutional Loss, Our Children, School Shootings

Walking the dog in our neighborhood this morning, we noticed more people on the streets than usual. It took a minute for us to figure out why that was. First, we encountered a lively 4- or 5- year-old girl in a bright red dress skipping ahead of her backpack wearing...

Anticipatory Grief and the need for Sanctuary and Belonging

by Sheila Collins | Aug 17, 2022 | Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Health and Wellness, History, Our Children, Past Events, Self-Care, The Art of Grieving, the Big Body, Women, Girls & the Feminine

There is advice we give one another, in InterPlay classes and practices – “Never underestimate the body’s need for reassurance.” When I’m directing the physical warmup, I like to time this comment to accompany a movement we’re doing which I’d describe as a self-hug....

Art As Medicine – Consider Poetry

by Sheila Collins | Aug 11, 2022 | Art & Life, Book Excerpts, Duality, Family, Good Will Come, Grieving, Improvisation, Past Events, Personal Stories, Resilience, Self-Care, Self-Care for Caregivers, The Art of Grieving

I’m not a poet though I’ve often wished I were one. To say profound things succinctly, to be able to express the musicality of images, to highlight the rhythm and tone of words. And now as I’m learning, to be able to create what J. S. Mill claimed of Wordsworth’s...

A Return to Celebrating Life or Why attend a funeral if you don’t have to?

by Sheila Collins | Aug 4, 2022 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Community, Duality, Family, Gatherings, Good Will Come, Grieving, Personal Stories, Rituals, The Art of Grieving

This August seems to be funeral season for many members of my community. We’ve all been through a long moratorium on in- person funerals, and in-person weddings too for that matter. Respecting the danger of Covid we’d not wanted to wipe out entire families or...

The Art of Grieving and the Art of Loving

by Sheila Collins | Jul 28, 2022 | Art & Life, Duality, Family, Good Will Come, Grieving, Our Children, Personal Stories, Spirtuality, The Art of Grieving

“What’s love got to do with it (grief)?” Tina Turner sang the answer to this question in this song from her 1984 album, “Private Dancer.” “Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?” It’s said that grief is the price we pay for love, but my friend Wai Chin Matsuoka...

« Older Entries

Next Entries »

Learn the Many, Magical Ways Art Transforms Grieving!

(No art skills required.)

Loss is inevitable, yet too often we bury our grief, pretending we're OK when we're not.

In my new book (COMING SOON), I'll share some uncommon notions about grief and how the arts, and art-making, have transformative powers that take us to the heart of the matter.

The Art of Grieving for Children of any Age

The Art of Grieving Back to School Edition

Anticipatory Grief and the need for Sanctuary and Belonging

A Return to Celebrating Life or Why attend a funeral if you don’t have to?

The Art of Grieving and the Art of Loving

Latest Posts

Categories

TOUGH INTO TRIUMPH

Poster Download

You have Successfully Subscribed!