Tapping wisdom of trees, art for psychotherapy

Falah Faisal | NT

Bengaluru:

When you think of therapy you would most likely picture being in a room alone with a therapist, lying on a couch and sharing your troubles, or in the post-pandemic world just doing the therapy session on Zoom. But what if it was a walk in the park? Spending time in nature with a group who are all intent on healing.

That is what Shakti Soul Collective wants to explore with their workshop Branching In, which is an introductory session into expressive arts therapy that mixes verbal therapy with non-verbal modes like drama, visual arts, and movement. Collaboration between Shilpa Ivaturi and Sarayu Acharya who met while studying expressive arts therapy and realized they have similar approaches to mental health,

Shakti Soul hopes to bridge the gap between the cerebral and somatic. “Trauma often manifests itself in the body, in a lot of physical ways. The best way to 'treat' these symptoms is through self-expression. Bengaluru doesn’t have a lot of healing space which is required in the times we live in,” says Shilpa Ivatrui, a Jungian psychotherapist who believes that nature can aid in therapy.

“Trees offer us grounding that allows us to centre ourselves. They hold us without anchoring us,” she says. “On Sunday, we hope to create a safe environment for people to go inward and find their inner voice,” says Sarayu Acharya, an Expressive Arts Practitioner and therapist who works primarily with the Feminine and Trauma using an Inter-modal Therapeutic approach.

“At our last workshop, we had people working with their hands and potting plants with intention. The people who attended came from all walks of life and said they felt a strong sense of community, which is what we hope to build,” she explains. You can sign up for their workshop by contacting @ the.shakti.soul.collective on Instagram or reaching out to them individually at @ahamkara.therapy and @ margahealingcenter.