Learn about Brain Injury Acceptance, Adjustment, Strategies & Resources in a 4-WEEK Series focused on pain and fatigue management.

Session #1: Finding Purpose in Pain, (1 of 2 Sessions)

We naturally respond negatively to pain. We want to push it away and get rid of it. We convince ourselves it will last forever, dwelling on how much we despise it, and ourselves for making us suffer. Although instinctive, this response can lead us to unhealthy behavioural patterns, withdrawal from others, self-medication and depression. As we give up control, pain can eventually rule our lives.

But what if we looked at pain in another way? What if pain was the body reacting in a habitual way? And if we change that habit, could we alter the pain? What if it was trying to tell us something? What if we change our attitude to our pain, rather than pushing it out, we invited it in, got to know it? Instead of hating our bodies, what if we responded with self-compassion?

In the first workshop you will use body mapping, by either tracing your own body outline or using one provided to symbolically draw in the areas of pain. By representing your pain creatively, you are accepting it as simply another part of you, neither good nor bad, but real and instructive.

In the second workshop, taking place on March 25th, you will use mind mapping to give you the vocabulary and concepts to move on to creating a unique map of your brain, which will show the parts responsible for your cognitive challenges and help you on your journey to acceptance and understanding of your condition.

Register, HERE

SPEAKER: Salima Andany, BSW, Trauma Therapist, Expressive Art & Sandtray Therapist, Paint It Out.

Salima is a Trauma Therapist & certified Expressive Art Therapist who founded Paint It Out. Salima has over a two decades of experience working with adults and children providing clinical mental health and educational services in community, hospital, and private practice settings. Salima specializes in helping people use art as a tool to communicate and process challenging emotions and experiences, as well as improving emotional regulation practices to improve overall wellbeing.

Drawing from her own experience of Trauma, a MVA & Traumatic Brain Injury and using art to heal, cope and overcome her challenges, Salima’s approach is from a Trauma-Informed, Strengths-based, Compassion-Focused & Person-Centred framework(s).

Paint It Out is dedicated to supporting individuals to make sustainable wellbeing part of their lives—through Healing, Post-Traumatic Growth, & increasing their self-knowledge & self-awareness.