Samuel Hardidge | Gallery | Illustration

ETC - Expressive Therapies Continuum

The Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) is an Art Therapy model used to take an individual through different creative ways of processing information in order to gain new perspective and resources in their therapy. The model has 3 layers and 2 sides. The three layers coincide with the mind, heart/emotive and body aspects of a persons experiencing. While the two sides correlate to the left and right side of the brain.

01 Cognitive
02 Symbolic
03 Perceptual
04 Affective
05 Kinesthetic
06 Sensory

Fortress Flight Fluid

Masks. My faces.
The many me many see.
The elaborate masquerade.
Expressions of my psyche.
My mighty and my grimy.
Refractions.
…

i.
My wall. The fortress.
Safe and solid. Sturdy foundations.
Protection and preservation.
Survival in the harshest elements.
Many strike it does not fall.

Though many strike their heads against it.
In plead to be let in.
It stands silent.
It’s strength it’s weakness.

ii.
My wisdom. My flight.
Vision beyond eyes. Words beyond minds.
With golden sight and golden lips.
An eagle eye perspective. Observes all. Judges none.
While prose pours forming diamonds from the sky.

Though in moments of heat.
It charms it’s way with it’s silver tongue.
Spinning mingle spinning minds.
It’s greatest fear its own power.

iii.
My spirit. My fluid.
Creative and free. Surreal and mystery.
Like a river with no boundaries.
Flowing creation from it’s very being.
Finding connection in the everything.

Though hard to capture.
It slips through the fingers.
Unreal and unrelatable. Alien to others.
It’s freedom and connection in isolation.

…
Each to their shadow. Each to their light.
They still exist only as masks.
Shrouding reality.
Behind them lies the real identity.
Unfiltered by barriers. Unbound by fright.
The burning lamp.

Visual Artist, Illustrator, Art Therapist, Life Model