Painting My Heart Songs: My Journey with an Art Therapist

Abstract

I started working with my current art therapist in 2020. I had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease on top of ongoing chronic fatigue and severe Complex PTSD resulting from trauma. Prior to my autoimmune diagnosis, I was working in a leadership position professionally and excelling in this context. In the months following my diagnosis, it became apparent I was no longer able to work in the role and I had to resign. I was experiencing ongoing pain, severe fatigue and mental health challenges.    

I have an extensive mental health history with multiple hospital admissions, different forms of therapies and ECT. My diagnosis of complex PTSD also included dissociative identity disorder and depersonalisation. This had been stable between 2018 and 2020. Unfortunately, being forced to resign from a job I was passionate about resulted in a re-emergence of dissociative symptoms, grief and an unclear sense of identity. I knew it was time to seek a therapist.