Corry MacDonald's Blog

"Synergy - The bonus that is achieved when things work together harmoniously" (Mark Twain)

Awhile back, mid-summer, I woke to find a special surprise message sent my way from Portland Oregon. It read:

Corry, I happened upon a quote of yours on Good Reads. I chose to incorporate it into a card I was making. I've found creative expression to be the epitome of healing modalities. It's a shame Western Med still perceives it as a mere adjunct to psychotherapy. I don't need a call but just wanted to express my delight at your perspective and willingness to share it with the world. I wish you continues success on your journey. Namaste, Lindsey

Lindsey Morrison Grant, it turns out, is a beautiful and brilliant soul, fully aligned with her purpose - the one we ALL SHARE as we all are part of the whole of creation - which is to flow her creative energy into form in myriad of ways.

Turns out, that one of the many ways Lindsey expresses her creativity is through infusing her photography into greeting cards (see the photo above and below). The quote from my book Lindsey shared in her PRIDE-suggestive cards this year is tucked inside these precious little art pieces, of which Lindsey describes their value so clearly:

,"There is something very nostalgic about receiving snail mail, its tangibility, and the perceived thought of the sender behind it. Mine tend to be mini-artworks, sent with the intention to be revisited, not simply perused and recycled",

To realize that the very words which flowed through me as I created and channeled my book into form back in 2019/2020 had found their way over to Lindsey across the globe, all in energetic resonance with that 'just right timing' that happens when we move in our smart creative minds in flow state, is so wonderful to me that I knew I wanted to share it with you here eventually. And so I sit and write now.

As you read the inside of her greeting card, can you lean into our synergy? Our honouring of the uniqueness and innate value that each human holds? And now I remember sending an email Celebrating the Unusual in each of us at the top of the summer - more synergy in the mix!

Lindsey, a masterful weaver of words captured what my heart is trying to say on our dovetailing of energies here as I close with her wisdom:

"The interconnectedness, synergy, and evolution that naturally and spiritually occurs when creatives interact is always a delightful encouragement to me".

If ever we need this embracing inclusiveness of synergy it is now. When we come together in our true nature, which is to create together rather than to tear one another apart, we truly experience more of who we are - flowing expressions of JOY and LOVE.

And for a "felt sense' experience of how simple and powerful Being your natural creative Self is, tuck into one of Lindsey's beauty-filled video creations like this one here for a couple minutes to experience that creative energy running in, through and all around you right now.

Or tuck into a free online livestream I cocreated with fellow transpersonal art therapist Valerie from Active Creative here. Be sure to have your crayons on hand as we share how to create and ignite a positive transformation within you and those around you as you upshift your energy creatively.

Above all, Thank-you Lindsey for being your Authentic Creative Self and in saying "yes" to my invitation to share your greeting card, artwork and how we came together in synergy so that more of it can be felt through the sharing.

Big love, XC

"The song is ended, but the melody lingers on." (Irving Berlin)

Today would have been my dad’s 81st birthday as “Joe” which means it’s his 1st birthday, in this lifetime, in Spirit. That’s something to celebrate!

In fact, while family and friends will be gathering in Canada next month to celebrate his life nearly a year after he stepped through the veil, today it feels aligned to celebrate with you through my words. Words which will perhaps share some of the special qualities he brought to so many people and situations. Ways of being human which I sense may resonate with you as well.

Without further ado, let’s flow into the celebrations now, shall we?

Celebration #1

My dad had an effortless ability to connect with people and set them at ease. I remember sitting with him in countless restaurants over the years as he would naturally calm a frazzled/nervous/awkward server with his infectious warm smile, maybe a fist pump or even a little joke and one of his knee slaps followed by “you bandit” or “you son of a gun”. Terms of endearment that weren’t always clear to the person receiving them, but would still land easily enough with the loving energy behind them.

My dad could shift the energy into ‘It’s Us, together in this little moment’ and it was felt.

Part of that shift came through with his ability to laugh at himself.

Like in that restaurant scenario, that same unsuspecting server had no idea upon returning later with dad's food and the offer of “freshly ground pepper" that he would be churning those peppercorns out for a really long time. Joe would wait quietly until his meal was the colour of charcoal all the while giving a little wink and chuckling and sometimes adding his typical lines of “Just keep it coming!” and “Don’t slow down now!” as the pepper piled up. He had a way of bringing a playfulness to each connection.

Celebration #2

My dad had an uncanny ability see the potential in things that others would pass right over or discard. Not only could he see the potential in these thrown aside things, but his engineering mind was aware that a moment would arise when he would start rummaging through the layers of his saved bits-and-pieces tucked in his tightly packed garage to put that bit of metal/wood/sponge/pipe/etc. into use. He would up-cycle his found treasures and transform them into that much needed specific bike part, or put them towards a home repair and most often, use them in his building projects at the lake cabin he loved so much.

The love he had for his cabin was tied tightly to this love he had for flowing his innate creativity into his various up-cycling projects.

Many of the items he found and treasured for later use in projects were discovered on the side of the highway on the 2 1/2 hours journey to and from the cabin. I remember as a child feeling the van suddenly slow and turn to the side of the road and lurch to a stop. Next thing I would be running to pick up whatever object lay in the ditch that had caught my dad’s raven-like eye. Of course, this activity soon grew unbearable once I hit my tweens and refused to be his road-side treasure runner.

This journey from “trash” to “purposeful-treasure” became even more valuable to him because it also provided him a whole new stories to tell everyone. And this brings us to a natural segue way into our final Celebration here today.

Celebration #3

Something I am guessing you would miss as much as I do if you knew my dad was his incredible gift for storytelling which often had an off-shoot of inappropriate joke telling. (By inappropriate, I mean that his jokes were often told out-right to the absolutely wrong person or shared with a big smile at the wrong time - or a combination of these two).

This of course made it funnier for the rest of us around and yet magically, his infectious laughter and warm arm around the shoulder would set everyone at ease (see Celebration #1).

This ease played into his stories in which he was often the hero with statements like “Then I told the Walmart manager, your flyer said 50% off soya milk this week, and then the manager apologised and told me that I was absolutely right - once again!”

Of course, these hero stories were always so filled with entertainment and enthusiasm that they were endearing and they live on with his Spirit. Dad's storytelling showed me that we can be our own hero and re-story our moments to be at ease in our life. His stories were creative and brought a smile for those around which brings me joy to share and celebrate his life story out with you today.

Dad, I celebrate you and want you to know that you’re always the hero of the story for me.

I’m so proud to be your daughter and to experience elements of these qualities that I admire so much in you as they show up in their own way now through me. I celebrate the hero you have been for each one reading these words today, your first birthday in Spirit. Thanks for reminding us that all our unique celebratory ways live on when we step out of body and across the veil.

As you’d often say to me - and to so many people in your beauty-full life - as we would part ways

(of course after a big warm hug and a strong peck on the check):

“Love you to beat all heck!”I feel your love deeply dad and celebrate you FULLY! Big love all ways, XC

" Be curious about everything. Never stop learning. Never stop growing." (Caley Alyssa)

I'm so curious to know what's got you curious of late.

For me, it's been a quiet growing wondering how to dive back into my art making in a fresh new way without heading back into the habit of "rinse and repeat".

The past few months has been such a joy, as I have given myself full permission to do just that, in fresh and simple ways.

Tucking into my sunlit creative corner in the kitchen each morning with my art journal, I flow my colours onto one small page. It's a 5 minute promise that often turns into a 20+ minute flow. Often, this creative momentum bridges into playing into a larger art piece or into forest walk or into a relaxed state as I step into my healing space to work with a client.

One thing is for sure, keeping curious has an uplifting and energising effect.

I have come to know that Life is always inviting us into expansion - nudging us to flow into more of our authentic expression.

This is how, quite recently, I found myself smiling big in the art studio of a dear friend of many years, Tessa Maagdenberg. Tessa is a very curious and prolific artist as well as a wise and gentle guide for those longing to create artworks in new ways.

In addition to showing and selling her artwork, Tessa offers workshops, both in-person and online. Learn about her "why", her artwork and her offerings here should you be curious!

Below are some photos and videos from her studio as Tessa taught me Gelli Block Printing. The colourful texture-filled papers I printed later became my collage material to arrange into an Artist Book. A whole new way of artmaking for me that sparked my curiosity about continuing to create my art in new ways!

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Before you head off into your day, feel free to press reply and share with me what's got you curious of late. What's pulling your attention? What's new and alive in you of late?

I get so inspired by those who are following their innate curious nudges to uncover more of who they truly are.Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks for expressing more of your beautiful Self into our world now. We all benefit when you do!

,,Big love,

,XC

"The client often believes because the event happened a long time ago that it is in the past and resolved, when in fact, chemically the effects of that event is still ongoing causing an imbalance in their system." (Breda McQuaid)

Spring is here in the Northern Hemisphere, and I find myself sitting in a cafe writing this blogpost in my home city of Edmonton Alberta, marvelling how the ice and snow are melting FINALLY as the temperatures rise above10 degrees. Feels almost tropical in the Great White North! :-)

I am here supporting my mom at age 77 who underwent knee surgery. While I was asked to come help with her physical challenges post surgery - such as doing her daily exercises, making her meals, helping her with the daily necessities of life like showering and dressing and such - it has turned into a quantum healing period to release a whole BUNCH of unprocessed emotions activating her sympathetic nervous system to bring about physical issues with her body - including her knee. As my mom works with me and uncovers and releases these heavy trapped emotions she is replacing them with a whole new program for quantum healing in her body/mind/spirit. My mom is delighting and surprising her doctors and physiotherapists at her speed of recovery, her minimal need for pain relief and her strength in her body and spirit.

See, when I arrived here in Canada, I had come off of a week-long training in London for Body Mind Reset Technique (BMRT) under the brilliant (and extremely funny!) Breda McQuaid.

After completing my training in hypnotherapy and seeing how it brings powerful healing to clients with an average of 93% recovery after 5 sessions (unlike behaviour therapy which averages 72% recovery after 22 sessions and psychoanalysis which averages 38% recovery after 600 sessions according to a comparative study by American Health) there was a voice inside of me that was SO CURIOUS on how to SPEED the process up even more while synthesising all the healing modalities that I have had the joy and honour of learning. I longed for an even more potent technique with a high success rate that could shut down the unconscious programming that causes distress and dis-ease in people.

As Lao Tzu put it, "when the student is ready the teacher will appear", and days after that voice inside of me got curious about integrating and synthesising healing modalities did Breda McQuaid enter my life journey.

Breda trained classically as a nurse practitioner before her life journey had her looking for other modalities of healing. Breda dove into her all her life learning with various trainings such as Psych K, Emotion Code, Bowen Therapy, and more (tuck in here to see 'em all). When we met and I realized Breda had been following a similar inner pull and had formed a technique that synthesised all her training to bring the speed and efficacy rate of healing up to GREAT effect I asked her immediately "When can you teach me this technique?!" I was stunned to hear that she had a wait list of over 100 people (including doctors and psychiatrists amazed at BMRT's efficacy all wanting to learn from her).

A few months later, Breda held her first training of BMRT and I am forever grateful that I was part of that initial cohort as it's already brought great relief and lightness to my current clients and myself (mom too!). By addressing the subconscious mind directly via applied kinesiology (muscle testing) and energy meridians, healing the core emotional issues related to the physical complaints that come through us IS possible and can happen with a felt result of LIGHTNESS instantly. As Breda puts it...

This technique is able to identify limiting beliefs or past experiences which are present in the unconscious mind which are causing detrimental negative effects. This negative effect disrupts the chemistry of the brain resulting in feelings of anxiety or possibly causing a negative effect of the immune system resulting in physical symptoms. The client often believes because the event happened a long time ago that it is in the past and resolved, when in fact, chemically the effects of that event is still ongoing causing an imbalance in their system possibly leading to anxiety or many other negative feelings or physical conditions. This theory, I believe is in alignment with the work of ,Dr Hans Selye, General Adaptation Syndrome. ,..

,Resetting the unconscious in this way means that homeostasis is restored and the client is unable to find the original negative feeling they presented with which validates that unconsciously what they previously believed was resolved was in fact unresolved.

,This is a permanent reset.

Should you want to book a session and experience BMRT yourself, I am now offering 90 minute sessions, both online and in-person. Tuck in ,,here for more information on my site and if you want to read and learn more, visit Breda's BMRT site ,,here.

Big love,

XC

"Our words have creative power. With our words we can speak blessings over our future." (Joel Osteen)

For a few years now I have been following the call by a dear friend to choose a word for each New Year. The other day, just before my calendar rolled over to the month of January, I dropped a couple words that I didn't want to carry into 2023 onto a page and then I channeled a creative download from my heart which came through with colours, lines, textures and playful joy to flow out the word "WORTHY" like an unexpected gift.

"Worthy" is my word for 2023 as it speaks to both the core wound of "unworthiness" that I came here to heal in this lifetime (which I'm so grateful for all the healing modalities that I have experienced both as a 'healee' and a 'healer' to shift that wound into high wisdom) while it also celebrates the precious gift I have in working with so many beautiful souls as they uncover the divine worth of who they are.

We are all WORTHY and always were. Together we can help each other to un-learn our heavy conditioning that goes against our true nature. Each time we meet one another in the space of love, acceptance and safety our worthiness is revealed within and without.

I invite you to enjoy a little time lapse view of how the download of "WORTHY" came through...

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/cfb548_02704997513a4868867b6ea63c2ffb1e/1080p/mp4/file.mp4And now I would love to invite you to tuck into your heart , sense in and notice what your word for this new year is. Feel free to share what bubbles up to your awareness my way, I'd love to hear it and experience its creative power with you. Together we speak blessings over our future - word by word - this way. Big love, XC

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or or even touched, they must be felt with the heart." (Helen Keller)

We hear a lot about “connecting to our heart” in the wellness world, and you might be left wondering why one would want to go to such a feeling-filled place. Dr. Gabor Mate, known for his expertise on trauma, childhood development and the relationship between stress and sickness, says that avoiding the heart can be a healthy response to trauma initially, as it may not be safe to be flooded with emotions if we don’t have the necessary tools and support for addressing it in order to heal.

While avoiding our heart may sometimes be the best option in the short-term, long-term health often requires that we find a way to connect again. Although necessary, this can be challenging work. What follows is a bit of my journey back home to my heart to help give a sense of what turned me inwardly:

,From a very early age, I was conditioned to expect things to feel unsafe and unpredictable with my back then alcoholic father and fear-filled mother who was quietly holding anger at men and life. I took it all in like a sponge, and in the fear, hurt and confusion, I unknowingly put protective walls up around my heart.

,For much of my teenage life and into my early adulthood I “tried to lighten up,” but there was an incessant vigilant voice in my head that kept me stuck in overthinking and in deep distrust of others and life. I tried to outrun the inner noise and heaviness by diving into busy-ness, hyper-performing and over-giving to everyone outside of myself while keeping a big smile on my face. However, the entrenched pathway of my trauma-programmed mind was far more powerful than my efforts. Before long, I was spiraling down into deep depression, especially after my third child was born while living with my husband overseas in Asia. My outer situation mirrored the inner isolation that I felt during that time.

,It wasn’t until what I describe as my “Miracle Moment,” during the 2011 earthquake in Japan, that I reconnected with my heart. While I write about the impact of this moment in more detail in my book , Life In Full Colors, , I’ll share a few details with you here.

,After a very helpful session with a wise counselor, while making my way home to my family by subway, the train lurched and stopped, leaving me trapped with hundreds of strangers for several hours underground. It was then that I made a direct connection with my innermost heart so clearly. A sublime silence within my heart showed up so strongly in contrast to the confusion and terror, words still can’t really capture it. If I could choose a few they would be: deep calm, slow stillness, beyond fear, pure knowing, pulsing life.

,As I felt a whole new healing wave of calm spreading through me waves of aftershocks shook my subway car. I made a commitment from my heart to Life itself that I would now turn inwardly. I understood that the Higher Love I was seeking “out there” was closer than close, pulsing deep within me. Life met me each step of the way and each teacher, book, “coincidence” and healer that came into my path guided me to open my heart to its true nature - which is wise, playful and free.

Often, in an effort to protect us, our Thinking Mind, which is analytical, linear and logical, works very hard to stop us from experiencing our Feeling Mind. This makes sense, as our Feeling Mind can be emotional, messy and unpredictable. However, it is also heart-based, highly creative, intelligent, insightful, energy-producing, a visionary and a seeker of truths hidden deep within; and so there can be great loss in burying its existence and potential.

This disconnection between our Thinking and Feeling Minds is often at the core of whatever needs healing - be it burnout, anxiety, heartache, or dis-order and dis-ease in our bodies, minds and spirits; and research supports the idea that the messages from our Feeling Hearts matter and need to be responded to if we want to experience full health.

Unfortunately though, many of us have not been given the strategies and support we need to feel safe enough to truly engage with our hearts. If you are finding yourself in this position and are feeling called to widen your perspective, learn useful tools and gain the support of helpful guides, know I am here to support you in walking right up to and through your pain. You can leverage it as a portal to free your heart and soul using the approaches that have transformed my life and those of hundreds of clients. Modalities such as clinical hypnotherapy, with a spiritual approach, energy healing and art therapy, along with other healing “power tools” that are shared each session.

Hypnotherapy allows for direct access to the subconscious patterns, habits and reactions that are running interference with our natural state of flow and joy. In hypnotherapy, Corry, trained by medical-doctor-turned-healer Dr. Sonia Gupte, walks beside you as you uncover core beliefs that are at the root of outmoded practices you’re longing to upgrade. Some ask, “Do I stay in control during hypnosis?”, and the answer is “Yes!” You are in more control during hypnotherapy than at any other time because 95% of your often unaccessed Feeling Mind comes online. For most clients, 3-5 sessions will provide the best results.

Energy healing allows you to sync-up your innate Universal Intelligence with Life’s Universal Intelligence as you simply lay back, relax and receive an energy upgrade of your frequencies. When learning Heart Coherence Energy Healing from Dr. Joe Dispenza, he taught, “Changing your state of being means changing your energy, because in order for you to affect matter, you have to become more energy and less matter”. This access to higher frequencies through heart coherence also aligns well with Reconnective Energy Healing which I learned from Dr. Eric Pearl for whole health. Clients report shifts in body, mind and spirit as life situations move with more ease and flow after even one energy healing session.

If you would like to learn more read how this heart opening work has helped others along their way ,here and should you feel ready, reach out for ,your free consultation call.

Should the work I do not resonate with you, I can also connect you with other healers who work in other ways to bring you home to the innermost center of you. We all find our way back to our heart differently, this I know is true.

Above all, I am so grateful to have had this chance to share my heart here this way with you. Thank you for taking the time to tuck in a share your Presence here too. Big love, XC

(Variation of a blog originally co-created with Suzanne on Maliya Easton on Maliya.ca)

Art therapy and hypnotherapy are creative power tools which bring us into state of flow...Whether that flow state occurs with the rhythmic brushwork of paint splaying expressively across a canvas or through the slowing of brainwaves and breath during a guided journey within - both relax and regulate our nervous systems for deep healing and a whole change of mind. (quote from my recent TEDX talk)

Recently I was asked to deliver a TEDX talk on mental health and my work as a healer. I'll share more on that experience in a follow-up post as my talk is being edited and sent to TEDX for uploading on their site. As I shared the power of the two main modalities I use as a healer, I felt the pull to highlight how they compare.

I have been supporting people as an art therapist for the past 10 years now and recently added clinical hypnotherapy with a spiritual component to my healing toolkit as it has been a very potent healing tool both in my own and my family's personal healing journey. To read more about this decision I made to upgrade my skills, tuck into my last newsletter for a look-see.

So, without further ado, let me share with you what I have come to sense and see (through my clients' and my own experience of art therapy and hypnotherapy) what their similarities and differences turn out to be:

3 strong similarities between art and hypnotherapy which I see - , Both modalities bring us into a relaxed state of flow. , Both allow the subconscious to locate and surface any past "corrupt memory file" that's running interference in our system in the here and now. , Both can close these "corrupt files" to form a new neural pathway upgrade for a future that is not stuck on repeat by looping a "past program".

As I lay those out, I wonder if you can guess what the 3 differences between these modalities which I have noticed might be? Of course, this is just a list that is alive for me right now, it could and will shift as I grow and change, however for now I share with you...

3 key differences between art and hypnotherapy which I see - , Hypnotherapy allows for a deeply relaxed trance where the overworked conscious mind can get restorative healing and rest each session, yet still be awake so that it can collaborate with the brilliant solution-filled subconscious mind for whole mind power. Because it's 5000 X stronger than the conscious mind, the subconscious can support and do all the heavy lifting locating through our data base to access exactly what's needed in this gorgeous relaxed state. , Though art therapy also relaxes the conscious mind, it still tends to "pop up" and interfere flow whenever it starts to chatter, analyse or judge the artwork (or its contents) rather than allowing for he memory file that needs to be closed out to surface fully on the page. With hypnotherapy, this interruption does not happen by the conscious mind, so it is guaranteed that each session, "corrupt files" close and noticeable growth and change occurs at a more rapid rate. , As hypnotherapy allows for deeper access to the subconscious without interference from the conscious mind, shifts happen quicker with less resistance to the changed neural pathway upgrade. Us humans look for and love patterns, even if they aren't helpful to our whole health and happiness. The subconscious supports clients to "future pace" and see a new way of being while they anchor it in their body. Their whole mind is on board for the change without the conscious mind nagging "but how could that ever happen...". As we see it and feel it, then we become it!

As I write these comparisons down here, I realize that it's no big surprise that I have had clients in the midst of an art therapy session suddenly access a part of themselves which is up for healing to then choose hypnotherapy for subsequent sessions to tend to that part directly with a laser-like focus.

This is what happened for Noemi, a young woman who came to me for 5 months of art therapy to then switch to 1 month of hypnotherapy for huge change. Initially Noemi was very nervous, anxious and unable to assert herself. While she made great progress in her 5 months of art therapy, building her self-worth and her voice to bring her right out of her social anxiety, it only took her 1 month of four weekly sessions of hypnotherapy to rid herself of the severe claustrophobia that showed up in her mid-teens. Her claustrophobia left her nauseous and panicky in crowded situations. Every concert, line-up, and flight were a major stressor for Noemi - before hypnotherapy.

I asked Noemi if I could share he story here and she said "most definitely!". Here's what Noemi had to say about her 1 month transformative healing experience -

I swear by hypnotherapy after my experience! I really enjoyed it, it made me realise new things about my fears. It made me remember memories that influence this reaction in me and made me feel less scared about these fears and made the symptoms non-existent. I did not experience any feeling of suffocation during flights and being in crowded areas. It helped me control my emotions more. I feel more confident and appreciate myself.If there's a part of you that is curious, as Noemi was, about hypnotherapy and how it can help you to change whatever is not feeling quite right in you - body, mind or spirit - feel free to connect with me for a ,free consultation call. I'm more than happy to walk beside you towards more ease and transformation in your life journey! Big love, XC

"If we carry intergenerational trauma (and we do) then we also carry intergenerational wisdom. It's in our genes and our DNA." (Kazu Haga)

How do we take care of those innermost pieces that surface through our family line and seep into our own life for healing?

When Ancestral patterns of trauma surface, I do what Source taught me and what I teach others to do:

Own the pain, Ask on it, Receive from it, Act on it, Expect it to pivot, Love it and Share it. The 7 transformative power tools I write about in my book, Life in Full Colors, are the medicine for the soul’s light filled evolution.

Not only for mine, but for my ancestral lineage too.

As we glance back, it's clear that all our families have experienced war, famine, violence, oppression, poverty, and painful emotional trauma in the lineage. All of this cascades and is part of our DNA and we can sense/see certain habits, blocks and patterns living on within us. They also are the ultimate art materials for us to lift and heal as we grow and free ourselves and our lineages in our choice to act and not react.

We know more now than ever before about the science behind the trauma we have inherited. If you are wanting to hear how they research this stuff, a fascinating and "Oh SOOOO helpful" podcast to listen to is this episode of Mark Groves' Create the Love with Mark Wolynn here.

It's clear that when we heal ourselves we heal our family line to the 7 generations (this includes our children and their future family too).

When I grew aware it was time to look at the roots of some of the ancestral pain around 'not following the ways of the rest of the tribe' and 'lack consciousness' the energies of Whale Spirit broke through and into my paintings.

Whale takes us to ancient depths of familial suffering that can move through with ease and be released in the now for the whole family/pod. See, as I intend for the highest good for the whole family line, all this wisdom born of the ancestral pain which is surfacing for healing can resolve in ways that were not available or accessible to my ancestral line back when it happened.

As we consider all those whose shoulders we stand upon, there just wasn't the consciousness to process and alchemize the trauma, pain and suffering they experienced. Our ancestors needed to survive and carry on as best as they could.

Today is a new day, however, and we now have awareness of creative healing energetically in various modalities to transform heavy trapped emotions into light.

So, as I painted through the pain and stuckness that my whole Self could sense and feel into, healing waves and wisdom came through with Whale Spirit. While whale is commonly associated with emotion, inner truth, and creativity it also points to:

Wisdom holderPhysical and emotional healingKeeper of historyImportance of family and communityEmotional rebirthPeaceful strengthCommunication

Another gorgeous method of healing that I have received and now weave into ancestral work with art therapy is family constellation therapy (should you be reading this and sensing your soul is ready for ancestral healing now too I can recommend a wonderful healer). I

I also recommend theta healing which I have been receiving for this past month to support lifting dense energies to alchemize for the light (I know 2 very skilled theta healers I can suggest to you should your soul feel the pull).

I am so honoured to be able to bring Creative Healing through to my family line. Know that you can do this for your ancestors and yourself too!

Your healing work is a powerful force for your whole ancestral line. That's what a wonder you ARE!

(PS- the gorgeous final whale photo that follows the images of my whale spirit artwork is by abigaillynn.photo)

Feel free to reach out should you want support and guidance to tend to what is pulling you to heal it. And remember, once it's resolved, then the whole descending line feels that upshift in vibration. Big love, XC

"The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person" (Andy Rooney)

I learned so much during a recent Life in Full Colors Livestream Spotlight on Loek which I share out on my YouTube channel. During that Livestream episode, I sat down with my dear artisst friend of many years Tessa Maagdenberg and her 78 year old father Loek as they were creating and spending a typical Wednesday together in Tessa's studio in The Hague.

Loek, a former educator in his earlier years, discussed how he uses drawing and colors to relax and re-story challenging people in his life “to make them more likeable”. As he described his process I learned and resonated deeply with his process. His sharing resonates with the essence of what I teach in my recently published book Life in Full Colors where I share 7 transformative tools for leveraging life's challenges as your ultimate art material.

Loek told how he would draw the "guys I didn't like" from his work day and turn them into likeable characters in his artwork! He did this all throughout his working years (and continues on today) as a way to de-stress and let out tension healthily.

As Loek trusts his intuition to blow off steam this way he shared with me that oftentimes he’s “drawing and laughing” as he creates. As Loek says,

“It bubbles up in my life...I always make guys I didn’t like... then I make them likeable...I make drawings to relax myself.”

Listen in as this beautiful father/daughter duo share how art is a way to keep happy and well together as the years roll on. It's precious to be in the company of a daughter and father sharing the wonderful and relaxing effects of using art this way.

Here's a few of Loek's MANY drawings that he generously shared with me after we met that special day...

I'm curious if drawing your difficulties out on a paper relaxes you and brings a smile to your face and a quiet laugh to your precious self. Feel free to share with me, I’d love to know! Big love, XC

Ready to Kick-Off Creative Arts Therapies Week Together?!​

​During the third week in March each year, creative arts therapists sponsor workshops, exhibitions and other events to let everyone experience the healing power of art.

To add to the beautiful sharing of opportunities this special week, I'll be sharing a self-care Free Online Workshop called "Relax & Feel the Power of Play".

You are more than welcome to explore and uncover your Creative intelligence in this safe and ease-filled space. If you're curious to join but feel unsure,

know that no experience is needed, just your sense of wonder and a good dollup of curiousity.

Not only will you get a chance to play your unique colors onto a page (think doodles, shapes and lines) in order to shift stress out, you will also receive fresh insights as I read to you from my book 'Life in Full Colors: Unlock Your Childlike Curiosity to Uncover and Activate the Creative Intelligence You Are'.

Workshop is this Sunday March 14th at 21:30 CET / 15:30 EST / 12:30 PST

The Zoom link for this workshop is right here (along with my Amazon link for my book AND If you are curious to read the1st chapter of my book for free, then a link to access that is in my bio and here too).

So...are you IN?! Are you going to kick off this special week and learn a new wonder-filled way to play your way into a relaxed state for your well being, self care, and deeper self knowing?

Feel free to share with me if you're joining along & if you're bringing your crayons, markers, pastels or paints - or ALL of these to the table!

,Big love,,XC