Free Art Workshops to Help Healing

Charleston’s heart is broken

Area residents are struggling to understand the senseless murders at Emanuel AME Church and deal with feelings of grief, fear, anger and helplessness.

For hundreds of years, the creative art process has helped people identify emotions, encourage communication and promote healing. Through the joint expertise of art therapists, educators, mental health professionals and artists working with Charleston County Public Library, local residents can learn how to use art and the creative process to better understand and deal with grief related to the church shooting.

Free HEARTS MEND HEARTS drop-in sessions are scheduled twice weekly, begining July 26, and structured, art-related workshops are offered once weekly through the end of September at CCPL’s Main Library.

The drop-in art sessions are on Sundays from 2-4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays from 5:30-7 p.m. The structured workshops are Thursdays from 5:30-7 p.m., and are designed to help individuals process their feelings and express emotions in a safe environment.

Professionals will lead attendees through the steps to create mandalas, which are considered “healing circles.” This internationally recognized method encourages individuals to tap into their creativity, identify personal emotions, reconcile conflicts and ultimately work toward healing.

HEARTS MEND HEARTS will include help from numerous art and mental health professionals from throughout the area. The organization was started by: Registered Art Therapist Dianne Tennyson Vincent, MAT, ATR; Psychiatrist Deborah Milling, MD; Psychoanalyst Sharon Martin, FNP, CNS, PhD; and Nationally Board Certified Art Educator Laura DeLaMaza.