35: Releasing Your Emotions Through Creativity
With Lucy Sherman, LPC
Do you feel overwhelmed by your emotions or struggle to communicate your experience as an HSP? In this episode, I talk with Lucy Sherman, LPC about expressing yourself through creativity and:
• How to use card decks and creative prompts as part of your reflection and self-care practice
• Understanding and nurturing your rich inner life through images and metaphor from nature, photographs, and cards
• Soothing your nervous system and finding safety by connecting inward
Lucy is a Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR Certified Therapist and a Highly Sensitive Person herself in Portland, OR. Lucy has always felt deeply with others and has brought creativity into every part of her life both as a tool to explore her experience and in connecting with others. Lucy feels honored to do this therapeutic work helping Highly Sensitive Folks reflect and process trauma while also tapping into their intuition, imagination, creativity, humor and hope. Through Therapy Intensives there is space to explore outside of talking and weave in creative expression, oracle cards with EMDR while getting to the root of what is stuck and finding relief, lightness and a new compassion for all versions of self. Outside of sessions, you can find Lucy in the forest with her Basset mix Penny, creating with loved ones or gushing over a favorite deck.
Keep in touch with Lucy:
• Website: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perceptive_counseling
Resources Mentioned:
• Therapy Magic Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-magic/id1676794458
• Therapy Intensives: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/emdr-intensives
• Creative Consultation for Therapists: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/method-page-1-1
• Light Seer’s Tarot Deck: https://lightseerstarot.com
• Amy Maricle Slow Drawing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2KmGwTNhI
• Draw Yourself Calm by Amy Maricle: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780593541012
Thanks for listening!
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
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This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional. Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.
Episode Transcript
Lucy Sherman: 0:00
In the past I could really take in some of the energy or loudness or intensity. If I'm also releasing as well into watercolor, into painting, me being observer, taking in emotions while doing something grounding, doing something releasing, and so for me it's always been there, that creative part. It's always been there, that creative part. So doing art still to this day feels incredibly grounding and incredibly expressive.
April Snow: 0:40
Welcome to Sensitive Stories, the podcast for the people who live with hearts and eyes wide open. I'm your host, psychotherapist and author, april Snow. I invite you to join me as I deep dive into rich conversations with fellow highly sensitive people that will inspire you to live a more fulfilling life as an HSP without all the overwhelm. In this episode, I talk with Lucy Sherman about using creativity, imagery, metaphor and card decks to release and express your emotions in a safe way. Lucy is a licensed professional counselor and an EMDR certified therapist in Portland, oregon.
April Snow: 1:20
Lucy has always felt deeply with others and has brought creativity into every part of her life, both as a tool to explore her experiences and connecting with others. Lucy feels honored to do this therapeutic work, helping highly sensitive folks like herself reflect and process trauma, while also tapping into their intuition, imagination, creativity, humor and hope. Imagination, creativity, humor and hope. Through therapy intensives, there is a space to explore outside of talking and weaving creative expression, oracle cards and EMDR, while getting to the root of what is stuck and finding relief, lightness and a new compassion for all versions of self. Outside of sessions, you can find Lucy in the forest with her Basset, mixed Penny, creating with loved ones or gushing over a favorite deck.
April Snow: 2:09
For more HSP resources and to see behind-the-scenes video from the podcast, join me on Instagram, tiktok or YouTube at Sensitive Strengths or sign up for my email list. Links are in the show notes and at sensitivestoriescom. And just a reminder that this episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with mental health or medical professional. Let's dive in so lissy. Could you start off by telling us your hsp discovery story, how, when you realize that you're a highly sensitive person?
Lucy Sherman: 3:03
yeah.
Lucy Sherman: 3:04
So I actually did a little bit of exploring of this last night, just kind of noticing and for me exploring can be with cards, so I actually pulled a card to just notice what is that like first time really connecting with that, like, oh, I'm sensitive, and the one was three of cups and and it was three women that just looked like just really close friends in the image and it really reminded me of like I've always known through friendship, I've always known through relationships with others, and in the beginning I felt like there was a lot of nurturing of my sensitivity and feeling like very much like the connections I had as a young child with others.
Lucy Sherman: 3:54
Like I always felt like very connected, noticing others' experiences, observing but the people around were also in that way too, and so there is like this warmth and connection there and that creativity and the like playing with fairy houses and being in the garden, loving little smells and not loving really strong things or not loving a certain scratchy or like face cloth and like all of that, but just that understanding.
Lucy Sherman: 4:28
But then I felt like in fourth grade I really noticed it more of like oh, not everyone around me is sensitive like this and I can be told I'm too sensitive and I can be bullied for it or that kind of feeling. So I felt like I've always kind of known and there is this way, it's like been nurtured. And then later on it was like, oh, actually, this is different and this is maybe like I can feel more overwhelmed. Or when things are faster, like in school, is a required of me or the world, there's actually harder things that I'm seeing, like all of that just feeling it so heavily. So it was kind of, yeah, that question just noticing, yeah, that the earlier sensitivity is okay and then, little by little, yeah, it's shifting.
April Snow: 5:23
Yeah, it really does happen in a relationship, does it when we have that mirror? I hadn't really thought about that before, but that's when we see it, when we're having things reflected back, yeah, yeah, and how beautiful to have that foundation of acceptance and nurturing around your sensitivity before going out into the world and then getting those messages. I think that we've all heard at some point of too sensitive, but how beautiful to hear that there was those playing with fairy houses and being in the garden and just sharing. It sounds like there were people in your life that you got to share your sensitivity with.
Lucy Sherman: 6:03
Yeah, absolutely, and like honored. So people pointing out, oh, you really connected with that stranger or that new friend, or you went out of your way there to explore this little flower with a new person in preschool, or something like that kind of noticing. But then later on that like whoa, things are heavy, or this is hard, and then that extending on of oh, this is actually there's not. Like everyone isn't exactly like this, or other people are totally okay with the busyness and like almost want it. Right, that's true.
April Snow: 6:40
Thank you, but beautiful that you got to highlight the gifts of sensitivity early on, instead of having to try to weed through the difficulties later to find it. It seems like did it stay in your awareness, the gifts, or did it fade as other people came into your life?
Lucy Sherman: 7:03
Yeah, I feel like there was places where it felt okay to really show myself in relationships and that's throughout life, knowing these are the ones that I can really share those sensitivities or really ask for things to meet my sensitive needs. But then there's others that just feel like, oh, I really, like I don't show it and it kind of fades in those and I felt like there was a lot of time, kind of more middle school, high school, all of that, where it just started to be like, oh, I have to just meet other people's needs or the things that I need need to be on the back burner, or, yeah, their people are prioritized, and so that feeling of like, oh, I'm that's actually fading away.
April Snow: 7:46
Some, yeah, yeah, right as you start to prioritize other people instead of yourself. Is that in an effort to kind of fit in as you're going through your adolescence, or is there something else happening that empathy coming through? Or I'm curious what was happening for you there?
Lucy Sherman: 8:04
Yeah, I think it was definitely the fitting in and also kind of went from like smaller environments to bigger environments, so like a way, bigger school and that kind of difference too. And so there's multiple people to start like, oh, where do I belong, what do I do do? And then also with that, just like they're, yeah, seeing people having harder times or like really, yeah, coping with really big life things and so being there, but with that not being there as much for myself like.
April Snow: 8:42
I just think of you maybe getting deluded in these bigger crowds versus being young and just being able to really center around your needs and your sensitivity. Yeah, it's easier to lose ourselves when other people's needs are coming more into the forefront totally.
Lucy Sherman: 9:02
I think there's also like noticing that, being observed or being watched that's such a difference too and so different experiences where maybe I was more like judged or yeah, or just being in some way like you're different or you're not enough, you're not as smart, like all of that kind of coming together and processing but also trying to take in because there was so long of taking in and it being like okay, like it's okay to take in, and then well, actually there's things to like filter Right.
April Snow: 9:40
That's true. Right At the beginning you get to be kind of this open vessel and then realizing oh wait, I might need to discern what to take in and what not to take in. I love that idea of like oh, I need to put up a filter here, it's too much to take this all in, were taking more in. I'm curious what were you noticing for yourself? Were you more overwhelmed?
Lucy Sherman: 10:15
Were you feeling other people's emotions? What was happening as you went into this other phase? Definitely a lot more. Yeah, feeling other people's emotions and of course I'll caretaker role in different ways, even if it wasn't asked of me. But then it kind of started to be like, oh well, lucy will be a sounding board, yeah, that kind of thing. So at first, yeah, very much like feeling into others' emotions and then also without being so overwhelmed with that too, or feeling like, yeah, just like other people being able to move on from intense experiences or little situations that would happen out of control, and me just feeling very much like, oh, this is still really intense. Experienced you in like little words of a caretaker just sticking in my mind or like deeply connected at times with friends sticking in my mind.
April Snow: 11:09
But then there's also that, yeah, that total overwhelm and body feeling it and yeah, yeah, yeah, it really does stick with us, no matter what's happening, whether it's uncomfortable and difficult, edgygy, or if it's beautiful and meaningful, all of it sticks around and needing time with that and it's. It can be hard when you see other people bouncing back so quickly or moving on so quickly. It's like how do we find that time to slow down and to be different, to filter, filter to discern Sounds like you. Really, you went from being very open and moving forward to maybe needing to maybe pull back a little bit. Yeah.
Lucy Sherman: 11:54
I feel that too, like different, like relationships too. That may be at first like oh yeah, this is just how it is, and then that kind of actually this is a lot more like loudness, or this is a lot more energy, or this is yeah. So that kind of feeling of now I need to like do something in my system, as like I really need to pull back?
April Snow: 12:18
Yes, as you've gone through and, you know, had these experiences. What have you found is supportive for you as a sensitive person? What do you bring in?
Lucy Sherman: 12:31
Yeah, so much I feel like too. That's just always been there. So I feel like watercolor doing just anything art related creative, just anything art related creative, and that's also been a way that in the past I feel like even younger years I could really take in some of the energy or loudness or intensity.
Lucy Sherman: 12:54
if I'm also releasing as well into watercolor, into painting, listening to conversations that maybe were a little bit more intense in family, but then me being kind of like observer, taking in emotions while doing something grounding, doing something releasing, and so for me it's always been there, that kind of, yeah, that like creative part. So doing art still to this day just feels incredibly grounding and incredibly expressive and a way to really see myself too. Also, like looking at middle school and high school art and everything. There's just this kind of like oh, those are times that I could really see myself, even if I was trying to go into all of these different like relationships or mask a little bit more, try to be this or chameleon, like all of that.
Lucy Sherman: 13:49
I really there were times of still being with myself or, yeah, really seeing myself in a way that, yeah, that other things, like I couldn't do as much, or yeah. So art has always been there. That's like watercolor, acrylic painting, drawing, and it can just be like playing with color too. It does not, yeah, and so I feel like there's that like expressive part, and then there's also that really grounding part, and there's also that really like needing emotion out and there was one post that you made a while back just around, like movement, like with excitement and stuff.
Lucy Sherman: 14:31
But there was something about that that reminded me too of different ways that I would move my body when I was younger and then now what that looks like. But I yeah, there's just ways that either way, that kind of expression whether, yeah, movement, dancing, even to this day, writing, drawing being in nature, all of that just feels so soothing yeah, creativity can manifest in many ways.
April Snow: 14:59
Yeah, and I love that. You said you can just put colors on a page, play, play with color. It doesn't have to be anything formal, and it sounds like creativity was a through line for you even before. Maybe you realized how you were using it. Yes, yeah, absolutely yeah, yeah, it's beautiful Just the way you described it, as it's not just this tactile expression, it's grounding, it's finding yourself again. I hadn't thought about this, but it is really moving emotion through out of you onto the page, and there doesn't have to be words.
Lucy Sherman: 15:34
Exactly. Yeah, I feel like that too with the not having words sometimes, like having so much processing and everything but being able to do that and like have that space on paper, and that there isn't a way to mess up. It's really just like this is you and you can. If you don't want to anyone else to see it, that's okay too, and it's just like this is you, but it's a way to really settle into yourself and then, little by little, you start to have the words, but you don't necessarily have to.
Lucy Sherman: 16:04
And I feel like in the past, being sensitive, I had some people like caregivers in my life who were very loquacious like a lot of words and very extroverted, and so being able to, in those moments, have a pause for myself and then share and that being acceptable, like oh, I'm just doing, and that being acceptable, Like oh, I'm just doing, you know, just doing art, and then I'll share, but listen and take it in and then see where I'm at. So it's always yeah, but I didn't always know what I was doing.
April Snow: 16:38
I think that's such a common experience. I hear from sensitive folks whether it was knowing they're more sensitive or just leaning into certain ways of living before they even knew what they were doing, just trusting that intuition. It's so beautiful, I love it. And then it often will kind of adapt and and change over time as more awareness comes in. But just having that space to not have to have words and I have to have it figured out, especially when we have so many somatic experiences with sensitive people, there aren't always words I found yes.
April Snow: 17:12
And so to have another outlet, and I love that. You said you can't mess up. There's no one right way to do this. You can just be in the process with beautiful permission. Yeah, I love that. I'm curious. You talked about using cards and how you pulled a card for this conversation and to think about that, how can we use imagery? So we've talked about loosely art, but if we get more specific with imagery and cards and other symbols, how can we use that to support us in our processing? Oh, everywhere.
Lucy Sherman: 17:46
Everywhere. Oh, I can't use that to support us in our processing. Oh, everywhere, I love it so much. Everywhere. Oh, I can't wait, I love it, yeah.
Lucy Sherman: 17:51
So I feel I mean really just being able to sit with imagery and we just being so like such this inner world, and have so much creativity, and so to be able to create space for that and then see things in new ways. So I feel like a lot of the time, like even exploring what stands out and this can be on a card, this can be in a magazine, this can be in like I did it the other day where I didn't have any cards or imagery besides nature around and then be like, okay, what is this mountain reflecting to me right now, of, like how I'm feeling, or what is a message here, and it's just that sense of really, yeah, that settling with it and seeing things in a new way, where sometimes, if you're really cognitive and really in the words, we can get so like this is just how it is, and so there's a way to expand and play, and then that, yeah, I feel like imagery can really give you that chance of play. Yeah.
April Snow: 18:55
Like you said, pull us out of the words, those confines of the words, especially when we're having such a nuanced, depthful experience. The words do not do it justice at all. And I remember I worked with a somatic therapist years back and every session we would start she just had images that she had cut out or printed, or photographs or postcards that she had found at the thrift store and we would just use those and it was really helpful in kind of reconnecting with myself. Oh, I'm drawn to this image. Then being curious, why am I drawn to it?
April Snow: 19:31
Oh, I can't figure out what I want to say, but this image speaks to what I'm feeling and I love the idea of taking that practice. You don't have to have cards or even cutouts. You can look outside, in your environment, in your world. A cloud, a mountain if you have mountains, a tree, an animal, that's really beautiful, that that feels like. It really opens up a lot for me as I hear you say that because I had never considered that that we could take this practice out into our into our worlds.
Lucy Sherman: 20:01
Anything, yeah, and just like. What does it reflect to you? And it's all about your own experience and that sense of like. Yeah, what is your body sensation with that? What is, yeah, what is that like intuition around the message? What is this connecting to as well? Like, maybe you see something and then all of a sudden, it connects with, like an experience you've had, and then what about that experience? That is like, why is that coming up now for you? And then maybe there's been a lesson there that you learned in that experience and now it's here.
Lucy Sherman: 20:35
So it's like this beautiful way to expand the map it feels like, and then also to just sit, yeah, together and just like have that, yeah, that common language as well. So like to both, even if you don't have the words, to both see the same thing. And from that, yeah, with friends, with loved ones, and sessions, all of that, but being able to have this and also, yeah, see each other. It's a way of really seeing each other, I feel like, but in a way that can feel a little bit more like safe, sometimes, or comforting or less of just right away, vulnerable, yet still very vulnerable.
April Snow: 21:22
Yeah, so yeah, it like just starting with you know what does this bring up for me? And then, how am I feeling about this? And what does that remind me of? And all these questions just spill out and just reminds me of our natural way of being a sensitive people, how we make connections in our minds and our experiences, and just allows us to come home to ourselves and be with our process. And then how beautiful to be able to share that with someone else without needing to figure out necessarily how to communicate it if the words aren't there, and it could be an opportunity to deepen. We're both looking at this beautiful image and then maybe being curious what does that bring up for them? Yes, this is really amazing to think about how we could use that yeah, I love it too as a way to get creative as well.
Lucy Sherman: 22:13
so, most like if this one image happened to be a creative exploration for myself, what would that be as well? And so playing around with that as well. So turning what image you see into like an expression to from there on onto paper again, so like one image turning into another image that you create and then image expressing under the page you mean it's letting it inspire you to create your own art or just play on the page. Yeah, oh wow, yeah yeah, it could.
April Snow: 22:56
It could really open up a lot, I imagine. Yeah, and you spoke to something about it being safer. I'm wondering if you could say more about that. How is working with imagery maybe safer than working with words or conversation?
Lucy Sherman: 23:12
Yeah. So I feel like sometimes with work, if you're just asked like a question or something, it can feel so direct or so intense or almost like so pressure, but with imagery there's that pause and then also you can share whatever you want to share from that and it's not necessary, like it can be, yeah, however you're seeing it, but there isn't this feeling of like this is the only answer. It's like, okay, I can see this part and then I can also see this part and and yeah, I think with that space and then also it's a lot of the time to if we had really intense experiences that like the part of our brain connected with language can go offline. Express that way can just be so much more comfortable and actually not get us out into this like fight, flight, freeze, spawn and can yeah, it can really like ground us.
April Snow: 24:14
That makes a lot of sense. It just opens up a lot of room to explore your experience and have to come up with the perfect answer response yeah, especially because we often don't know what's going on until we get in there and explore a little bit. And this offers, it seems like, a just a practice for doing that.
Lucy Sherman: 24:35
See what's here exactly, yeah, I feel too, because with that highly sensitive self and just how much we see beauty and then also how much we see, yeah, kind of those harder things as well, and how we feel, but with the beauty and a card too, just like being so just connected with one particular color or one thing, that really just elates us Because there's a way to just really zero in. And then with imagery too, it's something really safe that you can just turn the page or go to a different card or decide not to look at something. So there's also choice there and that also creates safety when there's choice.
April Snow: 25:25
Absolutely. Yeah, you get to decide and be elated or set a boundary. Yeah, exactly, put it aside. What a good practice for life. Would you be open to walking a zero card pool?
Lucy Sherman: 25:46
what that looks like yeah, I'd love you to.
April Snow: 25:49
Yeah, I know this might be new for some folks, or, or, if you're like me, you might have some cards that you are still figuring out how to interact with yes, I would love to well, one thing I just love is the way I mean with art, it's just like there isn't a right or wrong.
Lucy Sherman: 26:06
And I think sometimes if you're thinking like, okay, oracle or tarot cards, imagery cards, it's like there's only one meaning. But no, it's all about what it brings up for you. And so, instead of it being like predictive and like, oh, this is about future, this is really about what do you notice Projective, and like, oh, this is about future, this is really about what do you notice projective, what is it bringing up for you today that maybe tomorrow you notice a completely different thing? And like, what a fun thing to look at the same card and see a completely different thing based on where you're at. So that kind of mirror.
Lucy Sherman: 26:40
And then also knowing there isn't like any bad cards, they're all just ways to explore. So, and also with that, there's ways that some folks will be like, okay, I want to like learn everything about the cards before and do all the learning, but so much of the learning can happen in your own intuition. And then exploring, okay, what does the guidebook say? So like playing around around you with that, so you don't have to know everything before you start using them that's so helpful to know that it can be a very personal experience.
April Snow: 27:13
You might want to read the guidebook if that provides some safety structure, but you have to. It's so personal and what a beautiful metaphor around our emotions that it can change and it will change. Yes, that's okay too.
Lucy Sherman: 27:29
Yeah, it can be wild to just yeah, to like pull for certain times and then all of a sudden you have, yeah, this whole different understanding and deepening and so yeah and there can almost be like a way that cards can be your friends too, like that support and you can.
Lucy Sherman: 27:48
Really there's choice in how you pull too. So maybe you'll do like messages from like past, present, future, self and what I want to notice, or maybe a message of like energy of the day I want to tap into, or how can I honor my sensitive self right now, like it's just playing around with questions that feel right for you.
April Snow: 28:09
So you can have different inquiries depending on what's going on for you.
Lucy Sherman: 28:13
That day, exactly, yeah, so even that can be incredibly creative and even though there isn't a right or wrong way, it's just whatever comes up for you yeah, so yeah, maybe just noticing like what what I'm feeling right now? What kind of is happening right now in my world. What I'm noticing?
April Snow: 28:35
as Lucy is pulling a card. I just want to. If you're listening to this and you want to see the cards, you can watch on YouTube. That way, I'm sure it could be nice to have a visual element as we talk about imagery All the visuals and imagery. Exactly.
Lucy Sherman: 28:49
Yeah, I am pulling from the Lightseers Tarot right now. This is Chrisanne Donnelly. She has some really incredible, just creative artwork and she also on her website she has a free card pull. So if you don't have your own as well, it can be nice to just, even on the go, be able to pull a card for free. Oh, that's beautiful. That can be really lovely, and this is just a yeah, sweet, just noticing, and there's plenty of, yeah, just really wonderful imagery cards out here.
Lucy Sherman: 29:20
So I'm just kind of spreading them out and this is also part of my noticing intuition, pausing, seeing what it feels like where I'm at, and I'll just put my hands over the cards and just notice anything somatically that kind of tells me like, oh, this card, like what I'm noticing right now and it's this one and I have no idea what it is. There's also something really powerful about just that spontaneity where you're just like whatever this is, I don't know what it is, and so it also gets you out of this like, yeah, the cognitive, like, oh, it has to be this. It's like, okay, so we have the king of cups beautiful card. Yeah, and so for me, I'm just going to spend a moment and just notice what first kind of stands out to me. And you can do this by maybe just noticing, like, okay, what colors am I noticing or drawn to If I'm looking at all the details of the card, what is, yeah, just kind of drawing my attention the most.
Lucy Sherman: 30:29
And this is just a person who's kind of in the water and flow with this bowl that they're just moving their hand towards. So for me there's been a lot around how to find space and grounding and steadiness, even if there is that up and down. So even if there's like the ebb and flow of business, the ebb and flow of life, the intensity, the calmness, the discomfort with some of those different parts. But this really just I see so much and this is feeling more where I'm at right now, whereas last week I was feeling a little bit more angsty, antsy and that kind of like ending of summer into fall feeling and I feel like also being sensitive.
Lucy Sherman: 31:21
We just are really connected to the seasons and so for me, I really see this glowing around the head and then heart, and so so much of this message of just do what's in integrity and in love and with, yeah, intention, and so seeing so much around that heart, and for me there's a little boat in the background and with the boat in the background, it's just like that's a strong boat.
Lucy Sherman: 31:53
It doesn't. It's little boat, but it's like a little engine that could boat. Yeah, it just looks like it can just weather the waves and there are going to be waves. So, and then there's also something really beautiful with the actual movement of the hand towards the bowl as well, and this is this one just noticing that, and there's actually I'm noticing like a vibration that they're kind of creating. So they're actually making a vibration and sound that can affect the water and with that, it's like what are different ways right now? For me, even if things feel out of control, or even if things feel like that ebb and flow is too much or anything like that, what is a little thing that I can do that still creates some kind of vibration around that still, and so that like sharing my love in all the different ways, whether that's in friendships and relationship to myself, anything like that but using that kind of sharing of compassion, sensitive love, seeing people, even if certain areas of my life I'm yeah, I have a little bit more dormant.
Lucy Sherman: 33:12
So yeah there's something like that, of like, how can I really tune into that love? And then how can I be steady in the ebb and flow? And then how can I create some kind of way of still affecting my external environment?
April Snow: 33:33
So beautiful, just to see you go through that process and all that it can bring up and letting it be organic. I see this part of the image and it brings up this and this other piece and so so, so powerful to you, even just seeing one image, which on the surface it's a relatively simple image for a card, because I've seen ones that are a lot more complex, but we're able to focus on the nuances, the ripple with the finger in the water, the boat in the background, and this is this, the like you said, the energy coming off the car that's emanating from the car, this peacefulness. I love how you said you know it's this ebb and flow and alignment was coming up for me, just like the alignment between head and the heart and how what we do ripples out and impacts others, and just so much we could just imagine. Go on and on, exactly.
April Snow: 34:30
Yes, I'm wondering is okay, I'm just thinking of my experience as a sensitive person and obviously doing a practice like this. It's pretty straightforward on the surface, but internally there's a lot happening. Yeah, it can be very evocative, a lot could come through. So I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts on just taking care of ourselves as these thoughts, emotions, other images and memories come up as you're doing a card, pull yeah. Or working with an image yeah, yeah, what helps for you as you're going through this practice, taking care of yourself with what comes up.
Lucy Sherman: 35:14
Something that, like I'll sometimes do if I'm just noticing like, oh, I really want some extra support, is go through and looking the other, so looking at all the images and choosing a card beforehand that connects with a support, so like this card is going to support me, this image is going to support me in whatever I pull to.
Lucy Sherman: 35:36
And so, yeah, or you can connect with beforehand of someone in your life, real or imaginary, someone from a book, someone from a movie, like anything, nature, anything that can hold you when you do a pull, a card pull, and then also with yeah, with all of that, like again that like choice piece, also creating a space for you that feels comforting.
Lucy Sherman: 36:01
So maybe having a smell close by that feels really comforting to you, maybe your dog or, yeah, animal being sensitive to, maybe something really soft, just creating an environment that feels comforting, environment that feels comforting. And then also, if there is like maybe you don't want to, maybe you want to almost set a little time in the beginning, like in the beginning, you don't necessarily have to go straight into, there's never a have to with this, it's all about your own practice. But if you feel like, oh, a lot could be brought up if I have an hour to do this, like what happens if it's just one card for the day, this feels like a nice container of what's the energy that I want to tap into today and then somehow see some part of the card that resonates with that. So there's like creating the environment, also, anything of comfort, also creating some kind of container, if that feels good any way of expressing to, so maybe it taps into something intense. And then you can pull a different card and like, okay, well, how is this gonna?
Lucy Sherman: 37:08
come up or maybe an expression of writing, and just like really vigorous writing and then like scrpling up the paper and or ripping it or anything like that, but just that still gives you a choice in it. I think that's everything is about you and your experience, and then finding that resource, finding that container.
April Snow: 37:32
I love that everything is about you. Yeah, this is maybe one of the spaces that we get to say that if that's not available in a lot of places, this is up to you. There's no one right way to do this, it sounds like, and bringing some intentionality to take care of yourself in it, whether that's some type of an anchor, a person in a place and real or imaginary taking care of your nervous system, have those comforts of sensory supports and maybe not needing to throw yourself into the process, maybe just spending a few minutes, and then it sounds like being able to express whatever comes through or change your mind or change how you approach it. Instead of pulling a card blind, it sounds like you could choose a card totally more predictable. I love it.
Lucy Sherman: 38:21
There's so much personalization here yeah yeah that can be so powerful, just like what is one of the cards that somehow stands out to me right now and not needing to know exactly why. When you pull it and then just like what yeah, what is exactly?
April Snow: 38:36
what am I?
Lucy Sherman: 38:36
gonna write up yeah, with that yeah yeah it's beautiful.
April Snow: 38:40
I'm wondering would you be open to sharing a few of the other images from this deck so we can get a sense, or if anything calls to you?
Lucy Sherman: 38:47
yeah, of course, and I love to with just there's an art, too, of like finding imagery that really resonates. So some people will really love like a deck that just doesn't have any people on that, because maybe a person would feel like too much, so maybe they just want nature images and there's so many incredible decks out there made by so many incredible people that really can resonate with you. So maybe you'll be less like, it'll feel less intense if it is just like nature or there's a dog deck like it's hard sometimes to yeah, so really just finding what feels good.
Lucy Sherman: 39:25
So I'll just kind of show, yes, and I don't know exactly what's being pulled up, but can you see, okay?
April Snow: 39:31
oh yes, thank you.
Lucy Sherman: 39:33
Wow, these are beautiful yeah, so there's just all different. And again coming back to like there isn't any bad, yeah, or that is bad or negative or means something about you, that you pulled it, it's all just like. This is almost like you're, you can almost look at it. It was like you're in an art museum and if you don't like something that you see, you just move to the next painting, or you just put it away or you decide to leave the museum.
April Snow: 40:04
So I could see this deck there's. These different scenes I'm looking at bring up a lot of different emotion. I could see really just leading yourself on a journey, some more spiritual, some more like grief or introspection, just lots of different.
Lucy Sherman: 40:25
Oh, totally yeah.
April Snow: 40:27
Thank you so much. What a beautiful deck.
Lucy Sherman: 40:30
I know, yeah, it's really lovely. It's a great one to start with too.
April Snow: 40:34
Can you remind me the?
Lucy Sherman: 40:34
name of that. Yeah, it's the Lightseers Tarot. Yeah, chris Ann Donnelly, and she just yeah on her site she has some really amazing things.
April Snow: 40:45
I'll be sure to share that in the show notes for folks they want to check it out. Yeah, yeah, and I'm happy always to share other decks too. I just have so much fun with finding imagery that really can resonate?
Lucy Sherman: 40:57
and everything. So yeah, and then maybe if, like tarot, like you're not quite wanting to explore that right now, there's also just cards that have no words or that doesn't have the meaning on there or anything too, so you can just play with what is it like to just have imagery only or words only?
April Snow: 41:16
I hadn't thought about that. But you could really choose the decks, the type of imagery or the content that really speaks to you. I would feel really supportive. I'm curious because I've been in spiritual bookstores or at crystal shops, things like that, where I found decks. Where do you find your decks for folks that maybe are looking for their first deck?
Lucy Sherman: 41:39
yeah, and so also, yeah, those kind of stores a lot of time on their website too, and they just sometimes have all of these little hidden gems that you would never know, or they're sort of like oh, here's a whole audio that goes with each card too. That can guide you along or yeah, so I feel like that going to their site can be really sweet.
April Snow: 42:01
Um, and just seeing, like what else?
Lucy Sherman: 42:03
because they, if they already have had imagery that you really connect with, they might have other really cool resources or freebies on there too. So, yeah, and etsy is really lovely too. And then, yeah, I think, just going also on like youtube and seeing what our deck guide throughs or walkthroughs nature deck walkthroughs what is that? And being able to just play around with that and then deciding from there where to order it- yeah, I love that.
April Snow: 42:32
This is a whole world, it's like it's opening up. Yes, what a beautiful thing. Thank you for that, and thank you for sharing one of your decks with us. That feels really special, so thank you for that and I know you do carpools on your Instagram so folks can see you doing other practices there, which is great, just to get some inspiration. I'm curious do you have any other favorite creative prompts that you love to explore with yourself or with or with clients, in addition to your card pulls?
Lucy Sherman: 43:06
yeah, I find one of the go-to's I just will do it often and then also something that I just invite clients as well but just draw a line, shape and color for kind of how you're feeling right now and that can be in there.
Lucy Sherman: 43:21
Again, there isn't a right or wrong, it's just all about your experience and this is getting out of like the very like, logical, or this is the exact literal interpretation, like what happens if you do a little abstract with that. So just line, shape and color and it's incredible what can come up and like also the release and that validation too. And so, for my own, if I just have a minute even, and I just need to like, tap into, like where I'm at, sometimes just doing, what is a color that I'm pulled to right now, what is, what are the different shapes connected to my feelings right now? Also being able to draw the people in your life or maybe relationships that you're having or or family members, anything but as plants, and that also brings a little like yeah, where you can get so much understanding, but it's not like this literal person, right away.
Lucy Sherman: 44:24
So you're like, oh, yeah, I can create whatever imagery around this and see what comes up for me, so like, yeah, that can be really lovely. And then also for more resources and connecting with grounding, I love to just notice if there're feeling like, oh, I'm really, this is intense or overwhelmed what happens if you just really practice drawing very, very slow and Amy Maracle has some amazing resources on that and has a free Facebook group with really wonderful videos but all about like very slow, intentional shapes and drawings and so, yeah, I think it's just what. And for me and sessions and in my own life, there again is like no right or wrong, and so it's just like what comes up and, oh, what would happen if you created something connected to that? And that also creates space to just notice, even if it's like I don't know exactly, I have no idea what the shape is. But even that was time to pause, do something, ground or express and then share, which can just be so powerful when, yeah, we need a little time for ourselves.
April Snow: 45:56
Yeah, what a beautiful way to channel what you're feeling, and especially in relationships. Sometimes for me it's too edgy to really be so direct with who I'm feeling something about, but if I could change them into a plant or an image that feels like there's a lot of safety there, I could go to places that maybe I would feel too scared to go to. And just the playfulness of that and the permission to be imperfect. I'm just going to go to the art store after this and get some pens. I want April. This is it. There's so much possibility. You don't have to be an artist. You can just play and see what comes onto the page, and see what you feel inspired to do and line, shape, color. That seems so accessible.
Lucy Sherman: 46:51
Yeah, yeah and even if you are feeling like, oh, this perfectionist, like what happens if you close your eyes and do?
Lucy Sherman: 46:58
that Like still there's a release that can happen and like almost that, no matter what, this isn't going to be beautiful too. It just takes that perfectionism sense away too. So there's so many different ways to explore, but really just playing with it and it's all about the process, like what happens, like when it's, yeah, just really creating for the experience of creating and then bringing more of that into your life. It just creates all this other expansion of, yeah, what happens if I thought about this in a different way? What happens if I explore this in a different way?
April Snow: 47:36
What happens if I explore this in a different way. Yeah, it allows you to try on different ways of being and thinking and relating to yourself and your world. It's like a lot of just permission to be in the present and not worry about the outcome, and we really need to be able to experience that a sense of people. Yeah, it's so beautiful. If someone was maybe struggling to connect with their creativity in this way or tap into their imagination as a resource, was there a message that you could share with them of?
Lucy Sherman: 48:09
encouragement yeah, again, there isn't a right or wrong and then also just exploring, like what is a creative outlet that would feel most comfortable and safe for you to start with? So maybe drawing if you had an experience in the past where maybe you were told something like hard when you were younger, like maybe drawing isn't the thing that we start with, maybe we start with just looking at images in a magazine and cutting them out and then seeing what it feels like to put them out on paper or yeah or maybe writing or maybe knitting, but like what happens, which is like one of those things and then bringing that in more, or yeah, I think that kind of feeling of finding the thing that really works, like right now feels like the most low stakes.
Lucy Sherman: 49:00
That could be like arranging rocks in your backyard, like, yeah, it could just be really what feels supportive for you and then seeing from there, I think also for me having a setup that is just so like it's hard not to go towards it, so it's just something that is so easy to travel with. Like for me, an amazing tool in session and outside of session is just these twistable Crayola crayons that, like you can't break and they got all different colors, so it's vibrant, but it's just a crayon and you just do. Like what happens if you play with that? And it's so easy to grab and you don't have to sharpen them, or yeah, so the thing that you could just like I'm going to just spend two minutes on this today and see what happens if I just am in front of my page with a crayon or water, yeah, watercolor pen or whatever for two minutes and then where does?
April Snow: 49:58
it go? Yeah, just starting with what's available to you, what feels safe to you, yeah, and not needing to put pressure on yourself to do it for very long or to do it a certain way. I love it. It could be as simple as going into your yard arranging some rocks, or maybe something in your house, or maybe going to the craft store and buying some crowns. Yes, exactly.
Lucy Sherman: 50:25
How beautiful, yeah, yeah. Just playing with it, yeah.
April Snow: 50:30
I love that so much. Thank you so much for this. Yeah, I am excited to dive in. I'm excited for you. I hope folks are, I'm sure. I mean, you've given us so many avenues to come back to self and to explore these rich inner worlds that we have that sometimes feel really overwhelming and we don't know what to do with.
April Snow: 50:51
But this is a very tactile, I guess, exploratory way to do it, and there's so many avenues avenues I just love it so much. I'll be sure to share with folks. All of you have a lot of different resources your website, your Instagram, your podcast. I know you offer therapy intensives and consultation for other therapists, so if other therapists want to bring some of this in, you're available. The one thing I would love to hear more about from you before we end, though, is what are the therapy intensives? I know a lot of folks may not know what that means. If you could share just a little bit more about that.
Lucy Sherman: 51:26
Yeah, I'd love to. Yeah, so with therapy intensives if you just want to feel a little more relief, kind of faster, you know, sometimes therapy with every week or every other week for a certain shorter amount of time, especially highly sensitive we can feel like, oh, I just opened up and now it's closed. We're really getting to the sense of energy in the room and then we don't see each other and there's a whole lot of stuff that happens in a week. So, yeah, therapy intensives are usually we can start either two hours a day for three days a week, or it can be longer than that, depending on what feels supportive, and then it's for a very concentrated amount of time usually.
Lucy Sherman: 52:10
And this can be really lovely for folks who are just like I, really want to have this intentional time for my healing and then also not be in therapy for years and years too, and so, a way, it just can be amazing what can happen when you have like, oh, I'm seeing my.
Lucy Sherman: 52:27
You know we're going to work together the next day. So whatever is brought up we have tomorrow, and there doesn't have to be as much of this like containing and are we OK to really open this up or do you have the resources. It's just like tomorrow we're just gonna come right back here and not much has happened since we can explore, yeah, and so being able to. Sometimes it's like someone is wanting to feel different for this new life chapter. So if they're going to be moving soon or they are getting a new job experience or anything like that, there can be that, or also like a lot of just I'm really finally ready to dedicate to my healing and really feel different, ready to dedicate to my healing and really feel different, and I want to do it now instead of little by little and so, yeah, so it's just a different like more concentrated work, usually multiple days, or, yeah, concentrated time, and that can be, yeah, more like complex trauma.
Lucy Sherman: 53:34
It can be, yeah, like more, just like a very specific like I had this experience that was really hard and really overwhelming recently, or, yeah, that just keeps coming up and exploring and so just knowing you have this container, and with that too, like I love just how, with the spaciousness, there's so much chance for creativity too.
April Snow: 53:56
So just being able to like wherever it feels right to go as far as how you want to explore and express and like, build that trust and comfort together and all of that is just right there and that, yeah, a certain amount of time and yeah, yeah, so beautiful to have that space to be able to deep dive, like we often want to do a sense of people and to have also to have the room in the session to have things like creative process come through, not feel rushed like, oh, we only have 50 minutes, I have to hurry up and get through this. And how many times have we experienced that in our lives as hsps where we're rushed through our feelings?
April Snow: 54:35
yes but this you get to savor and linger and know there's support right around the corner again. So the process keeps moving. Yeah, yeah, wonderful. Is that something you offered just in Portland, or do you offer it online for folks in Oregon or who can reach out to you for those?
Lucy Sherman: 54:54
Yeah, so right now it's yeah, just in person, in person in Portland, oregon, but there is a chance of yeah just down the line, a little bit more online. So folks still are welcome to reach out and and it can also be lovely, yeah, even if it's like, oh, I don't have necessarily like one trauma, but it's more I really want to feel just more connected to myself, regulated, grounded, creative, all of that, like that can be really lovely too with them. So, yeah, so mostly just in person right now, but potential down the line.
April Snow: 55:30
And I imagine your therapist consultations are for anywhere. Or, yes, beautiful, anywhere. Yes, so yeah, lovely. Yes, for anywhere. Or, yes, yeah, beautiful, so yeah, lovely. Yeah, so many ways for folks to work with you, to connect with you, whether it's on instagram or through your podcast or the other resources that you offer, and then for a few special folks to get to work with you in person, lovely yeah, and with the comes much oh it's been just a joy. Yeah, do you want to mention about your consultation?
Lucy Sherman: 56:01
yeah, so just with consultation, like similar to what I did with my own, like card pool. That's just a way to also explore your own practice and experience and everything as a therapist so we explore through creativity and cards and really make. I love just the making sensitive systems that work really well for you, whether it's changing your schedule and to really work for you, or having your own little rituals and between sessions or just a whole, yeah, new, creative way of doing something. It's just a joy to do that.
April Snow: 56:35
I love, love that. Yeah, we really need that a sense of therapists having those supports so we can bring ourselves into our work and make sure we have some space too and things work for us long-term, so important. Yeah, well, lucy, thank you again. This is such a lovely conversation.
Lucy Sherman: 56:54
I loved it. Yes so wonderful.
April Snow: 56:58
Yes, thank you, and I'll be sure to share all of those resources that you mentioned in the show notes for folks they can dive into, they can reach out to you. Thanks so much for joining me and Lucy for today's conversation. I hope you'll feel inspired to bring more creative supports into your self-care practice and to help you get started. Listen to Lucy's podcast Therapy Magic Podcast to learn more about using creative tools in your unique healing work. And if you're a therapist seeking consultation around creativity or wanting to work with Lucy as a therapy client in Portland Oregon, check out the show notes for more information. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the Sensitive Stories podcast so you don't miss our upcoming conversations. Reviews and ratings are also helpful and appreciated For behind-the-scenes content and more HSP resources. You can sign up for my email list or follow Sensitive Strengths on Instagram, tiktok and YouTube. Check out the show notes or sensitivestoriescom for all the resources from today's episode. Thanks for listening.
