Have you ever been told to “look for the silver lining” in a hard time, only to feel like the advice was distant, cold, or out of reach? For artist Ashley Joan, the silver lining never felt like enough. It implied waiting for the storm to pass before finding anything worth holding onto.

We often think we’ve outgrown the boxes we were placed in, only to realize we’ve built new ones, sometimes tighter, sometimes harder to see. These boxes can look like outdated roles, limiting beliefs, or patterns we keep repeating. They can keep us from exploring parts of ourselves that are already there, waiting to be accessed, nurtured, and celebrated. This reflection isn’t just about stepping outside the box. It’s about looking inside the box too, seeing what we’ve forgotten, what we’ve buried, and what deserves to be reclaimed. It’s about realizing the box itself is a narrative, and like any story, it can be rewritten.

This is why we created A Place to Be Seen, a living art installation in our office anchored by a guiding poem. It invites everyone who steps inside to pause, reflect, and choose a small mirror to place on the wall. It’s not about labels or boxes. It’s about remembering yourself, every messy, bright, shadowed, still-changing part. The mirrors remind us that how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we choose to show up all matter. Some days we glow alone. Some days we glow alongside others. It’s all part of being fully human.

“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”

Winston Churchill

I haven’t missed many days with Explore IT, but I haven’t been consistent either. Some days I had to set it aside. Other days I tried, really tried, but the hoop kept falling. Literally and metaphorically. The image didn’t land, or the moment passed too quickly. It wasn’t always the right setting, or the right light, or the right feeling.

But here’s what I held on to: this project has never been about perfection. It’s about presence. About returning. About building psychological flexibility. Not just for clients, but for myself.

There’s a distinct energy when something begins. Explore IT 3 has launched with that energy in full bloom...literally. With new and returning participants diving in, the collective creative pulse is vibrant and strong. Each day has already offered quiet moments of awe, insight, and connection. This season, it’s not just about what we’re seeing outside,it’s about what we’re uncovering within ourselves.

Explore It 3 is a 30-day creative mindfulness project that invites participants to explore their environment, emotions, and imagination through art, movement, photography, writing, or simple observation. Whether you're a seasoned creative or trying something new, this practice encourages deep presence and reflection.

What if something forgotten in your garage could change how you see the world?

That’s what happened to me. A weathered wooden ring, once part of a large drum, sat tucked away for years. To most, it was just scrap wood. To me, it was a treasure waiting for its moment. That moment arrived when I launched Explore It—a project born not just from creativity, but from a deep craving for structure, accountability, and inspiration.

There’s something special about birthdays. They mark time, growth, and transformation—moments to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going. This year, I, Dina Palma, am celebrating not just my own birthday but also the fifth birthday of START Creative Arts Therapy. Five years ago, I took a leap—one that required me to rewrite the story I had been telling myself for far too long.

PS I Love You Day, held every year on the second Friday of February, is more than just a day to wear purple. It is a movement—one that encourages kindness, connection, and mental health awareness. It started in West Islip, New York, in 2010 after a family lost their loved one to suicide. In response, they created a day to remind people that they are loved, valued, and never truly alone.

Over the years, PS I Love You Day has grown into a nationwide event, with schools, businesses, and communities participating by spreading awareness, initiating conversations about mental health, and fostering environments where people feel safe to share their struggles.

Today, we are sharing two tales from two tables that reflect the things that social media is not able to capture: the hurt that comes with the season and the hearts that hold it.

Trauma can shatter lives, disrupt the very core of who we are, and fill our existence with secrets, pain, and turmoil. It's a journey that transforms us, often in ways we least expect.

In this blog post, I explore the mental health benefits of immersing ourselves in nature, discuss how a reading experience I had connects nature with creating, and share ten art therapy exercises incorporating nature.

Recently, I had to Surrender. When it comes to Surrender, it can be challenging to say, “I fought hard for and advocated to the best of my ability and now it’s time to let go”.

September is a month of anxiety. New school. New teachers. New subjects. New schedule. New classmates. New routines to be established. Separation from our families. Learning how our homes function compared to other kids’. Socializing after so many months of being isolated and communicating through screens. Missing our families. Being exposed to different personalities.

Many years ago my mentor said something that has resonated with me throughout my personal and professional life: “You cannot ask someone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself.”

I define this month's theme as the achievement of self-actualized freedom. I see authenticity as living in (and maintaining) a state of acceptance and self-worth despite controversial forces. It is a spiritual liberation dependent upon no other deity but the one that resides in my own soul.

Research has revealed that 80% of us will retrace known paths and avoid opportunities that invite unknowns, while 20% of us will take a new path and explore our sense of adventure accepting invitations of the unknown and possible. 

Grace does not mean to be perfectly carved out of smooth marble. Nor does it mean to successfully hide any pain, displeasure or discomfort from everyone else. Grace does not mean a trifecta of elegance, beauty and happiness. When I think of “grace” many other types of images now come to mind…

Without our stories, who are we? Our internal worlds, where our "narrative identity" lives, can get messy. Our narrative identity is the inner story that helps us navigate our external worlds. It is the myth, the legend, the tale we construct that informs who we think we are and what our purpose is.

In anticipation of the upcoming reception, I spoke with several artists. I asked, “what kind of communication or ‘permission’ was verbalized throughout your process as you handed off the canvas to the next person?”