A Personal Story
"Drowning in Sorrow"
By Sinthia Cousineau
I grew up in a family affected by cancer, in my case my father was diagnosed with chronic-myeloid leukemia, when I was 10 years old. It turned my life upside-down. A part of my childhood was gone and I had to become emotionally more mature then my peers, Cancer has had a serious impact on my life and family.
We were no longer able to enjoy life as we once did. We used to go skiing as a family every winter, but we stopped. We used to go on many road trips and now traveling is near-impossible. We attended less social and family gatherings. Cancer has a way of isolating it's victims. It can also create tension between family members, and that is exactly what happened to mine. For me the hardest part was growing up with the grief and depression, the sorrow associated with watching someone close to me suffer. As a child I had to deal with the idea of "death", and realizing that being mortal I too was not immune to it. The fear of death consumed my mind. It haunted my thoughts. I was always fearing for my fathers life. As a teenager I too suffered from depression, for growing up with death, isolation, and pain takes a toll on you.
I began to fear that one day I too will get cancer, a fear I still hold in me today. Fortunately my family stayed strong, even though my father continues to fight the illness. In a way cancer has isolated us from the world, it has however made the bond stronger in our family. I now cherish every single moment with my family, and every positive thing life has to offer. I hold on to all the memories, and try to preserve each good moment.
I painted this self-portrait of myself, drowning in the sorry of illness and death. This analogous painting uses a green palette for green is often the color associated with sickness and pollution, and what is sickness but the pollution of the body. It reflects the sorrow I have always felt and continue to feel when dealing with such emotional pain. Green can also symbolize life, and in this case it refers to dying life. For that is what my experience with cancer was, a poison that gradually sucks the life out of its victims.
Painting this was therapeutic to me for I come off as a cheerful person to those who do not know me, often hiding the pain deep inside me. I was taught to smile even when I did not feel like smiling, for it help bring joy and comfort to those around me. Here I show the pain, the sorrow, the grief....it allows me to express what I am unable to express in person. In fact I find it difficult to create a self-portrait of myself without tears in my eyes. For the sadness I endured has been around so long it now has become part of me.
Art has proven to be the only comfort at times, when dealing with depression, illness, and any struggles in my life. The ability to express myself through the creation of art works was a lifesaver. I now wish to help others heal from their own psychological and emotional struggles in the same way that art has and continues to heal me.
Would like to learn more about leukemia?
Visit my father's website: http://www.cmleukemia.com/
My Presentation
| art_therapy___leukemia.pptx |
Art Therapy for Leukemia and Other Cancers
By Sinthia Cousineau
Being inflicted by illness is a terrible burden on any person, as well as their families. This especially applies to life threatening illnesses such as leukemia and other types of cancers. Leukemia is recognized as one of the deadliest and most feared of cancers because it affects not just one part of the body but travels throughout the body by the blood cells. Blood cancers like chronic myeloid leukemia are mainly known as cancer that affects the white blood cells and is characterized by the unregulated growth of the predominantly myeloid cells in the bone marrow (Cotton, 2013). Art therapy is considered a complementary therapy for patients suffering from such cancers, and aids in controlling a patient’s symptoms and contributes to improving their overall well-being (Nainis, 2008). Art is one of the best methods in allowing patients to express their inner feelings and fears regarding their illness.
This page focuses on how art therapy activities could have a positive impact on the lives of individuals who suffer from leukemia or other types of cancers, as well as how it can be beneficial to their families. Consequently the following topics will be covered throughout this paper: the patient’s experience with cancer and art therapy, how art can help their families cope with the issue, and lastly some suggestions by art therapists on how to make the art making activity as beneficial as possible to the patient. Few studies have been conducted on the benefits of art therapy in treating patients with chronic illnesses, but the majority of studies that were conducted proved a positive correlation between art therapy and a cancers patient physical and emotional wellbeing (Reynolds,2003).
This topic was chosen because in today’s world, there is rarely a person alive who does not know someone who is affected by cancer. In my case, I have chosen to write this paper because for the past ten years my father has been battling cancer, when I was about thirteen years old he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. Cancer has greatly affected my family throughout the years, and it continues to be a daily battle. For the past few years art has been perhaps the only thing that has kept be sane. It is very difficult to watch a loved one suffer from a chronic illness. I often felt helpless to help, and that I had no control over it. I have felt too afraid to express my own feelings towards cancer, for I did not want to project my fears onto my family. It was through art that I was unconsciously able to express these fears and the thoughts that have haunted my mind since the diagnosis of my father.
For the patient life with a chronic illness is very difficult. They face multiple challenges in all aspects of life. For instance due to their weak immunity and poor health children who suffer from cancer fall behind in school while adults with cancer miss out on work. These individual also miss out on a lot of social opportunities and milestones in life. Having cancer can be considered a struggle for survival where the patient fights for their life but in the meantime they barely get to enjoy what it has to offer. Living with someone affected by cancer can trigger depression as well, which tends to affect the entire family.
It is crucial to consider the patients symptoms when conducting art therapy activities. Patients who suffer from cancer typically experience the following unpleasant symptoms: pain, fatigue, breathlessness, insomnia, lack of appetite and anxiety (Nainis, 2008). According to Teufel (1995), children who suffer from the terminal stages of a life-threatening illness such has leukemia have special emotional needs, that cannot be met by the people they are closest too. This is where art therapy comes in, by allowing these children to express symbolically what they will not or cannot express verbally.
According to Haltiwanger (2011), receiving a cancer diagnosis can disrupt a person’s life to the very core causing the individual great anxiety involving fears of an uncertain future or an early death. Fears often are centered on losing control, independence, jobs and relationships. One key role of art therapy is to help restore the balance between all aspects of a client’s life.
Teufel (1995) describes the case study of a nine year old girl named Margaret who suffered from Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of blood cancer typically seen only in children and young adults. Typical symptoms would include fatigue, excessive bruising, anemia, general malaise and weight loss. Margaret like many children with chronic illnesses would often deny her own fears regarding her illnesses because she sensed her family’s fears regarding her health. Due to this she would keep her feelings and fears regarding her illness hidden away inside her.
For treating chronic illnesses such as cancer medications can be administered to patients orally or intravenously but these drugs then to have negative side effects on the patient. They can trigger mood swings, and weight gain. Other side effects may include hair loss, bone marrow depression and gastrointestinal disturbances. Patients would have to endure these side effects for many months. Art therapy can be considered a type of medication, one that mostly helps the mind and has no major negative side effects (Cotton, 1985).
According to Nainis (2008), art therapy does have a positive impact on cancer patients for it can help these patients by reinforcing positive coping behaviour; it increases their self-esteem as well as their sense of control. Cancer patients often feel that they do not have control of their illness, but art allows them to control what they can create and how they can express their feelings about their illness. She also states that art therapy can also have the following benefits on cancer patients: it strengthens their self-identity, promotes spiritual and emotional well-being, decreases anxiety, helps them express their fears and encourages patients to discuss their problems. An explanation for why art seems to greatly contribute to the patient’s wellbeing is due to the fact that through art making the patient reduces their stress about their illness since art is a distraction from their pain (Nainis, 2008). Thus art offers a suitable distraction that allows patients to emerge themselves in a creative world where they can express themselves.
Back to the case of Margaret, the nine year old girl suffering from leukemia. She would keep her feelings and fears inside her to avoid causing her family more stress. Art therapy can be very important to children like Margaret who can use art to aid them in symbolically expressing hidden emotions and family issues (Teufel, 1995). It was through art making that Margaret would communicate her feelings of vulnerability and concerns for her family. She expressed how she was often faced with the difficult reminder that neither she nor her family had any control on her life. That it was her illness that had complete control of her (Teufel, 1995). This is why it is important for art therapists to try to give patients a sense of control over their lives and illness. In the case of Margaret the art therapist gave her complete power in choosing her materials, and she ended up picked a box and some tissue paper. She created a box that symbolized quiet and gloomy self. She placed a pouch inside the box that symbolized the dark and hurtful feelings she would hide from others. The pouch was left open which itself symbolized that she was inviting the art therapist to share her feelings and support her (Teufel, 1995). Art therapy can be used to help support a child through the various stages of their illness and helps foster a sense of self, and when words can be too difficult to express their feelings a child can benefit from art to communicate their fears. “Art is self-expressive and enhances the experience of control, which may be particularly valued by those whose health appear to be out of control” (Reynolds, 2003, p.394).
When a loved one is battling cancer, it can also have a tremendous impact on their families. Cancer can affect a family’s finances as medical pills can be very expensive, it also challenges a family’s relationship as it gives the patient no energy for a normal social or work life. Depression is very common for those who suffer from cancer, and this can also affect those closest to the patient.
Zahr (1994) describes the impact that chronic illness can have on families. She states that “chronically ill children can impose a heavy burden on their families” (Zahr, 1994, p. 394). This burden is associated to the anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem that parents of chronically ill children experience. These parents tend to become socially isolated, suffer marital stress and experience disrupted family relationships. Her article focuses mainly on how parents of chronically ill children tend to view their children as temperamentally more difficult than healthy children. It is highly probable that when a child suffering from cancer acts out it is related to the illness itself. In her study Zahr (1994) concluded that children with leukemia were perceived by their mothers to be more difficult, irregular, and persistent as well as less adaptable than healthy children (Zahr, 1994).
Cotton (1985) describes a case study of a six year old girl named Sabrina who was diagnosed with leukemia. This study was conducted over a period of six weeks, were Sabrina was encouraged by her art therapist to draw anything she wished. She was given power to pick any material and theme she wise, thus her art therapist helped foster a sense of self control in her. Her mother would often attend her daughter’s art therapy sessions since they were very close. For Sabrina’s mother, life was difficult as she would spend countless hours of her day in hospital rooms. Cotton (1985) observed that Sabrina’s mother would often be friendly to the people who worked with her daughter but on many occasions she would also appear angry and depressed. In this particular case it was very difficult for Sabrina’s parents to interact with medical staff since they had chosen to never tell their daughter that she may die. This is a good example of one of the many struggles family members would face. Sometimes people choose to not discuss death with the patient or other relatives, thus they keep their feelings bottled up inside of them which can sometimes cause aggressive or negative behaviour. It is trough art that patients can express their fears about death, and communicate that fear with those closest to them.
Cancer patients like Sabrina would use art to communicate their pain. In Sabrina’s case when she was not feeling well she would communicate that pain by drawing dark clouds, tightened figures and downturned mouths. One interesting observation when looking at art works of cancer patients is the use of color. Many choose to use red and black. According to Cotton (1985) drawing red and black, boats on a stormy sea, black windows or bodies blurred in white, and snakes as some of the many examples of things typical seen in the art of cancer patients. One explanation is that these themes symbolize how the white blood cells have taken power over the victim.
When working with cancer affected patients, art therapists are dealing with individuals who do not feel physically and emotionally well, thus they need to carefully consider different ways of making these patients feel comfortable in their environment when participating in art activities.
Former director of the expressive arts therapies at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Nancy Nainis suggests several ways of making art therapy as beneficial to the cancer patient as possible. Her first suggestion was to consider the patients immunity. Due to their illness cancer patients have low immunity and can be very vulnerable to the most minor of infections. That is why art therapist should ensure that all their supplies are decontaminated. She also suggests that only the necessary materials be brought into the patient’s room, and to leave the remainder of the art cart outside the patient’s room. Her second suggestion is to use odorless materials, because cancer patients are very sensitive to smells which can trigger nausea or headaches. Therefore it is important to avoid using perfumes, strong smelling cosmetics or aromatic cleansers. The third suggestion is to avoid interruptions during the art therapy session. She suggests discussing it ahead of time with the medical staff. Her final suggestion is to keep the activity as consistent as possible and to allow patients the choice of choosing their material to help foster a sense of self-control (Nainis, 2008).
Cotton (2013), mentions that an important part of being an art therapist is to understand the disease as well as the treatment protocol, when working with leukemia patients. As well as to understand that because of the nature of the disease it is highly likely that some medical would have to be administered to the patient during the art therapy session.
As a response to this topic I have created multiple artworks. Most of my artworks feature skulls and tears. The skulls symbolize death, which is the fear of anyone affected by cancer. The tears represent the sorrow and pain a chronic illness like cancer can have on a person. Both of these elements are featured in my painting titled “drowning in sorrow”. I painted a self-portrait of myself drowning surrounded by skulls. I used colors that have a poison-like feeling to them, for to me cancer is the poisons of life.
To conclude, cancer has always been a terrible burden to bare for both its victim and their family. Haltiwanger states that ‘’cancer can unearth the deepest fears in people, making it one of the most difficult experiences a person can face’’ (Haltiwanger, 2011, p.66). Since the 1900s occupational therapists would use arts and crafts to treat the medically ill, often with successful results. Creative media provides patients with an alternative method of expression to unleash their hidden feelings and thoughts (Haltiwanger, 2011). Slayton (2011), states that out of the few studies that have been performed, art therapy does appear to be successful but it is no more effective than the standard therapy. It does however greatly aid the patient by providing them a distraction from the pain of their illness and also allowing them the opportunity to express what would otherwise be very difficult to communicate verbally. Art therapy has been beneficial to those who suffer from chronic illnesses such as leukemia, by helping restore a sense of control over one’s life and allows them to express the fears they would otherwise keep hidden away inside of them.
References
Cotton, M. (1985). Creative art expression from a Leukemic child, Art therapy: journal of the ……American art therapy association, 2(2), 55-65.
Haltiwanger, E., Rojo, R. & Funk, K. (2011). Living with Cancer: Impact of the Expressive Arts, …….Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 27(1), 65-86.
Nainis, N. (2008). Approaches to Art Therapy for Cancer Inpatients: Research and …….Practice Considerations. Art therapy: journal of the American art therapy association,25(3), 115-121.
Reynolds, F. (2003). Conversations about creativity and chronic illness I: Textile artists coping …….with long-term health problems reflect on the origins of their interest in art. Creativity …….research journal, 15(4), 393-407.
Slayton, S. D’Archer, J.& Kaplan, F. (2010). Outcome studies on the efficacy of art therapy: a …….review of findings. Art therapy: journal of the American art therapy association, 27 (3),108-118.
Teufel, E. (1995). Terminal stage Leukemia: integrating art therapy and family process. Art …….therapy: journal of the American art therapy association, 12 (1), 51-55.
Zahr, L., Khoury, M. & Saoud, N. (1994). Chronic illness in Lebanese preschoolers: impact of …….illness and child temperament on the family. American orthopsychiatric association, 64 (3), 396-402.
Haltiwanger, E., Rojo, R. & Funk, K. (2011). Living with Cancer: Impact of the Expressive Arts, …….Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 27(1), 65-86.
Nainis, N. (2008). Approaches to Art Therapy for Cancer Inpatients: Research and …….Practice Considerations. Art therapy: journal of the American art therapy association,25(3), 115-121.
Reynolds, F. (2003). Conversations about creativity and chronic illness I: Textile artists coping …….with long-term health problems reflect on the origins of their interest in art. Creativity …….research journal, 15(4), 393-407.
Slayton, S. D’Archer, J.& Kaplan, F. (2010). Outcome studies on the efficacy of art therapy: a …….review of findings. Art therapy: journal of the American art therapy association, 27 (3),108-118.
Teufel, E. (1995). Terminal stage Leukemia: integrating art therapy and family process. Art …….therapy: journal of the American art therapy association, 12 (1), 51-55.
Zahr, L., Khoury, M. & Saoud, N. (1994). Chronic illness in Lebanese preschoolers: impact of …….illness and child temperament on the family. American orthopsychiatric association, 64 (3), 396-402.