Nina Ross, PhD

A client shared with me recently that she has been afraid to paint, although she has hungered for it, for a long time. So, one night, in an art therapy group at my studio, this person choose very large paper, and oil sticks. She went for it, filling the paper with vibrant strokes and saturated colors. Today, she told me that she has the painting hanging in her house, and that she loves looking at it. "The painting is big, it takes up space, it announces it’s presence." "This sounds like a description of how you feel about yourself lately, I say to her." Yes, in fact, it is for her. For someone who has struggled with an eating disorder for many years, it is no small feat to allow herself to be visible, to take up space, and to matter. Now, through her love for painting, and her willingness to act, she has the courage to move forward into her long held passion.