Media Process: Sewing / Story Cloths
Population: Adolescents
Disorder: Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders
For this process, I decided to try to create my own story cloth. Pulling from the description of story cloths by Leone (2020), I decided to use only fabrics that I had on hand, mostly consisting of scrap fabrics from past projects and old clothing. I appreciated that I was able to engage in a process that reclaimed past materials. I anticipated the experience being very sensory but I found that before I could access the sensory qualities of the work, I had to place a lot of cognitive thought in planning and preparation, especially when conceptualizing the scene and identifying the steps that I would need to take to complete it. Once I had that figured out, I found the process to be very relaxing. I was able to zone out into the rhythmic stitching, with the sound of the thread pulling between the fabric acting as my own personal mantra. I created an image of a memory, and found my attachment to the piece become more and more heightened as it began to come together. Something that I appreciated the most about this process was the ability to pick it up and place it back down. Time was a theme that I noticed very strongly throughout the process.
Leone explains how “working with fabric has a way of making it safe to approach difficult topics," (2020). I imagined working with adolescents who have trauma-and stressor-related disorders. I was reminded of narrative approaches to working with individuals and trauma and appreciated the way that the creation of a story cloth mimics that process. Appleton (2001) describes the use of trauma stages when working with adolescents, as being: I, Impact - creating continuity; II, Retreat - building therapeutic alliance, III, Acknowledgement - overcoming social stigma and isolation through mastery; and IV, Reconstruction - fostering meaning. I can envision the process of engaging in a long-term story cloth construction to align with that structure. There can be time to engage in exploring fabric, in learning new techniques, and in working together. The trauma narrative can begin to be named by the conceptualization of the imagery, but can still be held at a distance by determining what and when components will be added, and there is always the chance to put the image down and revisit, all while being soothed by the repetitive process of sewing and stitching.
Appleton, V. (2001) Avenues of Hope: Art Therapy and the Resolution of Trauma, Art Therapy, 18:1, 6-13, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2001.10129454
Leone, L. (Ed.). (2020). Craft in Art Therapy: Diverse Approaches to the Transformative Power of Craft Materials and Methods. Routledge.