Page 24 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 6

about the memories and the pains evoked by
the works. In such situations I listen. I’ve expe-
rienced healing from my own childhood trau-
mas, so I can accompany someone else who is
walking the same paths.
– When I was working with clients as part of
my training in therapeutic counselling and
when we were dealing with the client’s problem,
something visual often sprang to my mind.
I’ve noticed that pictures help us find and use
words. I got to help a lady I here call Riitta in
making a “life-line tree”. She said she liked trees,
and it occurred to me that she could make her
life line in a form of a tree, from the roots to the
branches and through the top back to the roots.
Riitta got excited about the idea, gathered ma-
terial from old magazines and painted. At the
same time she told me about her life. I listened
to her while at the same time praying to God for
guidance, and encouraged her. This was rewar-
ding to both of us. At the end we framed the
picture that Riitta had created.
Hut of Friendship, 1998, drawing
As for the life-line works named The Colours of Ystävyyden maja, 1998, piirustus
My Life, we created them with hand-made pa-
per in a group activity in which Anne and Seija
took part. They told how this journey had been, herättämistä muistoista ja kivuista. Silloin ku-
in a very holistic way, a valuable and encoura- untelen. Kun olen saanut kokea eheytymistä
ging experience. With thankful hearts we put omista lapsuuden traumoista, voin olla rinnalla
their collages into a white showcase frame. kulkijana jollekin toiselle, joka kulkee samoja
polkuja.
A work of art can function as a seed for someo-
ne else’s creativity. Ritva Kosonen’s works have - Kun tein sielunhoitoterapiakoulutukseen ku-
inspired many poems, texts, sermons, and Bible uluvaa asiakastyötä, usein asiakkaan ongelman
studies. äärellä mieleeni nousi
Her work Hut of Friend- jotain kuvallista. Huo-
ship gave rise to the idea maan, että kuva auttaa
of building a large hut, löytämään ja käyttämään
into which one could sanoja. ”Riittaa” sain olla
climb with a real ladder. tukemassa ”Elämänk-
The idea was carried out aaripuun” tekemisessä.
in three different places! Hän sanoi pitävänsä pui-
– I myself have received sta. Sain ajatuksen, että
such seeds for examp- hän voisi tehdä elämän-
le through someone’s kaarensa puun muotoon,
speech. A single word juurista oksiin ja latvan
may come up, as though kautta takaisin juuriin.
a gift, and become alive. Riitta innostui, repi lehdi-
The word “suitcase” led Every moment, 1998, drawing stä materiaalia ja maalasi.
me to a path where I got to Joka hetki, 1998, piirustus Samalla hän kertoi elämä-

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