Social Anxiety Awareness Workshop Recap
Speakers: Nadin Said, Rawan Ita-Diaz, Chloe Canton, Marina Braff, Nathan Faraj
Workshop Prompt: Rawan Ita-Diaz : Art Doodle -Geometric and Organic Focus: Organic
Emotional learning is a lifelong process, some of our responses to social situations are givens due to experience or genetic endowment. Our emotional brain is formed throughout our lives. We can all understand the innate feeling of being nervous or clamming up when meeting someone new and the discomfort that can occur in a social situation but for those with social anxiety, the fears and distress that accompany these feelings can be difficult to navigate. The feelings of self-consciousness and intense fear of judgment or discomfort can also manifest into physical symptoms, making it more difficult to control. It is helpful to have an outlet to pour into that can help with the focus on “the anxious self” so instead of the constant ruminations you may experience, you can channel your mindset towards a healthier state by expressing your emotions creatively. The mastery of or engagement in a craft that is spurred on by the rewards of introspective reflection can lead us to gain an understanding of ourselves while reducing anxiety.
The theory behind the use of artistic therapeutic expression suggests the use of art, drawing, painting, writing, sculpting, or otherwise can alleviate negative feelings associated with anxiety while also helping to form alliances and strengthen bonds between ourselves and others experiencing the same which aligns with The Art Spread’s mission on building a supportive community for everyone experiencing mental, physical, and societal challenges. The Art Spread holds events and workshops that can help bring their community together covering a wide range of topics and creative team-building events.
During this Art-&-Adversity Awareness Workshop, focusing on Social Anxiety, Nadin and Rawan pay a welcome back to the audience with topics covering current events in media while recognizing many are returning to school and office spaces. College student and Guest Speaker, Nathan Faraj, covers the social anxiety that has affected many students after the pandemic and sheds light on how the educational system can and should provide support to students and faculty experiencing social anxiety.
“We are hardly ever sick at home, and don’t know what to do when it comes….”
– Emily Dickinson to Abiah Root, May 7 and 17, 1850 (L36)
Dickinson began isolating herself from the world and retreating into her room where she immersed herself in her literary work. Of her estimated 1,800 poems, less than a dozen were ever published when Dickinson was alive. Her lyric poetry spoke of emotional and psychological states such as loneliness, suffering, happiness, death, morality, loss, and love. Dickinson retreated into a life of solitude but in her work, she was free to be candid and emotional. Her words move us as we see the message of truth in them. Artistic expression can serve as a repository for our “truths” and “emotions” and can serve as a therapeutic medium, one that helps us recover hope, dignifies our suffering and nurtures our wonder, and allows us to be free, rather than leaving us alone in our darker moods and emotions, it can shine a light for us to release them.
Resident Therapist and Clinical Director for Villages of California, Marina Braff, discusses a contemporary social art event “Paint and Pour” and touches on the importance of creative outlets for social anxiety and recognizes this as a form of self-care while introducing us to our next speaker, Chloe Canton Associate Professional Clinical Counselor. Chloe provides valuable insight into the topic of discussion covering the general definition of anxiety to provide a baseline for participants and shares valuable tips on how to manage symptoms brought on by social anxiety.
Below is a listing of valuable resources for those either experiencing or interested in learning more about social anxiety:
National Social Anxiety Center: https://nationalsocialanxietycenter.com
Anxiety & Depression Association of America: https://adaa.org
Social Anxiety Support Forum: https://www.socialanxietysupport.com
Andrew Kukes Foundation for Social Anxiety: https://akfsa.org
For anyone suffering and in search of clinical support, please contact Chloe Canton | AMFT #134778, APCC #12276 | chloecanton.mft@gmail.com
Written by: Natasha Navarra
