Art Therapy Podcast

Looking in the Mirror: Practicing Self-Love Through Awareness In this episode, the mirror becomes more than reflection, it becomes encounter. A simple exercise, looking at yourself and offering a smile, reveals how unfamiliar it can feel to truly meet your own gaze with presence and care. Through this quiet and artistic practice, we explore the tension between self criticism and recognition, and w...

In THE ART OF SELF, we turn the gaze inward toward self-love, vulnerability, and appreciation. So often, we care deeply for others, hold space, listen, and give, while quietly placing ourselves last. This episode invites to question what becomes possible when that same tenderness is finally offered to the self. Rooted in the understanding of Brene Brown that “vulnerability is not weakness, it’s ou...

In BEYOND ART, we examine community art practices through the lens of contemporary art, questioning how participatory and socially engaged projects diverge from conventional exhibition formats.  Drawing on examples such as the work of Delcy Morelos, we discuss artistic practices that foreground materiality, sensory perception, and ecological awareness. Her work opens up a dialogue around reconnect...

In VIRTUE HOLDS THE SHAPE, we continue our exploration of attachment, turning our attention to the subtle, often unseen forces that shape us in relation to others. Our conversation is anchored in Arthur Schopenhauer’s quote: “What warmth is to wax, politeness is to human nature.” We stay with this metaphor as a lens on influence and responsiveness. How do the small gestures of social interaction m...

In BRAVING THE STRINGS, we enter a contemplative dialogue on attachment—its origins, its quiet power, and the courage required to loosen its hold. We draw on John Bowlby’s attachment theory, our own lived experiences, and philosophical resonances from Irvin D. Yalom’s The Schopenhauer Cure:  "A person of high, rare mental gifts who is forced into a job which is merely useful is like a valuabl...

Her ART THERAPY Podcast is an uplifting space for vulnerability, reflection, and honest conversation. Hosted by Visual Artist, International Educator, and SAFESPACES.ART Founder Valentine Svihalek, alongside Mindful Art Guide, Environment, Health & Safety Consultant & Art Therapy Trainee Rebecca Brandmeier, the podcast explores emotional wellbeing through art from a place of learning, curi...