91香蕉视频成人在线

The language written into Michelle Harris鈥� bold paintings is unfamiliar. So is the name of the Native American tribe in central California from which she descends. But the power of her attachment, the strength of her connection and the emotional tug of her Coast Miwok people are clear. She鈥檚 a member. She belongs. She yearns for closeness to this ancient story.

鈥淚鈥檓 unpacking my history,鈥� says this Core Faculty member in Expressive Arts Therapy in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department at 91香蕉视频成人在线. She describes her art as 鈥渋ntergenerational trauma processing. I鈥檓 crying as I鈥檓 painting,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t connects me to a brutally intense process.鈥�

Harris exhibited seven of her paintings in the atrium of the College, part of her presentation for an Expressive Arts Therapy Conference. She explains her work as 鈥渢rying to highlight symbol formation where words will not suffice. 鈥�

Harris鈥� grandmother died when she was five and her father chose not to ever talk about the part of him that was Native American. Harris is the first woman in her family to be a college graduate, first in her family to be a professor. She says there are multiple layers of family trauma that go back five generations. From the original tribal members, only 13 people survived.

According to Harris, 鈥淧ainting is a spiritual practice,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or half of my life, painting has opened important avenues for me鈥攃onnecting, truth seeking, it鈥檚 very visceral. It鈥檚 me coming alive. It鈥檚 who I am.鈥� Koyanni, which means singing in her native language, enables Harris to feel the texture and rhythms of her people. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like regrowing an old soul,鈥� she says.

As a teacher, Harris is careful to remind her students that they must create safe, secure places for their field placement clients. They have to always be aware of clients鈥� vulnerabilities and allow their searches to be carefully paced, strength based explorations.

鈥淚 have to paint to be spiritually alive,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 who I am. I love to teach. I love the creative process. I love collaborating. This is a beautiful thing to be part of.鈥�

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