Art Therapy Podcast

Looking in the Mirror: Practicing Self-Love Through AwarenessIn 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 what begins to shift when we stay with ourselves a little longer and look deeply into our eyes?Inspired by Dr. Giulia Enders (based on an interview in the German Podcast Hotel Matze), we reflect on how easily we care for others, but how difficult it can be to give that same love and respect to ourselves. This episode is an invitation to turn inward with the same compassion. Pause, breathe and cultivate small rituals of selflove, including the grounding power of a personal mantra.A moment of awareness. A subtle act of kindness. A practice of seeing yourself fully.With care,Valentine & RebeccaPhoto credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025Music credit Andy GallerySupport the show

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 our greatest measure of courage,” we explore how allowing ourselves to be seen, can open the door to deeper self-love. Through sensory actions, reflective moments, and creative exploration, we share tools that encourage slowing down and increasing self-consciousness. From meeting your own gaze in the mirror to creating art where imperfection softens into intimacy, this episode traces the movement from awareness to reflection — from negative loops turned into nourishing cycles of care.Photo credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025Music credit Andy Gallery@bellavalentinaart @[email protected] Connect Society z.s.Support the show

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 reconnection to nature and the use of multi-sensory strategies as a means of disrupting established modes of experiencing art.Valentine reflects on her own curatorial and organizational experiences with community-based art projects, outlining considerations in their conception and realization. We further reference notable community art initiatives and Rebecca introduces her latest art project, which intersects sustainability, fashion, and art, interrogating systems of production and consumption.The episode concludes with an invitation to reconsider the potential of community-oriented artistic practices within local contexts, encouraging attentiveness to collaborative creativity. This conversation frames community art as a potential critical tool for rethinking how artistic resources, social structures, and creative agency can be activated to their fullest [email protected] Connect Society z.s.Support the show

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 mold our connections? When does this shaping support and sustain, and when does it begin to constrain or confine?Drawing on personal reflection, we look into attachment through familiar relational roles and invite a partner-based, art-focused exploration. In this practice, you alternate between leading and following, sensing how it feels to guide and to be guided.We reflect on whether our politeness is merely a surface layer—performative, shaped by social expectation—or whether it expresses something deeper, rooted in our values and virtue. Ideally, politeness conveys genuine care and shapes our connections meaningfully. How do you recognize in yourself when politeness is authentic or how does this resonate with you?We invite you to listen and engage with the creative exercise with curiosity and mindful presence.With care,Valentine & RebeccaPhoto credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025Music credit Andy [email protected] @bellavalentinaart @studio.rb_mindful.artswww.safespaces.artArt Connect Society z.s.Support the show

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 valuable vase decorated with the most beautiful paintings and then used as a kitchen pot" (Chapter 14).This reflection guides our exploration of how emotional bonds are formed and transformed throughout life, and how the tension between inner gifts and external circumstances shapes our attachments. Rather than advocating detachment, we explore the subtle bravery involved in meeting attachment with awareness, allowing its strings to soften through presence, reflection, and care.We close the episode with a creative, art-based invitation, guiding you to identify one current attachment and gently explore how it might be loosened without judgement.We invite you to listen with openness, pause where something resonates, and engage with the creative task if you feel open to it. With care,Valentine & RebeccaSupport the show

Her ART THERAPY Podcast is an uplifting space for vulnerability, reflection, and honest conversation. Hosted by Abstract Expressionist, International Educator, and SAFESPACES.ART Founder Valentine Svihalek, alongside Mindful Art Guide and Environment, Health & Safety Consultant & Art Therapy Trainee Rebecca Brandmeier, the podcast explores emotional wellbeing through art from a place of learning, curiosity, and lived experience.We share insights from our own experiences and explore the real life emotional challenges women face, using Art Therapy tools for reflection and connection.Based in the heart of Europe, the podcast opens a gentle yet meaningful space where creativity, presence, and human connection meet.With care,Valentine and Rebecca*Podcast Cover ImagePhoto credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025Music credit Andy GalleryFollow [email protected]@[email protected]_mindful.artsSupport the show

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, curiosity, and lived experience.We share insights from our own experiences and explore the real life emotional challenges women face, using Art Therapy tools for reflection and connection.Based in the heart of Europe, the podcast opens a gentle yet meaningful space where creativity, presence, and human connection meet.With care,Valentine and Rebecca*Podcast Cover ImagePhoto credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025Music credit Andy GalleryFollow [email protected]@[email protected]_mindful.artsSupport the show