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Art Therapist Monica
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Bhainsala Bound with Triveni kala Sangam
In my class, stone was more than a hardball of minerals; it represented a step forward in learning sculpture. Many were keen to try working with stones and on a rather languid day an impromptu plan took shape to see stonework in Rajasthan. Sleepy eyed people started their journey some through the bus, some by bikes and some by car. The drowsiness went off in five minutes as babble took over the bus and I witnessed the delight of a picnic done years ago . I was stunned by t
monica kapur
May 74 min read
Understanding Why Art Therapy Benefits Children and Teenagers
Many people say art therapy is beneficial for children, teenagers, and teens—and research strongly supports this. But why does it work so well? The reasons are both psychological and neurological, helping explain why art therapy can be especially powerful across different stages of development. 1. Bottom-Up Emotional Processing Most traditional therapies use a top-down approach, relying on verbal expression and logical thinking. However, children and even many teenagers are
monica kapur
Mar 233 min read
How to Cope with Loneliness on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is marketed as the happiest day for love — yet mental health research suggests it can be one of the heaviest days emotionally. Rates of loneliness, depressive rumination, social comparison, and relationship anxiety often rise in the days surrounding 14th February — particularly among students and young adults. The pressure to feel loved, chosen, and celebrated can intensify existing emotional vulnerabilities. But whether you’re single or in a relationship, thi
monica kapur
Feb 133 min read
Can Art Therapy Help Heal Sexual Trauma?
Sexual assault does not end when the violence stops. For many survivors, that is when the real suffering begins. Long after the assault, people often ask, “Why can’t I just move on?” The answer is simple and painful: because trauma changes you. It changes how your brain works, how your body responds to the world, and how safe you feel inside yourself. What survivors experience afterward is not weakness — it is the nervous system doing everything it can to survive something ov
monica kapur
Jan 223 min read
Mathura Museum
Mathura — a city seeped in history from time immemorial. Known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, its air hums with devotion, legends, and the faint sound of temple bells. I had always wanted to visit but somehow the chance never came. Then, at Triveni, one day sir suddenly proposed, “We should visit the Mathura Museum,” and I smiled. Initially, I thought I would stay at a hotel one day and come on my own the next day due to the taxing travels. Yet I knew I was neglecting my
monica kapur
Nov 5, 20256 min read
Online Dating on Bumble: How to Set the Right Expectations
Last week one of friend get excited about a Bumble match. His profile said he was well-educated and looking for a life partner. They planned a date, and she was genuinely hopeful of finding one. Then, just half an hour before meeting, he texted: “What are you looking for?” She replied honestly: “A long-term relationship.” His answer? “I’m looking for sex.” She declined and refused to meet him. This isn’t just a mismatch — it’s a breakdown in transparency and trust. Often, peo
monica kapur
Sep 22, 20252 min read
Understanding ‘Nice Girl Syndrome’ and How to Overcome It
Some of us in Indian society were raised to be “nice girls,” which meant doing everything the world expected of us—how we dressed, how we behaved, how we dealt with our romantic partners, how we navigated our sexuality, and how we showed up in society at large. To be nice, some of us tolerated many things: listening endlessly to friends who depleted our energy bank, doing all the household and office work, picking up the slack for colleagues, not answering back to bosses if a
monica kapur
Sep 3, 20252 min read
Why Art Therapy is not Just Arts & Crafts
Got a phone call from a person seeking help for his daughter. He said he was advised by X to try art therapy. I started to explain what an art therapy session involves – how I work, what we do, and how I tailor each session to the client’s unique needs. Before I could finish, he interrupted: "No, no – we just want a group session. It’s just arts. We want her to open up in a group." When I said I don't do groups – he hung up. This is not the first time I’ve had this experien
monica kapur
Sep 1, 20252 min read
Held by Fog, Healed by Silence in Fagu
Time is sometimes gentle, sometimes unforgiving. Since March, life had begun to unravel on many fronts both in my personal and family life but perhaps the most frightening thing was my health issue: swelling in all my joints which started with the right ankle in feburary had now moved to my elbows and knees. It was stubborn and unrelenting and I could find no cure despite repeated visits to doctors. It felt as though divine forces were conspiring against me. My friends rall
monica kapur
May 10, 20255 min read
Why I Love Being an Art Therapist
1. UNSPOKEN EXPRESSIONS Traditional therapy often relies on a talk-based approach. While some clients are naturally expressive and articulate their emotions with ease, others struggle—sometimes out of fear, sometimes out of deep-seated hesitation. They may not yet have the words to describe their pain, or they may feel overwhelmed at the thought of speaking about it. But place a crayon in their hand, a sheet of paper before them, or a lump of clay in their palm, and something
monica kapur
Mar 1, 20254 min read
"Quinta Margarida: Where Airbnb Feels Like Home with a Portuguese Family"
Diwali is a festival I particularly don’t like celebrating. The endless media hype about spending, playing dress-up, or attending parties with family and friends brings up multiple emotions, from sombreness to disquiet as I don’t have my own children or any family beyond my ninety-year-old father in Delhi. Feeling the need to escape, I decided to head to Goa. However, the goddess Lakshmi seemed to intervene, urging me to stay home and meet her. Out of guilt, I decided to ext
monica kapur
Nov 30, 20245 min read
My Grief Journey
My birthday was coming up again in May. The birthday in my childhood were a fun thing which I celebrated with my parents and my two siblings. As I grew up it became about friends and nightclubs, fine dining with drinks. In my forties, it became quieter the birthday just another day where most people forgot to wish me and others wished me via a WhatsApp message and I was completely fine with it. The birthday month became a time of grief when my mother died five years ago. My
monica kapur
May 26, 20244 min read
What happens in an Art Therapy Session (With me)?
Welcome to my art therapy sessions, a safe space for self-expression and healing. Here’s what you can expect: 1. Introduction and...
monica kapur
May 22, 20241 min read
Should You Choose Art Therapy or Talk Therapy?
Deciding whether art therapy is the right approach for you depends on your preferences, comfort level with expressing yourself through...
monica kapur
Apr 19, 20243 min read
Understand and manage your anger with Arttherapy
“He grits his teeth and moves forward. He doesn't know any other way. No one has taught him nothing'. He's on a continuous countdown clock with confronting his chaotic past and this time his ghosts have met him in his nightmares.”― Locke Wood, Sunflowers & Scorched Earth: The History of American Vigilante Expression and The Found Works of B.L. Ashburn. The energy of anger has been felt by all of us at some time or other. Maybe it shows up when are boss didn’t praise our wo
monica kapur
Apr 10, 20243 min read
How a clay studio transformed my life:A tribute to Triveni Kala Sangam – “Sculpture and Ceramic Studio” and our teachers Kosal kumar and kavvya
Having left my full-time job, I was looking for things to do where I could go and meet people. I had known about Triveni since my teenage...
monica kapur
Apr 6, 20243 min read
The Seven Biggest lessons I’ve Learned from My Clients
Sitting in the warm winter sun today my mind wandered to all the clients I had seen over the years. The impression they left me with,...
monica kapur
Jan 25, 20244 min read
50 Art Directives for Self Exploration
A lot of people ask what we can do for our personal growth with art.? "A lot". Start with these simple art directives for healing...
monica kapur
Dec 14, 20233 min read
Hysterectomy Insights: My Journey to Self-Discovery & Healing
A year of treatment with my gynaecologist regarding spotting between periods and the decision laid bare hysterectomy is needed. The date is finalized. The timing was less than perfect: a family wedding loaded with contrasts, the operation after two days and then my dead mother’s birthday and wedding anniversary squeezed in. My nerves had been fraught with anxiety and immense angst for a week, but surprisingly on the night before and day of operation I was calm. As I was wh
monica kapur
Dec 3, 20236 min read
Arambol - goa travel tales
The trip to goa was planned months in advance. My much younger friend and travel companion was confident we would have a great holiday. I wasn't so sure given my limited fitness and our age gap . Little did I know what was in store for me and how much I would need this vacation. Arambol beach, a traditional fisherman village was what the doctor would have ordered after two months of setbacks on many fronts and battling medical issues. Till the night before the flight, I was
monica kapur
Sep 25, 20235 min read
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