Art That Overcomes

In my own trauma healing journey, I’ve found that it’s so incredibly important for me to listen to my body and to my emotions.

But as I’m sure you’ve discovered too, this is easier said than done. We’ve learned to ignore our body’s warning signs, as it attempts to tell us what we need. We’ve learned to focus on everything and everyone else. 

And sometimes we do that so long that we just….can’t anymore. 

To be blunt: 

I’ve reached a wall, my friends. 

I’m at a point where something has to give. I need to rest. I need to reflect. I need to assess and rethink some things and set new goals. 

Today on the Art That Overcomes podcast, I want to share just a little bit about this journey I’m on, in the hopes that you’ll find yourself somewhere in this story. 

What areas of your life are feeling stagnant right now? Or especially hard?

What areas are good, and thriving?

What do you want to take a break from, and what do you want to lean more into?

These are all important questions that I’m reflecting on for myself...

(tune in to here more!)

Here's the link to all the things:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with me on Instagram:

@jenniferannekramer

Let's finish our conversation about taking control over your emotions so that you're not hurt by the narcissist again.

How do we stay centered and in control of our emotions when we have to continue communicating with the narcissist?

This is a tough one, for sure.

It all starts with addressing the trauma that is stored inside our bodies. When you become anxious or enraged at the abuser, you're not merely having an emotional reaction -- you're experiencing a trauma response. 

This month on the Art That Overcomes podcast, I'm sharing a very special series with you. And last week I explained that meditation is a great place to start with addressing these emotional reactions (trauma responses). 

Today you'll hear me walk you through a simple art and writing exercise to help you further explore the topic discussed on last week's episode, where I answered a question that was submitted from one of the Overcomers in my online community. This art and writing exercise was specifically created by me to help you explore today's topic for yourself and continue healing and transforming from victim, to survivor, to Overcomer. 

This art task will help you take the concept of a meditation practice a step further, by adding a visual, and a mantra (or two or three). 

The audio that you'll hear in the episode is taken from my free course, Overcoming With Jennifer, that can be found in my coaching app, Redefined - by Jennifer Kramer. To check out the rest of the course, scroll down to the link below.

Here's the link to all the things:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

How do you prevent being hurt by the narcissist again down the road (when you can't go no contact)?

I know from first hand experience that this is one of the most difficult challenges to overcome.

All the advice you read on the internet about how to heal after narcissistic abuse emphasizes the importance of going "no contact". 

But what if you can't???

What if you have to co-parent with your abuser?

What if you're still tied to them through other family relationships?

It all comes down to YOU controlling YOUR emotions. Because that's the number one thing that the narcissist knows just how to get ahold of, and you simply cannot afford to let them do that anymore. 

I think you'll get a lot out of these practical tips...

This month on the Art That Overcomes podcast, I'm sharing a very special series with you.

Today you'll hear me answer a question that was submitted from one of the Overcomers in my online community, and then next week I'll share an art and writing exercise specifically created by me to help you explore today's topic for yourself and continue healing and transforming from victim, to survivor, to Overcomer. 

The audio that you'll hear in the episode is taken from my free course, Overcoming With Jennifer, that can be found in my coaching app, Redefined - by Jennifer Kramer.

Here's the link to all the things:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Let's finish our conversation about trusting yourself and trusting others...

This can really be a challenging concept to grasp if you've never fully trusted your own inner voice...always people pleasing and deferring to others.

In my experience, I've found that just like any skill in life, learning to trust your intuition starts with small steps that eventually add up to big results.

This month on the Art That Overcomes podcast, I'm sharing a very special series with you.

Today you'll hear me walk you through a simple art and writing exercise to help you further explore the topic discussed on last week's episode, where I answered a question that was submitted from one of the Overcomers in my online community. This art and writing exercise was specifically created by me to help you explore today's topic for yourself and continue healing and transforming from victim, to survivor, to Overcomer. 

This art task offers a chance to make small choices. There's freedom within the creative process. It's a no-judgment zone, and there's no wrong answer.

Take a few minutes for yourself.

Listen to the episode and try the art task.

Explore.

Play.

Go with your gut.

The narcissist isn't here to criticize you now. YOU are in charge.

(The audio that you'll hear in the episode is taken from my free course, Overcoming With Jennifer, that can be found in my coaching app, Redefined - by Jennifer Kramer.)

Here's the link to all the things:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Will I ever trust myself or others again?

This is so foundational to your healing.

Once you begin to trust yourself again (or maybe for the first time), so much is going to open up for you.

How do I know for sure?

I've been there.

And it's my mission to teach you everything I've learned so that you can start feeling confident an empowered to live your own life...NOW.

This month on the Art That Overcomes podcast, I'm sharing a very special series with you.

Today you'll hear me answer a question that was submitted from one of the Overcomers in my online community, and then next week I'll share an art and writing exercise specifically created by me to help you explore today's topic for yourself and continue healing and transforming from victim, to survivor, to Overcomer. 

The audio that you'll hear in the episode is taken from my free course, Overcoming With Jennifer, that can be found in my coaching app, Redefined - by Jennifer Kramer.

Here's the link to all the things:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hey there, Overcomer! Today I’m sharing the final lesson of the four most important lessons I have learned from art and the practice of art therapy. If you haven’t heard my first three, you can go back and catch the last three episodes… Okay, so here is thing number 4 that art and art therapy have taught me:

Art has taught me to play, to let go, and to trust my intuition. 

Narcissistic abusers have trained us (they’ve brainwashed us) to not trust ourselves, to always defer to them, to please them, to not consider our own wants and needs. 

We need to learn to trust ourselves again, and we can learn to do that within the safe space of the artmaking process. 

We can play, we can let go. 

I always say within the creative process, there is no impulse control required. As long as you’re not damaging property or damaging or hurting yourself, or hurting others, you can do what you want. 

Within the safe space of the piece of paper, of the artwork, you are free to let go. To practice what it feels like in your body to trust yourself, to trust your decisions. 

I encourage you… Play with that! 

Play with what you can create! 

It’s safe. 

Trust yourself. (or if that seems scary, at least give it some practice)

I’ve shared some of this story before on the podcast fairly recently…I can’t remember where, but I thought it relevant to share here too:

Back when I was an art student in college (in undergrad, before going back to school to study art therapy), I got to a place mentally and emotionally with my art where I think I was on the verge of being burned out, and I was getting sick of all the pressure I felt to create “good” art.

GIVEAWAY!

Here's what to do to get a free copy of my book, The Uncommon Guide to Healing From Narcissistic Abuse: How I Used Art to Break the Pattern and Redefine My Identity.

1. Subscribe to this podcast (if you haven't already).

2. Rate this podcast (5 stars is my favorite!)

3. Write a review for this podcast.

4. Take a screenshot of your review and email the photo to me at [email protected]. Or send it to me in a DM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jenniferannekramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@art_that_overcomes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

5. Then I'll respond to get your mailing address and send your book!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hey there, Overcomer! Today I’m sharing another one of my top 4 important lessons I have learned from art and the practice of art therapy. This is number 3.. So if you haven’t heard my first two, you can go back and catch the last two episodes… Alright, so number 3 thing that art and art therapy have taught me:

We know that trauma is stored in our body, in our nervous system. So, the most effective trauma treatments and even self help activities are ones that engage our physical bodies. One way to do this is through the art media. I shared in last week’s episode about how fluid media can help us be more expressive with our feelings, and resistive media can help us rein it in and feel more in control. 

On top of that, here are a few other techniques to add to your artmaking practice that will take the therapeutic aspect of artmaking even further...

(tune in to hear more!)

GIVEAWAY!

Here's what to do to get a free copy of my book, The Uncommon Guide to Healing From Narcissistic Abuse: How I Used Art to Break the Pattern and Redefine My Identity.

1. Subscribe to this podcast (if you haven't already).

2. Rate this podcast (5 stars is my favorite!)

3. Write a review for this podcast.

4. Take a screenshot of your review and email the photo to me at [email protected]. Or send it to me in a DM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jenniferannekramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@art_that_overcomes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

5. Then I'll respond to get your mailing address and send your book!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen up! This will change your life! 

Hey there, Overcomer! Today I’m sharing an important lesson I have learned from art and the practice of art therapy. And it might sound a bit out there at first…

But here it is:

You can strategically use different art media in order to access and have an effect on your emotions in different ways. I think this feels straight up magical!

So, let me explain…

All art media can be categorized on a spectrum from fluid to resistive...

GIVEAWAY!

Here's what to do to get a free copy of my book, The Uncommon Guide to Healing From Narcissistic Abuse: How I Used Art to Break the Pattern and Redefine My Identity.

1. Subscribe to this podcast (if you haven't already).

2. Rate this podcast (5 stars is my favorite!)

3. Write a review for this podcast.

4. Take a screenshot of your review and email the photo to me at [email protected]. Or send it to me in a DM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jenniferannekramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@art_that_overcomes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

5. Then I'll respond to get your mailing address and send your book!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hey there, Overcomer! Today I’m sharing an important lesson I have learned from art and the practice of art therapy. And it’s a bit controversial….

You don’t need therapy for EVERYTHING. 

There it is! I said it! Now, here’s why…

We deceive ourselves into thinking that there’s something magical about the therapy process, to the point where sometimes we can even become dependent on our therapist. We can get trapped in the mindset that we can’t do anything without “professional help”. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, therapy is amazing! I’m a licensed art therapist. I work with clients. I have been a client in therapy off and on for many years. We need that! But it is not the Holy Grail, it is not the fix all for everything. 

We need to learn to implement some skills ourselves...

(tune in to hear more!)

GIVEAWAY!

Here's what to do to get a free copy of my book, The Uncommon Guide to Healing From Narcissistic Abuse: How I Used Art to Break the Pattern and Redefine My Identity.

1. Subscribe to this podcast (if you haven't already).

2. Rate this podcast (5 stars is my favorite!)

3. Write a review for this podcast.

4. Take a screenshot of your review and email the photo to me at [email protected]. Or send it to me in a DM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jenniferannekramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@art_that_overcomes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

5. Then I'll respond to get your mailing address and send your book!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We’ve all heard the phrase, “too much of a good thing.”

This thought is usually associated with the concept of moderation.

For example, ice cream is yummy, but eating it all day every day would be too much of a good thing.

It wouldn’t be healthy for your body.

You’d feel like crap.

You wouldn’t be getting all the nutrients that your body needs.

Ice cream in moderation, however…as a dessert after a meal every once in a while, can be a good thing. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable. 

It’s a good thing in moderation, but not in excess. And most of us would agree with this, when it comes to ice cream. 

In my observation, there are a decent number of people out there in the world who do not agree with the concept of “too much of a good thing” when it comes to positivity, or having a positive attitude. 

Rather, many people view this as the goal! Their goal in life is to achieve a constant state of bliss and happiness.

On last week’s episode of Art That Overcomes, entitled, My 3 Tips to Reframe Negative Self Beliefs, I talked about the importance of feeling all of our feelings. We can’t selectively numb certain emotions. I think that sometimes people who are feeling down or depressed try to squash their uncomfortable and unwanted emotions, only to find themselves unintentionally shutting down their happiness and joy as well… to a point where they may not be feeling much of anything, or at least aren’t aware of what they’re feeling. 

On the flip side, I think there are plenty of people who are SO incredibly uncomfortable with what they perceive as “negative” emotions, that they do their very best to appear very positive on the surface, all the time. But they’re not necessarily any better off than their depressed counterparts. 

The truth that I want to confront you with today is that these two types of people are actually very similar...

(tune in to hear more!)

GIVEAWAY!

Here's what to do to get a free copy of my book, The Uncommon Guide to Healing From Narcissistic Abuse: How I Used Art to Break the Pattern and Redefine My Identity.

1. Subscribe to this podcast (if you haven't already).

2. Rate this podcast (5 stars is my favorite!)

3. Write a review for this podcast.

4. Take a screenshot of your review and email the photo to me at [email protected]. Or send it to me in a DM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jenniferannekramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@art_that_overcomes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

5. Then I'll respond to get your mailing address and send your book!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jenniferakramer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠