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 & Rebecca

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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 Image

Photo credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025

Music credit Andy Gallery

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@safespaces.art

@bellavalentinaart

@studio.rb_mindful.arts

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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 Image

Photo credit Ivana Dostálová, Traces of The Unseen, 2025

Music credit Andy Gallery

Follow us

@safespaces.art

@bellavalentinaart

@studio.rb_mindful.arts

Support the show

Join Valentine and Klara for a networking invitation and as they unpack the topic for the upcoming Safe Spaces Exhibition! YOU HAVE TO BE A PRINCESS TO BE A QUEEN. How do you feel it? 

Join the conversation!

@safespaces.art www.safespaces.art

A special shoutout to Kristi Lei for our mood-setting Art Sisters jingle!

Featuring: Valentine Svihalek, Klara Siska at Vitom Brno

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Join Valentine, Ivana, and Andrea as they dive into the evolution of SafeSpaces.Art. In this episode, they discuss its mission and introduce one of their latest projects, "Traces of The Unseen." Led by artist and art therapist Andrea Ehret and neuroscientist and photographer Ivana Dostalova, this initiative features ten women and uses body calligraphy and therapeutic photography to bring visibility to lived experiences. Join the conversation!

A special shoutout to Kristi Lei for our mood-setting Art Sisters jingle.

@safespaces.art www.safespaces.art

Featuring: Valentine Svihalek, Andrea Ehret, Ivana Dostalova

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Join Klara and Valentine as they take you behind the scenes of the groundbreaking Safe Spaces project. They’ll share insights on the community’s incredible progress, some challenges they've faced, and what exciting next steps lie ahead. Get ready for an inspiring conversation that highlights the power of collaboration and innovation. Stay tuned as we begin to unveil www.safespaces.art! 

@safespaces.art

@bellavalentinaart

Klara Siska & Valentine Svihalek

www.safespaces.art

www.artconnectsociety.com

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This special episode of our podcast was recorded during the Safe Spaces intensive week in Brno, where our first series of events took place. We invite you to listen in to the panel discussion held on August 21, 2024, exploring the "Roles and Responsibilities of Women within the Home and Work Environment."

Moderated by Valentine Svihalek, contemporary artist and founder of the Art Connect Society, this discussion aimed to empower and support women in all aspects of their lives. 

We were honored to feature a distinguished panel of experts:

PhDr. Branislava Marvánová Vargová, head of the professional social counseling service at Rosa Centrum Pro Ženy, who shared invaluable insights on women's rights and support services.

Andrea Ehret, an artist and art therapist, who offered a unique perspective on the transformative power of creative expression.

Andrea Tkačuková, CEO of Foreigners Group, who highlighted the challenges women face in the business setting and their roles within organizations in a globalized world.

We kick off the episode with a brief reflection by Valentine and Kristi Lei. Then, join us as we reflect on the evolving roles of women, the challenges they encounter, and the strides being made toward greater freedom and empowerment in a raw and open conversation between women. 

As we look ahead, mark your calendars for the next step in the project: Safe Spaces International Prague, featuring artists from around the world, on November 7 at Gram Prague. Together, let’s continue to elevate the voices of women in our community!

www.artconnectsociety.com
@artconnectwomen
@artconnectsociety
@artsisterspodcast

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The Safe Spaces Project continues to make strides in our mission to facilitate meaningful dialogues within circles of women, mothers, and caregivers. Our aim is to illuminate unseen scars while fostering tolerance, understanding, and solidarity. To further this cause, we've partnered with Rosa Centrum Pro Zeny to raise awareness about domestic violence and support their projects, including the Rosa women's shelter.

In this episode, Valentine is joined by two remarkable activists, Branislava Vargova Marvanova and Martina Hronova from Rosa, Prague. They will share insights into their services, thoughts on the current state of women's rights, operational details, and the importance of their support network.

Join us in our movement towards connectivity and empowerment. Apply for our community on our website, www.artconnectsociety.com.

Additionally, mark your calendars for our upcoming event, "HAPPENING," taking place on August 20, 2024, in Kumst, Brno. @kumstbrno Stay tuned for the release of our new book and much more!

Join us in shaping a world where art serves as a catalyst for positive change.

@artconnectwomen
@artconnectsociety
@artsisterspodcast

Episode Featuring
@bellavalentinaart
@rosacentrum

And a shoutout to our @kristileimusic for our inspiring jingle!

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Welcome to Safe Spaces, an initiative by Art Connect Society dedicated to fostering community engagement through contemporary art. Our mission is to facilitate meaningful dialogues within circles of women, mothers, and caregivers, shedding light on unseen scars while nurturing tolerance, understanding, and solidarity.

A behind the scenes look, we've curated a diverse collection of voices from our community, offering insights into our shared experiences and journeys.

Join us in this movement towards connectivity and empowerment.  Opportunities wait for you as well!

Apply for our upcoming Prague exhibition on our website, www.artconnectsociety.com. 

Additionally, mark your calendars for our upcoming event, "HAPPENING," taking place on August 20, 2024, in Kumst, Brno. Stay tuned for the release of our new book and much more!

Join us in shaping a world where art serves as a catalyst for positive change.

@artconnectwomen
@artconnectsociety
@bellavalentinaart
@artsisterspodcast

Episode Featuring
@adiosalasfresas
@isadorastowe
@lenka_daviesova_art
@leader_ista
@lucie_svoboda_art
@nicol.francis.drawings
@helenalnenickova
@kristileimusic
@malenkaaranka

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Leila Angelina Freiburg put her longing in a tiny box, until she realised she could break the stereotype in herself that an artist was someone who only concentrated on his/herself. The belief that being an artist meant taking the art more seriously than the needs of ones family. Realizing that taking time for her art was an essential part of meeting her basic needs, she never looked back. 

“I thought, I decided to become a lawyer. And, my impression of a lawyer was someone who was straight and tough and clear. Well, I am, but I also can be emotional and intuitive and empathetic, which is something I am…. It makes me whole as a person.”

For those who are on the edge of their journey, wearing many hats with all the responsibilities they bear, or just looking for an inspirational voice for building your world the way you feel whole, have a listen as Valentine and German artist Leila Angelina Freiburg discuss her journey toward becoming…

“My pictures tell stories visually. Stories of vulnerability, strength, emotions and personal growth. Every picture is a journey and a very intense, personal process. For me, painting is like an intensive, loving conversation about the big topics in life.”

#artsisterspodcast #arttalk #artconnectwomen #artconnectsociety #voicesofwomen #bellavalentinaart #leilaangelinafreiburg

@artconnectwomen
@artsisterspodcast

@bellavalentinaart
@leila.angelina.art

www.artconnectsociety.com

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