We’re stepping into one of the most potent thresholds of the year. The winter solstice. The shortest day, the longest night. That quiet hinge in the season when the world slows, the light thins, and many of us feel heavier without quite knowing why. Because creativity can be a lantern in moments like this, I wanted to devote an entire episode to the rituals and tiny practices that help us feel held when the days feel dark.

I’m joined by expressive arts therapist and trauma-informed care consultant Emma Sullivan Uebele for a grounding and deeply human conversation about how our bodies and nervous systems respond to winter, and why so much of what we experience during this season is completely natural. We explore how creativity can meet us gently when we’re tired, anxious, or disconnected, and how simple, accessible rituals can offer steadiness, reflection, and care during the darker days of the year.

Topics Covered:

• The emotional, physical, and ancestral meaning of the dark season.
• How reduced light affects our nervous systems, energy, and creativity.
• Why winter naturally invites rest, introspection, and slower rhythms.
• Creative rituals for people who feel tired, overwhelmed, or uninspired.
• Using expressive arts as a companion rather than a performance.
• Low-stakes creative practices like collage, blind contour drawing, and breath drawing.
• Distinguishing between shadow moments that need compassion and seeds that hold potential.
• Holding both darkness and hope as the light begins its quiet return.

Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:

• If you have 5 minutes, I encourage you to think about some creative rituals you can build into your week. Maybe you want to do something specific for the winter solstice.
•  If you have 50 minutes, check out Emma’s seasonal expressive arts workbooks in the show notes. They are a beautiful way to navigate winter with intention and warmth. And she pairs them with an accompanying workshop.
  • https://emmasullivan.art/shop/p/winter-wonders-expressive-arts-workbook

Connect with Emma!
Website: https://emmasullivan.art/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasullivanart/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-sullivan-uebele/
Expressive arts workbooks: https://emmasullivan.art/shop

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• Email us at [email protected]

Until next time, muah!

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