Healing through art

By Justin Robertson
JENNY Koch never thought her art and soul classes would last a year.
Since last July the 10-week art and therapy course has completed three cycles at Pakenham’s Living and Learning Centre and is about to start a fourth semester.
The two-and-a-half hour class addresses issues like grief and loss, depression and identity and the class is laced with art and painting, Ms Koch said.
“Obviously, it’s just skimming the surface for 10 weeks, but it’s at least a start for some people,” the 50-year-old Berwick resident said.
I can’t believe we are coming up to a year since we’ve started, it’s been well received so far.”
Ms Koch, who runs the art component of the course, said she was surrounded by a qualified team, Michelle and Nicole Sanders who boast psychology, partial care and drug rehab qualifications and experiences.
“I really believed in art as a tool for healing. So, along with Michelle and Nicole we thought, let’s just give this a go,” she said.
“We’re passionate about it. We love it and love to see changes in people, and we have a wealth of experience between us all.”
The concept for the art and soul classes has been bubbling away for the past 10 years. Ms Koch used to invite groups into her home art studio as a way of healing and recovery. One of her students was going through depression; another went through a marriage break up.
“To this day they say to me, if it wasn’t for doing that, it’s been the catalyst to help look beyond myself and push through boundaries,” she said.
And now, it’s evolved from the humble studio to the Living Centre.
“It’s something I could never do on my own, I mean, I’m an artist I don’t have the experience of a degree like a psychologist,” Ms Koch said.
“But, as a team we work together really well.”
Ms Koch said one of the success stories came from the very first semester, run in July last year. A former artist entered the group and confessed he was suffering from depression.
Throughout the course, he kept telling Ms Koch,“if it wasn’t for you guys, I wouldn’t be able to change my life”.
The man is now painting again and has even got his own exhibition on.
“It’s just given him the confidence to get out of the hole he was in – his wife passed away he had a lot to deal with,” she said. “With two boys to raise on his own, it’s been significant for him to get on that road to recovery.”
Two weeks ago the art and soul class wrapped up its third instalment of the program and ended with a “celebration night”, a night dedicated to showcasing the work of the artists to family and friends.
“A couple got up on the microphone and stood up proud. One of the ladies said ‘I came along to these classes to support my friend and paint, but now I can see I have had some problems of my own’,” Ms Koch said.
“The classes opened her up and helped her deal with issues she never knew she had before.”