October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone.<\/p>\n
The Brooklyn Family Justice Center offers a Tuesday weekly walk-in art therapy group for survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking. <\/p>\n
Participants like Ranjanna Hvenegaard are survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. <\/p>\n
\u201cI didn’t speak about it for 37 years. For so many years I haven’t been able to, you know, express myself and process whatever happened. So, the art is, it’s a way for me to heal, but also express myself,” said Hvenegaard.<\/p>\n
Organizers say the program doesn’t require insurance so that those who don’t have insurance or are on their abuser’s insurance don’t have to worry about getting care.<\/p>\n
Program Director of Creative Solutions with HeartShare St. Vincent’s Elizabeth Follano says art therapy can help people who have difficulty putting words to their traumatic experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cArt is known to kind of get a little deeper into us because what comes out on paper can be safer. It doesn’t always say everything, but it says enough for us as the artist, right? We know what we made, but not everybody else will know,” said Follano.<\/p>\n
Follano says there is a theme discussion each week and the art activity is related to that. <\/p>\n