Artists for Trauma

Artists for Trauma shared the red carpet and celebrated the well-attended, successful screening of ‘Girl Rising’, facilitated by Tess Cacciatore of G.W.E.N. and Wendy Silvers of Million Mamas Movement.

Tess Cacciatore Co-Founder / COO of G.W.E.N., Laura Sharpe, Founder / Executive Director, Artists for Trauma, Wendy Silvers, Founder of Million Mamas Movement working together in the “Village” to raise Awareness and a Call to Action to provide opportunities for quality recovery from serious trauma through artistic engagement, education and community resources.

Betsey Chasse, Filmmaker in AFT Artist Network also involved with ‘Girl Rising’ and G.W.E.N., with Laura Sharpe, Founder / Executive Director of Artists for Trauma

I see everything through the eyes and spirit of recovery from the serious traumas of life.

This film addresses the terrible trauma that occurs in our world and is specifically focused on the trauma affecting young girls around the globe.

‘Girl Rising’ is an artistic film interpretation of real life stories of sexual, economic and slavery trauma to nine young girls around the globe written by acclaimed writers and narrated by nine acclaimed actresses.

Serious man-made trauma occurs every day in the way mankind engages with each other through the active continuation of cultural traditions, perspectives, fantasies and horrors. Trauma cycles in life are repeated over and over by the way these various cultures and subcultures treat and educate children and adults in what is expected and acceptable behavior.

One has to ask, how could it be “ordinary” in some countries and cultures, including our own, that young girls and women continue to be discriminated against, abused, raped, sexualized and compartmentalized into a category of subservient people rather than building them up as leaders?

How could societal conditioning against girls continue today around the globe in this 21st century, resulting in manipulating vulnerabilities due to age, gender and economic challenges? Yes, this happens to boys too! One would think that 21st century society might be evolved to a higher operating standard, producing supportive opportunities that should be standard for boys and girls alike.

Visit G.W.E.N. and Million Mamas Movement’s websites for more information on their missions and platforms that bring healing opportunities for quality recovery to these young trauma survivors.

Don’t forget to download the GWEN Alert phone app for your smart phone.
The GWEN ALERT is a free phone application featuring an “emergency” button to use in times of distress.

Are you in an abusive relationship? Have you ever found yourself in an emergency?

Are you a trauma survivor and currently in a physically, mentally or emotionally vulnerable position in your recovery?

Are you a young teenage girl or boy, college student or young adult in a new environment away from safety and your network of friends and family?

Are you a returning veteran who is experiencing challenging PTSD issues?

What if you had the ability to notify your top five closest friends and family with an emergency text in case you were in dire trouble or in a life-challenging situation?

This FREE EMERGENCY APP through G.W.E.N. is available for download now!
GPS location comes up on the text message to assist them in finding you.

Artists For Trauma is a 501 c3 non-profit that provides healing through art opportunities and community resources for military and civilian trauma survivors.

We collaborate with other community for-profit and non-profit organizations to bring full comprehensive resources to the trauma recovery community.

Make a positive and fun difference in the lives of trauma survivors.
Participate, Volunteer, Support and Donate to Artists for Trauma today!

Creativity…Connectivity….Community

We are so grateful to the Los Angeles County Lifeguards and all first responders for all that they do.

…to the Second Annual “Oasis for Healing” event on Saturday, May 4th, from 11 AM-1 PM in the Los Angeles National Veterans Park.

If you would like to attend, please email us at info@artistsfortrauma.org

After watching a screening of Dreamworks’ “Rise of the Guardians” at the Malibu Film Society, I was lucky to get a chance to speak with Producer Christina Steinberg after the film.  I was so inspired by the film and its message of keeping belief and dreams alive, for children and adults, that I sent a note to Christina with a message that I wanted to include on our blog.

In recovery from major physical trauma (Level 1 trauma…which is often disfiguring, disabling and requires re-invention and acceptance of a new self), BELIEF… it is everything, for an individual to believe in the power of positivity, of possibilities and be open to re-connect with this magical place…this creativity and its influence on the Spirit.  It generates JOY!

There truly is great healing power in discovery, wonderment and beholdment of the gift of the Universe and Its mystery.  The greatest healing power found through this process is love.  Love for Nature and the Universe, Dreaming, the Gift of Belief in overcoming and finding acceptance of the new self.  Embracement of who we are, for who we are, deep inside in our soul, our beliefs, our belief in our dreams and possibilities.  These feelings of confidence, joy, love and acceptance for self are related to everything connected with quality and integrity of life.

Being a Level 1 trauma survivor who incurred serious traumatic injuries and the first words spoken from coma were “Divine Intervention”…I know first hand the power of positivity and believing.

Never giving up and moving forward without a finish line…knowing that EVERYTHING is directly connected to believing!

You, Peter Ramsey and the rest of your “Rise of the Guardians” team have made an impact, not only on children but also on adults.  Bridging a chasm between a child’s animated film to an absolutely stunning creative, poetic animated film of great integrity that any individual, child and adult alike can relate to the power of.

From the perspective of a parent, a mother, and an adult taking her child to an animated film…often times, I find it laborious to sit through an animated film; however, I was very impressed by the gorgeous detailed animated artistic poetry of Jack Frost and his frost, the stunning articulation of the Sandman and his magical sand as well as Fear and the dark ominous sand and presence.   Fear is as powerful as the positive attributes of one’s mind and emotional internal human content.  Fear is debilitating and deadly…literally.

Without human understanding and connection to wonderment, joy, fun, positivity, creativity…what is life worth living for?

We create our own positivity or negativity by what we believe.  These elements are crucial to a quality recovery from Level 1 trauma and any recovery from whatever challenge one is going through in life.

I had several more epiphanies of heightened Awareness, like electric, magnetic jolts of connection with relevance, gratitude and recognition of many manifestations of serious Level 1 trauma that occurs in life, all around our world and on this planet we live.

Last month I saw the new James Bond film with my young teenage daughter, her first 007 film.  Unbeknownst to me, there is an extremely dramatic helicopter crash scene in the film.  Engrossed in the film, there appears a huge cinematic fiery helicopter crash scene, a version that so closely resembled the tragic helicopter crash that I and 5 others were in in May 2008; details down to the resemblance of the murky, foggy, grassy field, fiery explosion etc.

I, I watched…Aware, completely Aware…that I was clearly observing a near reenactment of a close-up, external vision of the 2008 helicopter crash.  All the while and taking deep, calming breaths and realizing that this is what our many men and women who return from war combat, as well as hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of other human beings who experience extraordinary, tragic, irreprehensible trauma, replay in their minds every time they see a similar scene on a movie or TV screen, in the news and even in their own dreams.  This is the reality of PTSD.

I also recently watched the new Tom Cruise film, “Jack Reacher”.   Very early into the film is a scene where multiple people are nonsensically shot and a scene in the film recognizes, gives shape, precious, intimate definition and personality to the lives lost in the shooting scene.  Prior to entering the theatre, while in a market check out line I saw the new cover of People magazine recognizing, giving shape and precious intimate definition and personality to the REAL LIVES lost in the Sandy Hook, Connecticut shootings. I immediately mentally disconnected from the film, made the connection and huge rolling tears of respect and recognition for the real, precious humans flooded my heart and Being.

Again!…manifestation of  Universe message represented through artistic format.  Respect, Love, Honor, Integrity for ourselves and others.  Cultivation of quality relationship with ourselves, loved ones AND  strangers is the connection.  Quality of life is all about quality of connection.  Lines.  Invisible, Connecting lines of the Universe. Lines of Love.  Lines of Relationship.  The Art of Loving.  The Art of Living.  The Art of Recovery.

Btw…did I mention that despite all these thoughts and seriously recognizing these entertainment scenes were recreated to relate reality…I enjoyed both of these films!

The goal of dealing with PTSD in all its levels of severity are to observe life in its many manifestos…even the ones that trigger memories of serious trauma…and move forward with reasonable functionality, minimal emotional interruption to your being and understanding in your heart mind.

Observe.  Breathe.

Observe.  Breathe.  Understand context.

Observe.  Breathe.  Move Forward.

Be gentle and Love yourself through the process.

If your reactions are so strong it is difficult to process and function…

Be gentle and Love yourself.  Tell someone.

Behave in a respectful way to yourself and others.

Write, Paint, Sing, Shout, Scream, Scratch, Draw, Dance, Sculpt…Let it out…BREATHE…it will lessen in severity and you will be tired.  Rest. Breathe.

Surround yourself with the power of positivity and possibilities.

Side step negativity at all costs.

Smile to yourself.

Re-Invent your opportunities.  Create.  Join Artists For Trauma

In talking with my young friend, Alexis N. , recently I was explaining and sharing my perceptions about infection. How certain things in life are infectious. Good germs and bad germs. In Level 1 trauma, infection, risk management and prevention of infection are dominant concerns.

Spontaneously and playfully I shared about good infection and how energy, good energy is infectious. Infectious laughter, infectious joy and how we touch each other’s lives and recovery processes with our attitudes and energy.

Good energy and good attitude are so important for a quality healing process from Level 1 trauma. Let us reach out and touch each other, “infect” each other with love, positivity, joy and artistic creativity. These specific attributes of attitude are definitely catching and contagious….of the best kind!

Let us infect each other with positive attitude and knowledge that if we can express and release the joy, love, wonderment, layers and layers of processing emotion through creative expression we have a real opportunity to emerge on the “other side” of the recovery process in an artistic way. You will create a new, unique sculpture of YourSelf.

You may be better!

With Loving and Smiling Infection,

Laura