Conscious Endings: Bring 2024 to a Meaningful Close

Written by Samantha Davis

As the year winds down, the season is brimming with energy - yet many of us are feeling fatigued. We spend months waiting and planning for the holidays, hoping for fun and rest, but it often comes with the stress of deadlines, family pressures, and high expectations. The American Psychological Association even ranks the holidays as one of the most stressful times of the year.

Navigating Endings

Endings stir a mix of emotions – apprehension, excitement, relief, or even dread. They often bring change, which can feel daunting. For some, the holiday season highlights painful voids – missing family, unresolved relationships, or unmet hopes. While this time of year is festive for many, let’s remain sensitive to others’ experiences and/or apprehensions. Reach out to friends who have challenging family dynamics, friends that are alone, and simultaneously be kind to yourself.

In South Africa, December is filled with transitions – wrapping up work, school, or cultural groups. But how often do we pause to reflect on these endings?

Conscious vs. Unconscious Endings

In Art Therapy, we emphasise the concept of conscious endings. These are planned, thoughtful endings or transitions that help clients process their experiences and prepare for what lies ahead.

A conscious ending involves knowing the end is approaching and having the time and space to reflect on endings. For clients, this means pacing themselves in therapy, integrating what they’ve learned, and preparing emotionally for closure. Clients in Art Therapy can choose how they want to end their therapeutic journey, perhaps incorporating a reflection of all previous art pieces that have been carefully stored in the art therapy room, creating a collage of accumulated artwork, a new artwork, a ritual of some sort, or any significant means of acknowledging and sharing the ending in the safe space with the therapist.

An unconscious or unplanned ending, on the other hand, happens abruptly or without acknowledgment. These can leave clients feeling unresolved, abandoned, or re-traumatised, especially if they’ve faced premature endings or losses in the past.

By working consciously with endings, therapists help clients experience closure as an opportunity for growth and transformation rather than loss and pain.

Why Endings Matter

Many people struggle with unresolved endings – losses, abandonment, or sudden changes that leave no chance for goodbyes. Revisiting these milestones of endings in therapy can bring up discomfort or pain but also offers a potential reparative experience. For clients who’ve faced unprocessed loss, a conscious therapeutic ending can be particularly transformational and healing.

Therapy endings aren’t just about saying goodbye; they’re milestones of reflection, change, integration and progress. Reflecting on the journey and celebrating accomplishments lay the foundation for an alchemical-type process - that of a transmutation of base matter into gold, of a personal growth and transformation.

A Creative Exercise

Take a moment to reflect on 2024 and set intentions for 2025:

Look Back: Grab some paper and coloured crayons or markers. Write or draw symbols and words that represent your 2024 experiences – challenges, achievements, joys, and lessons.
Look Ahead: On a new sheet, create a vision for 2025. Choose a word(s) or symbol(s) to channel your year. Write it boldly, decorate it, and let it inspire you.

Embracing Change

Endings can feel uncertain, but they’re also openings to new beginnings and new chapters. Take time to pause and notice joy-filled moments this season – breathe them in deeply.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in Art Therapy. I’m looking forward to some local downtime in Cape Town - walking in nature, cold ocean swims, sunshine (prescription Vit D3), delicious plant-based food, and curating special connections with people and of course my precious dog, 2 cats and new kitten - all rescues!

Wishing you a conscious, meaningful close to 2024 and a bright beginning to 2025!

Curious about Art Therapy?

✨ Join the 3-Day Art Therapy Seminar in Cape Town in March.

✨ Creatively set goals for 2025 at the online Art Therapy Vision Board workshop in January.

✨ Get a taste of Art Therapy at the online Taster Workshop in February.

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Short 2-hour online taster session where you can find out about Art Therapy in South Africa as well as have a short hands-on experience of both exploring Art Therapy and gaining awareness of the theories that underlie the practice.

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Conscious Endings: Bring 2024 to a Meaningful Close

Navigating Endings

Conscious vs. Unconscious Endings

Why Endings Matter

A Creative Exercise

Embracing Change

Curious about Art Therapy?

Art Therapy Courses / Workshops in South Africa

Art Therapy Courses / Workshops in South Africa

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Art Therapy Sessions

Courses & Workshops