Finding the Artist within: Art Therapy and Eating Disorders

Art Therapy has been a powerful and effective coping skill that the eating disorder community has embraced for decades. Art therapy helps and challenges a person to create and to reflect on the process of the art making experience and the art work they create. This process is powerful especially for someone who is suffering […]

Feminist Scholar Blurs the Arts and Sciences: An Intimate Conversation

*This interview of Dr. Patricia Leavy was originally prepared for publication in the now defunct arts e-zine, HerCircle* I interviewed scholar and novelist Patricia Leavy for an UpClose Interview featured in February 2012 HerCircle E-Zine, about her passion for blurring the arts and sciences. Since that interview Leavy has gone from being a professor to […]

Low-Fat Love 101: Art and Ego

Recently I was doing an interview about my new book, Fiction as Research Practice, and I was asked a question that made me pause. We were talking about the arts, writing and challenges publishing when the interviewer asked: what role do you think ego plays in the life of a writer? The question came on […]

BODY EMPOWERMENT – “Compassion (For Every Year)”

As part of the weekly Wednesday posting of my ongoing YouTube series “Body Empowerment,” here’s “‘Compassion (For Every Year)’ (Body Empowerment 54)” originally posted March 19, 2012, on YouTube.com by Caroline Rothstein. Check it out! About BODY EMPOWERMENT: Founded in 2008, “Body Empowerment” is hosted and produced by NYC-based writer, performer, and eating disorder recovery advocate Caroline Rothstein. In […]

Meditation and Stress-Management Through Ancient Painting Techniques

I recently learned of a style of painting called suiboku-ga or Sumi-e that originated with Zen monks — the artform itself is a meditative practice.  What better stress-management tool could there be?  It employs art, yogic teachings, meditation and mindfulness. With gratitude to a yogi that I have followed for about 8 years named Leza […]

BODY EMPOWERMENT – “How Not To Purge”

Note from WATRD Editor: this post may be triggering for those struggling with an eating disorder, but the end message is incredibly powerful. Please view at your own risk and employ self-care. As part of the weekly Wednesday posting of my ongoing YouTube series “Body Empowerment,” here’s “How Not To Purge (Body Empowerment 46)” originally […]

The Art of Paper (Toque de Queda)

One of the goals of the WATRD site is to help people learn healthy ways to manage stress (especially through the arts).  I learned of Aydasara Ortega’s paper-making and had to interview her for the site.  I hope it helps you find a little peace through the holiday craze!  Robyn Hussa, Author/Editor, WATRD 1. Aydasara, […]

Women Hurting Each Other or Helping?

About fifteen year’s ago I was introduced to this painting and — to this day — it haunts me.   I find it so incredibly powerful. I was introduced to the artist — Gustav Rehberger — through a friend who took me to his studio.  Rehberger’s gallery was a work space located in a loft […]

4 Keys To Improving Your Body Image

Graciously re-posted from Gurze Publications Whether we are in grade school, high school, college — or beyond — we can benefit from increasing our body esteem.  We know that negative body image contributes directly to an array of issues, to overall dissatisfaction and unhappiness, but also it is important to see that our bodies also […]

My Journey Home

As my introductory post for WATRD, I thought I’d share a little about myself and what brings me to this point in life, so that going forward those reading my words might have a better idea of what influences the perspectives I share. I am a thirty-something year old woman who two years ago left […]