I carry your heart: A dialogue about coping, art, and therapy after a profound loss

Through personal art processes, intentional dialogue, and application to clinical work, two art psychotherapists explore personal experiences with the death of a loved one. The paper illuminates the way art supports integration, articulation, and connection with self and the deceased after a profound loss. The paper begins with a brief review of the literature related to grief and loss therapy, art making, and art therapy. The authors then present personal artworks and narratives linked to dialectic reflections as they co-examine their art, consolidate insights through brief case vignettes, and present a summary of utilizing art therapy following the death of a loved one.