From Hollow to Whole: [Art – Based] Mindfulness and the Art Of Embracing Emptiness

In this thought-provoking episode, host Jodi Rose Gonzales explores how art-based mindfulness transforms emptiness into a catalyst for renewal. Through a compelling case study, trauma-informed neuroscience, and the story behind her own artwork, she reveals how stillness and perceived loss create the perfect conditions for growth. Additionally, she offers an intriguing-yet-simple art prompt to help you engage with these themes in your own creative practice.

Key Takeaways:

• Emptiness isn’t an end: it can be a sanctuary for new beginnings


• The science of stillness: explore the psychological frameworks demonstrating that rest fuels resilience


• A practical art therapy prompt for exploring your own "hollow spaces" and “wholeness”


• We’d love to hear your reflections or stories of transformation. Share your thoughts with us @JodiRose.Studio on IG or Facebook or tag us on social media using #TheiROSEPodcast.

Resources

iROSE Society: https://www.jodirosestudio.com/society

The Girl in the Woods Parables: https://www.jodirosestudio.com/

Journal Questions: 

After you create your piece:

Write in your journal, create poetry about the piece, or use the dialoguing technique with the artwork. In dialoguing, you’ll ask the artwork: 

• What wisdom does it have to share about wholeness? 


• What might this space be protecting?


• What new growth might it be incubating?


• What needs shelter, or nourishment before it can emerge?

References

• Raichle, M. E. (2015). The Brain's Default Mode Network. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 38, 433-447.


• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.


• Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2020). Posttraumatic Growth: Theory, Research, and Applications.


• Rogers, C. R. (1961). On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy.