You may have noticed that throughout the site, there are images of peacocks and peacock feathers. I first read about the symbolism of this majestic bird in a Pema Chodron book, Taking the Leap, when she refers to a Tibetan metaphor, saying:

“The peacock eats poison and that’s what makes the colors of its tail so brilliant…. the poison becomes the source of great beauty & joy…”

I was immediately inspired by this, and the image has stuck with me. I thought to myself, “What an amazing metaphor for art therapy!” and have continued to encounter this symbol, (and sometimes the real thing!), along my path.

A peacock looking to join me on my mat for some yoga in Costa Rica, 2012

My mission as a therapist has been to empower people and help them transform. We are all exposed to “poison”, but we have a choice about whether to let the negative or difficult things in our life become toxic, or to use them as a source of learning, power, and growth. Like the peacock, we have the ability to transmute and transform our pain into something beautiful.