The Therapeutic Benefits of Scrapbooking
Dear Readers,
Today’s edition of Tutor Tips discusses a topic that is very dear to my heart. Today, January 19, would be my son Logan’s 18th birthday. He has been gone for almost 5 years now, and I am writing this article in his memory.
~Libby
Everyone faces various struggles in their lives. How we cope with those struggles is very personal. I’ve found that by taking the time to create a scrapbook page about the difficult times in my life, I am able to let go of some of the anger, sadness, or frustration that I feel about the situation. I don’t want to give the impression that scrapping these topics is easy. At times, it can be heart wrenching. If you find that the pain you feel when doing these pages outweighs the therapeutic benefits, perhaps you need more time before you tackle the subject. There is no rule that says you must do these pages in a timely fashion.
Below is a list of topics that you may wish to include in your scrapbook along with links to layouts created by other scrappers who have faced similar situations.
Death of a spouse, parent, child, friend, or loved one
Example: “Remember Me” by Mary Arquette
Illnesses both physical and mental
Example: “New Deep” by Elizabeth Cuzzacrea
Accidents
Example: “We Give Thanks” by Sheredian
Difficult Pregnancy, Infertility, or Miscarriage
Example: “I am So Blessed” by Amy Stultz
Divorce
Example: “Memories of Another Time” by Kim Mattina
Work-related stress, unemployment, or holding down a job you do not like
Example: “Work Related Stress” by Amy Stultz
Parenting issues such as coping when a child has disabilities, being a step-parent, or not being the “perfect” parent
Example: “Pure Joy” by Sherri Winstead
Weight-loss
Example: “The Day that Changed My Life Forever” by JulieN
Difficult Childhood
Example: “Looking Back at Me” by Jennifer Sizemore
Loss of a pet
Example: “Sandy” by Amy Stultz
World News including natural disasters, war, and September 11
Example: “Proud to be an American” by Libby Weifenbach
For me, the most important thing to remember when I’m putting these pages together is that they are not for anyone else. Even if no one else ever sees them, they have served their purpose by giving me an outlet to release my thoughts in a way that I find healing.
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