I went to visit a good friend in San Diego while on a mission for self-care. As we were catching up and reminiscing, we made a list of all the places to see. We ate amazing food, went shopping and she took me to La Jolla Cove to see the seals! (as seen above). She showed me the city and everything San Diego had to offer. It was an amazing experience. Absorbing the beautiful scenery and quality of life there, I instantly fell in love with a “gem” which is a type of succulent. The vibrant colors, their durable quality, and the fact that they need minimal water.... intrigued me. As I did more research, I learned that they are able to store moisture in their roots, stems, and thick leaves. This enables them to effortlessly cope with dry periods. Incredible! The “effortless ability to cope” was a beautiful message; ironically learned as I was actively decompressing from stress and concentrating on self-care. I thought about the structure of the plant and how it provides itself exactly what it needs to survive, to cope. Similarly, humans have the ability to use their coping skills for stress. As an art therapist, I engage in the creative process personally in addition to helping my clients explore and develop their own set of coping skills. Learning to live like a “grounded gem;" stable, able to cope, and grow.

Krissy Christofakis is a Clinical Art Therapist in New York and Houston in addition to having practiced art therapy internationally. She has experience with children, adults with intellectual disabilities, geriatrics and behavioral health. As a kid she played the drums and danced, but her main passion was always art. Anything she could get her hands on became part of the art. Through Grounded Gem she found a sense of fulfillment by providing therapeutic experiences to many more individuals in the comfort of their own homes!