Compassionate Coloring & Healing Circle for Trauma Survivors
You deserve to prioritize your calm.
Discover the transformative joy of coloring and ignite your healing journey with Ruth Hong Art. In the Compassionate Coloring & Healing Circle for Trauma Survivors, Ruth Michalsen of Ruth Hong Art guides participants in meditative coloring with a monthly coloring prompt. Healers will engage in mindful coloring and observation, safe group discussion to build connection, and experience a warm community environment.
No previous art experience or skills are needed.
All materials provided, including the monthly prompts, coloring supplies, mixed media paper, photographic references and/or still life setups - just bring your curiosity and imagination to each circle!
Healing circle workshops will be hosted at Critical Grind Board Game Cafe in Shorewood, Illinois, every third Sunday* of each month beginning February 2025.
💛 Accessible Healing, No Barriers 💛
Choose the price that best reflects your current situation—no questions asked, just come as you are.
🍋 Gentle Support Tier – $55
For those who need a little financial help to attend.
🎨 Sustaining Support Tier – $95
For those who can contribute more but still need some support.
💜 Full Circle Tier – $125 or $1,000 per year ($500 savings)
For those who can pay full price and help sustain this offering for others.
Limited spots in the coloring and healing circle are available. Reserve your spot today!
Ask yourself
- Do you find it difficult to manage your emotions?
- Do you second guess your worth?
- Have you tried all the things: cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), somatic expressive therapy, trauma therapy, EMDR, ketamine therapy, etc., and finding that your treatment has plateaued?
- Are you looking for a skill to help you practice mindfulness and slowing down?
- Are you looking to reconnect with yourself and make connections with others?
Benefits of joining the Compassionate Coloring & Healing Circle
- Create Routine: The Compassionate Coloring & Healing Circle can help you be accountable for developing a sustained practice of coloring.
- Facilitate Connection: Attending the monthly circles and participating in group coloring activities can foster connection through community and decrease feelings of isolation.
- Increases Mindfulness: Focusing on the act of coloring can help you stay grounded and present.
- Decreases Hypervigilance: Coloring can help shift your focus away from your hypervigilance due to the relaxing nature and somatic properties of coloring
- Strengthen your Cognitive Skills: Coloring helps encode visuals into your working memory and enhance your problem-solving skills.
Register Today
Location
Critical Grind Board Game Cafe
852 Sharp Dr. Unit L, Shorewood, IL
Schedule (themes subject to change)
Every third Sunday from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. CT.
(ENDED) February 16, 2025 - FREE Launch party - This first session is FREE of charge for you to explore coloring and materials and ask me any questions you might have about how the Healing Circle works. We'll get to sample some toasts and cafe drinks provided by Critical Grind.
(ENDED) March 16, 2025 - Experiment with different coloring mark-making techniques. We will be using various materials including colored pencil, pastels, watercolor markers and more.
April 13, 2025 - *Note: Updated date due to Cafe closed on Easter Sunday. Color Spring blooms from reference photos (and possibly still life depending upon the timing of blooms).
May 18, 2025 - Color items of our favorite activities in observation of Mental Health Awareness Month
June 22, 2025 - Experiment with blending warm colors
July 20, 2025 - Explore coloring all things metal & shiny
August 17, 2025 - Color our affection--Bring items that you are fond of as references to color from: toys, plushies, jewelry, your favorite book etc.
September 21, 2025 - Color Fall favorites
October 19, 2025 - Explore coloring shapes with shadow and highlights
November 16, 2025 - Color items found on a walk in the woods
December 21, 2025 - Experiment with blending cool colors
January 18, 2026 - Explore and color items that remind you of birth and renewal
What previous participants say about Ruth Hong Art workshops
"My 'aha' moment occurred when I realized how quickly I became engrossed in what I was doing – concentrating on the colors, looking for shadows, etc. In a few short moments of creating a background, I had closed out everything around me."
– Jeanine P. (in-person workshop participant)
"I enjoyed seeing a variety of people with a variety of interest and skills. I also enjoyed [that the workshop] was more casual with topics brought up organically, [Ruth] checking in and [providing] assistance as needed."
– Samantha M. (in-person workshop participant)
My Mission
Hi! I'm Ruth Michalsen of Ruth Hong Art, a mixed media artist and educator.
As we all experience life with varying degrees of challenges, one of the most challenging times for me was receiving the diagnosis of complex PTSD, shortly after my children were born. Through completing and trying multiple modalities of therapy, I rediscovered joy through the practice of coloring. Now, I manage my responses to difficult emotions and triggers on a moment-to-moment basis. Coloring encourages me to appreciate the present.
My aspiration is to help trauma survivors cultivate self-compassion and connect them to others on the same healing journey. Practice coloring with me and let me show you how mindfulness and nonjudgment can help you thrive as a healer.
The Compassionate Coloring & Healing Circle is a judgment-free zone, and a safe space for trauma survivors to explore their creativity and build self-compassion in their healing journey.
Important Disclaimer: Please note that while I, Ruth Michalsen, am a trauma survivor myself and passionate about the healing potential of coloring and group discussion, I am not a medical professional. The healing circle is not a substitute for professional therapy or treatment. It is intended as a complementary tool for healing, connection and self-expression. If you are experiencing trauma or distress, please consult a qualified healthcare professional for support.
