Kelly Burns–Art Therapist, STARS of Hope Volunteer

                When you face trauma, the reality those around you are seeing and the reality you are forced to navigate on your own appear to be worlds apart. Expressing that imperceptible reality and unlocking the distortions and grotesque faces of one’s thoughts to another being can be just as difficult. However, The way people can communicate their pain healthily/creatively and in healthy ways is limitless . Kelly Burns, an extraordinary art therapist, envisions what ‘limitless’ is in her work every day.

                Art therapy is “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship” according to the American Art Therapy Association. 

It is rooted in the belief that creative expression can foster healing and mental well-being. Art provides an outlet or an opportunity for those who find difficulty expressing their pain with their voice. Kelly Burns worked with several organizations who work with victims of trauma before becoming an art therapist for Stars of Hope.

                As a young girl, Kelly knew she wanted to be an artist. She also knew what the healing power of art can provide through her own experiences, so she wanted to find a career where she can share that knowledge with others and became an art therapist in 2016. Before working with Stars of Hope, Kelly completed graduate school with a MA in counseling psychology and art therapy, and completed her clinical internship at a behavioral health hospital. She worked with a variety of populations in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Since then Kelly has worked at a variety of settings including residentials and programs for trauma, addiction, survivors and families affected by domestic violence, and human and sex trafficking. 

                During her time as an art therapist, she has seen first hand the healing properties of art therapy with her clients. There is a kind of comfort and feeling of safety that art making can provide that is different from other therapies. With an art therapist, clients can access traumatic experiences and memories in a safe yet empowering way, which talking alone might not be enough. STARS of Hope cherishes these therapeutic tendencies when they give individuals the opportunity to create a star for a cause. Our volunteers are given the opportunity to find peace within themselves, as well as support a greater cause. 

                Kelly worked with a young boy who was referred to her because his family and school were concerned about his sudden lack of communication after experiencing domestic violence in his home. Due to the trauma he had experienced alongside his family, this boy’s personality and behaviors changed significantly. He refused to speak to family members and friends and became very withdrawn and anxious. This substantial change others witnessed in him became very apparent. Through his time in art therapy, this boy was able to “find his voice” again and through art making was able to tell his story about himself, what had happened to him and his family, and began to feel safe again and return to who he was before the traumatic experience. The love he found with creative expression and art making allowed him to open up and express his thoughts in remarkable ways. The boy was just one of many who found comfort in expressing himself through art, which led to unimaginable personal betterment. Think about how much art therapy and creating stars with Stars of Hope can do for so many individuals if it could do so much for a little boy.

                Today, Kelly finds importance in putting an end to the stigma surrounding mental health. She believes that showing compassion and kindness towards everyone is a first step. Although she has helped many individuals, she believes there is still work to be done, new approaches to consider, and problems to find new solutions for. She will continue to serve those around her and set a beautiful example for those around her alongside Stars of Hope.