I'm Taryn, a Registered Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor with over six years of experience in the mental health field. I know what it feels like to be so depleted that caring for yourself falls completely off the list. I've been there. That experience is what drives everything I create for teachers, therapists, caregivers, and other big-hearted people who are much better at showing up for others than for themselves.
I created Create & Release for the people who have very little free time, don't consider themselves artists, and struggle to justify making space for themselves. This is for you.
🎨 A way to process your thoughts and feelings that doesn't require journaling (or any art skills)
🎨 Intentional time carved out just for you, not for anyone else
🎨 Simple, repeatable practices you can return to long after the series ends
🎨 A gentle release for the stress that keeps piling up week after week
...then this workshop series is for you.
🎨 How to use the act of creating to move stress out of your head and into something tangible
🎨 A writing-based release technique that gets transformed into art, so nothing you write ever has to be seen or kept
🎨 Step-by-step processes you don't need to be "good at art" to follow. If you can hold a brush, you can do this.
🎨 Practices simple enough to repeat on your own, with new results every time
TESTIMONIALS
Feedback from Create & Release participants!
“The workshop reinforced my recent "discovery" that even very brief and casual art experiences were valuable in terms of self-regulation and instilling well being. I was struck at how working with color and design and words and linking them with specific emotions and thoughts truly transformed some of those emotions and thoughts. Each of the sessions had something similar-- some kind of transformative element for me. My takeaway: I'll keep doing this!”
“Being creative and being able to express myself through art has been missing from my life. I haven't been acting, singing, or directing which usually satisfies that need, so having a creative outlet that isn't as timeconsuming, is 100% dedicated to me, and was really wonderful. It made me realize how much I need to keep putting it on my calendar.”
“Despite knowing the benefits of it, it is incredibly hard for me to carve out time for myself and dedicating art-making solely for myself, so being directed by a workshop made it happen these last few weeks...and I feel like it opened the door for me to find a lot of pleasure beyond the workshops, too.”
“I loved the connection piece. Connection to myself. Connection to my thoughts and my experiences. Reflecting on my emotions and feelings. And then being able to transform that into connecting with my children. ”
"Create & Release taught me three concrete strategies I can call on any time to help process feelings that come up day to day. It gives you a glimpse into how to use creating as a way to get things out of your head and into a physical form. Even in a whirlwind month, it was so convenient and accessible that I looked forward to it as part of my week."
"This couldn't have come at a better time. It gave me time and space to process the past couple of months and even helped me come to terms with taking a big step I needed to take in my life."
Each workshop is 20 minutes or less and filmed in real time, so you'll create alongside me from start to finish, not follow along with a polished tutorial. Think of it like an online yoga class, but for your inner world.
The videos are pre-recorded, so you can do them whenever works best for you. And because each process is open-ended, you can repeat any of the three workshops and get something different out of it every time. Many participants find themselves returning to these practices long after the series ends.
Upon registration, the welcome materials and Workshop #1 are available immediately. Workshop #2 unlocks one week later, and Workshop #3 the week after that. You'll have access to everything for 90 days.
Good news: you probably already have most of what you need.
Here's what I recommend having on hand:
🎨 Mixed media paper 🎨 Black Sharpie 🎨 Acrylic or watercolor paint in a few colors (3+ recommended). No watercolors? Markers work great too! 🎨 Paint brushes 🎨 A cup for water
A few optional extras that are fun but not required: scissors, a gluestick, something round like a bowl, a hair dryer, and essential oils.
Welcome to Create & Release! This section includes an overview, tips, materials list, and two free PDF downloads to support your practice.
Write it out, then let it go -- You'll begin with a free-write, pouring whatever is weighing on you onto the page. Then you'll paint right over it. The words disappear beneath the color, and so does some of the weight.
Hold the both/and -- This one works with the idea that two opposite things can be true at the same time. Using line, color, and a weaving technique, you'll create something that holds the tension and complexity of your inner life without needing to resolve it.
Make something from your week -- You'll gather the pieces of your week, the hard parts and the good ones, tear them up, and arrange them into a single piece. A visual record of what you lived through, and a way to honor and release it.
FAQ section
Answers to your lingering questions about Create & Release
Not at all. These workshops are designed for people who haven't picked up a paintbrush in years, or ever. The process is guided step by step, and the goal is never to make something beautiful. It's to make space for yourself.
You probably have more than you think. The materials list is short and simple, most of it is available at any craft or dollar store, and nothing is specialized. If you can find a piece of paper and something to paint with, you can get started.
That's less than a therapy copay, a massage, or a night out, and these are tools you can return to on your own long after the series ends. Participants regularly share that they're still using these practices weeks later.
You have 90 days of access, so there's no pressure to keep a perfect schedule. Life happens. The workshops are short enough that even a busy week has room for one.
Create & Release is not a substitute for therapy or mental health treatment. It's an accessible, self-guided art practice designed for everyday stress and self-care. That said, it was created by a licensed therapist and is grounded in therapeutic principles. If you're currently in therapy, many participants have found it to be a great complement to that work.
Alongside me. Each workshop is filmed in real time, meaning you'll watch me make the art as you make yours. It's not a tutorial with edited clips or polished results. It's the actual process, start to finish, so you never feel like you're figuring it out alone.
Disclaimer: Create & Release is not a personalized therapy service and is not an appropriate replacement for other mental health services. This series is not recommended for an individual experiencing acute, unmanageable stress and distress. All information in this series is for educational and enrichment purposes only, does not constitute medical or mental health advice, and does not establish any kind of patient-client relationship.