About Painting Your Soul™
Painting Your Soul offers you a therapeutic approach to wellness through its unique expressive arts kit. This innovative approach combines journaling, essential oils, positive affirmations, a guided meditation, and painting to create a self-reflective experience that unlocks the emotions and empowers you to express them creatively. Even for those who struggle to articulate their feelings, Painting Your Soul offers a safe space for exploration and healing, which can reduce stress, gain clarity, and promote mindfulness.
About Karen Hanlon
Karen Hanlon, the visionary behind Painting Your Soul, Inc., is an art therapy practitioner, former educator, author, and international speaker from Florida. With a B.A. in education specializing in early childhood development and gifted studies, Karen began her career as an educator. In this role, she witnessed firsthand how painting and writing calmed and empowered her students, boosting their self-esteem.
However, it was during a difficult time in her life that she truly discovered art’s therapeutic potential. During that challenging period, she developed a unique six-step process combining journaling, aromatherapy, affirmations, meditation, painting, and journaling again. This process became her sanctuary, helping her navigate emotional turmoil and rediscover her strength.
The Beauty Lies in its Adaptability
Recognizing that if art could be her lifeline, it could serve the same purpose for others, including veterans struggling with PTSD, Karen launched Painting Your Soul. The beauty of the program lies in its adaptability, making it accessible for everyone, regardless of artistic experience. Its fresh approach, recognized as the Best Emotional Therapy Program of 2024 by Best Holistic Life Magazine, combines expressive arts with mindfulness practices for emotional release and healing, not artistic mastery.
Karen has witnessed first-hand the transformative power of artistic expression through her workshops and pioneering self-expression kits. “Creativity is soul work,” she says, and she encourages her participants to stay out of over-analysis and meaning-making of what they paint. Instead, Painting Your Soul is more about “engaging with the mystery” and allowing the creative process to unfold naturally.
“The answers are not found in the busy mind, but in the silence of the soul,” Karen believes. Her mindfulness-based approach emphasizes the process over product, guiding her people through an artistic journey of self-discovery and emotional release.
“The Missing Piece” in Holistic Medicine
Working from the Costello Center for Counseling in St. Petersburg, Florida, Karen collaborates with healthcare providers nationwide to incorporate these kits into their practices, with some providers calling it “the missing piece” in holistic medicine.
Her goal is to introduce the kits in hospitals and rehab centers to aid patient recovery.
Beyond her profession, Karen’s commitment extends to community charities, showcasing her dedication to making a positive impact. Her journey from a personal struggle to a passionate advocate for mental health is inspiring. She’s been featured on multiple TV channels and podcasts, and is a monthly columnist for Best Holistic Life Magazine.
Karen’s vision is a world where everyone can access this holistic approach to mental wellbeing, unlocking the inner artist within each person, guiding them on a path to healing and joy through the act of artistic expression.
See What’s in the Box
Click here to see everything that’s in the Painting Your Soul expressive arts kit.
