Read more: Local, Crime, Community, Ptsd, Broadmoor Community Church, Art Therapy, Rape, Drug use, Self Medicate, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- A group of Colorado Springs women are using art to help them deal with their post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
FOX21 News spoke to two women who are using art to help them deal with their trauma. Both women have suffered lifetimes worth of physical and sexual abuse. And the trauma they carry today affects every part of their day-to-day lives.
At Liza's Place they help women who have turned to drugs to cope with abuse and rape.
"I was date-raped in college and it was pretty violent and at that time I was a virgin so it was a real shock to my system," said trauma survivor Debora Blanchard.
Like most victims, Blanchard couldn’t come to grips with what she had endured. So she managed the pain the best way she knew how.
"I turned to drugs to deal with a lot of the pain and I’ve been clean for a long time now," Blanchard said.
Genniese Watkins has a similar story but has asked FOX21 News not to reveal the details. She says her trauma affected every part of her life.
"I’m having a hard time holding a steady job. It seems to me that I am only maintaining about a year of sobriety before I start feeling that I need to self-medicate," said Watkins.
Both women say art has healing powers for them and allows them to find a peaceful escape from their trauma even if it's only for a short time.
"I’m able to relax and process my thoughts and come to a peaceful point where I feel solitude and serenity," Watkins said.
"While you are doing the art you don’t really have anything bad in your mind," Blanchard said.
Broadmoor Community Church will hold an art show featuring the art made by these trauma survivors. Some pieces will be for sale with all the money going back to the artist.
The art show is Saturday, May 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Ave.
