Creativity is calling; and I answer whenever I can. But that has not always been my story. My creativity has not always had a place. Growing up in my church, I did not encounter much creative representation, and in my personal life I had felt like my creative gifts were not “useful” enough. So, for most of my life, creativity was reserved for the background.

However, when I attended the Healing Arts Method online training, this changed for me.

If we haven’t met yet, my name is Joyce Mulrooney — One of the many individuals who have fallen in love with the Healing Arts Method.

I first heard about the Method in October 2022 when I attended a one-day workshop. That day wasn’t just informational — it was experiential. Not only did we hear a passionate introduction to the method from the founder, Rebecca Shults, but we stepped into it for ourselves and collaborated with other creatives and professionals forming bonds and friendships that still hold strong four years later.

From that day on, I was hooked.

Here at Healing Art Studios, the process is more valuable than the final product. Beautiful art may be the outcome of one of our sessions, which is great, but what happens before getting to the final art piece is worth more to us.

In this video (25 minutes) I’ll walk you through the method that I use when leading a songwriting session. As I describe several different live projects we’ve done with different audiences, pay attention to the aspects that are always included, (rhythm, structure, co-creation) and emphasis on the content each individual contributes, as well as their process in finding those revelations. I would love to hear your feedback in a comment or email, and look forward to doing another live song-writing event in 2026.

I started working with exploitation survivors in 2006. At that time, no matter where I went in the world, few people knew that sex trafficking existed in their hometown or even country. Whether in America or South Asia, I constantly faced looks of shock and disbelief that women and children would be sold for sex in their home city. The need for policies to change and the public to be informed and for caring people to practical ways to help was enormous. Every time I wrote or spoke about Project Rescue’s work, or about using the arts for healing, a hush would fall and each word felt like ripples across a sea of shock.

Yesterday—the first day at the Project Rescue home—was a dismal and complete failure, and only resulting in hopelessness on my part.

The day ended with me bawling in Naomi’s living room, telling her I have no skill, no gameplan and no hope to work with these girls, even though they truly are the REASON, THE girls that I joined Project Rescue for. And that I had come this far to end up a useless failure. She warned me that it WAS going to be a serious challenge to convince them to open up… so I had to start asking myself, What is my real goal? What does God really want to do here through me? What can I ask of Him to do through me in these girls lives… there is a dire need, a sense of hopelessness and desperation… so what is that need? How can I ask the Lord to show it to me, and to respond tangibly to that need during my interaction with the girls? The first step, I knew, must be to pray for relationship with the girls, for us to build trust and a connection.