{"id":1675,"date":"2018-03-29T09:00:48","date_gmt":"2018-03-29T13:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1675"},"modified":"2018-03-28T20:14:01","modified_gmt":"2018-03-29T00:14:01","slug":"jennifer-nadler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1675","title":{"rendered":"Jennifer Nadler"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding Truth in Art\u00a0<\/em><\/h1>\n

By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alice G. Patterson<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Jennifer Nadler, founder of The Center for Creative Arts & Healing, motivational speaker and sexual abuse awareness advocate, will be the first to admit she doesn\u2019t consider herself an artist. That aside, art is a huge piece of her life.<\/p>\n

Soon after Jenn began her career in Central New York as a middle school teacher, she started having panic attacks, feeling depressed and not sleeping well. She didn\u2019t understand it at the time, but the students had become triggers for Jenn, who had been sexually assaulted throughout the seventh and eighth grade. Eventually, she resigned from her teaching position and went to an inpatient facility in Texas for a month.<\/p>\n

Then came the time to return home and leave the safe world she felt had been created around her. The thought terrified Jenn.<\/p>\n

Upon returning north, she aimed to maintain that feeling of security. Along with a psychiatrist and psychologist, Jenn found a support group specifically for female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Each week, group members bonded over current struggles and celebrations, and the peer facilitator used art projects, an approach Jenn had become familiar with at the inpatient facility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt accesses things in a different way and helps you process things in a different way,\u201d Jenn explained. \u201cSome of our memories or our feelings are unable to be put into words.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she continued her journey, Jenn began to give presentations about her experiences. In late 2017, Jenn began offering her own support groups and individual sessions using art at her newly-opened business, The Center for Creative Arts & Healing. The center has evolved to help anyone wishing to incorporate art into their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all born into the world with a clean slate. And then, some sooner than others, we are exposed to pain,\u201d Jenn said, explaining the importance of examining the source of someone else\u2019s seemingly destructive decisions. \u201cSo, I feel like we can all benefit from this kind of process. We\u2019ve all got something we\u2019re dealing with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The power of a truth<\/h4>\n

After a long hiatus \u2014 during which Jenn and her husband started their family \u2014 Jenn returned to teaching, this time in higher education, taking part-time positions at Le Moyne College and Onondaga Community College.<\/p>\n

The renewed venture introduced her to PowerPoint. One day, while listening to her favorite music, Jenn began to envision images. She was moved to create a personal PowerPoint presentation.\u00a0She made the beginning and end, not knowing exactly what it was she was crafting. Piece by piece, she determined what should go in the middle.<\/p>\n

When she mentioned the newly-forming creation to her psychologist, he suggested it might be part of her process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like something more,\u201d Jenn said, \u201cbut I can\u2019t tell you what.\u201d<\/p>\n

A friend who taught a victimology class at Le Moyne College agreed to let Jenn give the presentation to the class. Though she was terrified, Jenn admits, the reaction of the students was incredible.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was definitely hard,\u201d Jenn said, \u201cbut there was something about it that felt a little freeing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Branching out to other local colleges, Jenn continued speaking. Thinking back, she remembered having anxiety before each presentation. It\u2019s like being in a performance, she explained, except it isn\u2019t a story scripted by someone else. It\u2019s your own life.<\/p>\n

She wondered if the audience might judge her or see her differently when the presentation ended. But the more she shared her truth, as Jenn calls it, the more she embraced her power.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was great power in stepping into my truth and owning it, and not being ashamed of it anymore,\u201d Jenn said, \u201cand really getting comfortable with the fact that there are always going to be people that judge other people, and I have to let that go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenn continued sharing her presentation, and she was eventually accepted to speak at a national conference. It\u2019s spiraled from there, she said. Now, she travels nationally and internationally to share her truth. This April \u2014 both sexual assault awareness and child abuse awareness months \u2014 she\u2019ll be speaking in Buffalo, Maryland, Chicago, California, Washington, Kuwait and Bahrain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love meeting new people, witnessing even just a piece of their truth. I\u2019ve made some really cool connections,\u201d Jenn said. \u201cIt\u2019s just been another layer of that onion of healing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Expanding art<\/h4>\n

After presentations, audience members often stayed and talked with Jenn about their own lives and experiences. Each speaking engagement presented opportunities for Jenn to make an impact on and connect with other survivors. The idea that her truth might stir something in another person and change their life excited her.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, she\u2019d exchange emails with those people later. However, since she often traveled to speak, those connections weren\u2019t always long-lasting.<\/p>\n

Jenn wanted to change that.<\/p>\n

Last year, when she celebrated her 40th birthday, she asked herself, \u201cWhat are your goals moving forward and what can you do about trying to get there?\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the goals \u2014 a pipe dream, she called it \u2014 was to open some sort of center where she could use the methods that helped her heal to aid other survivors of childhood sexual assault. After reflecting on her goals, Jenn decided to take the leap. She searched Craigslist and found the space at 327 W. Fayette St. in Armory Square.<\/p>\n

Similar to her experience with art, Jenn hadn\u2019t thought of herself as a businesswoman \u2014 but here she was, a business owner. After she secured the space, she began thinking about budgeting, marketing, advertising and other aspect of running a business. While the new venture made her nervous, the nerves motivated her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was petrified when I started speaking, and now [the business is] a new thing to be terrified about,\u201d she said with a laugh. \u201cBut it\u2019s good. I think a little fear is good for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenn started with what she knew, by offering group and individual sessions to female survivors of sexual abuse and assault. Then, she began getting calls from people who had suffered from other types of abuse or neglect.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that OK?\u201d they asked her.<\/p>\n

Jenn had to take a step back and evaluate what she wanted the center to offer. The new pieces wouldn\u2019t necessarily fit into the shoebox she\u2019d created, Jenn said.<\/p>\n

She reached out to the woman who\u2019d run the support group that helped her when she returned to the area. Jenn learned her moderator had actually began by incorporating art into women\u2019s groups. Then, someone had suggested she offer those groups for sexual assault survivors.<\/p>\n

It was then that Jenn realized this was a universal need.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh gosh,\u201d she remembered thinking, \u201cyou can use this process for anything that you\u2019re going through.\u201d<\/p>\n

How art helps<\/h4>\n

Jenn now offers both group and individual sessions at The Center for Creative Arts & Healing to anyone who needs them.<\/p>\n

Each session begins with a check-in, to determine the best course of action for the remainder of the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting to talk about what\u2019s on your mind and your heart is where I like to start,\u201d Jenn explained.<\/p>\n

Then, some sort of meditation sets the stage for the art portion of the session. The art activity differs from person to person and group to group. Sometimes, there\u2019s a focus. Other times, it\u2019s open-ended. Last, there\u2019s time to reflect. If it\u2019s a group setting, individuals can get feedback from other participants if they choose.<\/p>\n

While the group aspect was beneficial to her, she knows that not everyone wants to discuss their lives in front of others, let alone receive feedback from them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout even saying a word, you\u2019re exposing yourself,\u201d Jenn explained.<\/p>\n

Though Jenn plans to travel for most of April, she does have openings at the center for both group and individual sessions. Connect with her at creativeartsandheal.wixsite.com\/center.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s also hoping to do a monthly crafting workshop in the future, open to anyone interested in joining.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust even making something with your hands can be soothing and calming,\u201d Jenn said. \u201cIt\u2019s not even that you necessarily have to come with some issue that you\u2019re looking to explore. Maybe you\u2019re just coming to calm your soul, make something, relax.\u201d SWM <\/em><\/p>\n

To connect with Jenn, email creativeartsandhealing@gmail.com or call\/text (315) 552-0617.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Finding Truth in Art\u00a0 By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alice G. Patterson\u00a0 Jennifer Nadler, founder of The Center for Creative Arts & Healing, motivational speaker and sexual abuse awareness advocate, will be the first to admit she doesn\u2019t consider herself an artist. That aside, art is a huge piece of her life. Soon after…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[146,572,588,133,589,573],"class_list":["post-1675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-alice-g-patterson","tag-april-2018","tag-jennifer-nadler","tag-lorna-oppedisano","tag-the-center-for-creative-arts-and-healing","tag-the-entrepreneurship-edition"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Jennifer-Nadler-0012-1.jpg?fit=5200%2C3462&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2635,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2635","url_meta":{"origin":1675,"position":0},"title":"WBOC Leading Lady: Jennifer Nadler, Soul of a Survivor","author":"Staff","date":"October 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Carol Radin \u00a0 Looking back at her 13-year old self, who had endured repeated sexual assaults by a family relative, Jennifer Nadler now reflects, \u201cAt the time, I think I made the decision to put it aside. What I didn\u2019t realize was that I couldn\u2019t moveforward until I could\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Jennifer-Nadler-0012.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Jennifer-Nadler-0012.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Jennifer-Nadler-0012.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Jennifer-Nadler-0012.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2053,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2053","url_meta":{"origin":1675,"position":1},"title":"Sora Iriye","author":"Staff","date":"September 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Creating Connection through Art By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alice G. 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