Tattoos that heal: How this artist is transforming the scars of self-harm

As an grownup, Barnes has for years thought of overlaying the scars he bears from self-harm.

He simply wasn’t fairly certain how you can go about it.

Now, as a shopper of the St. John’s-based Two Arrows challenge, he is had the scars on his arm lined with a tattoo. Nowadays, Barnes can roll up his sleeve and reveal a crow perched on the thorns of a rose.

Laura Casey, a tattoo artist who runs Woman Lo’s Customized Tattoos in St. John’s, started Two Arrows to assist survivors of self-harm.

She mentioned the purpose is straightforward. “It is tattoos for therapeutic,” she mentioned. 

“Self-harm in a variety of types is much more frequent than individuals assume,” she mentioned. “I believe with, you realize, the slicing, it is a stage of misery—it is a stage of psychological misery that’s form of taking a bodily type.” 

Casey provides free session and tattooing providers to Two Arrows shoppers. She at the moment devotes sooner or later a month to this system as a volunteer, and usually helps one to 3 individuals each month. 

WATCH | Invoice Barnes and Laura Casey describe the influence of the Two Arrows program:

For St. John’s tattoo artist Laura Casey, there’s hope in reclaiming energy from the potential disgrace surrounding self-harm 2:56

Casey mentioned demand is excessive, although, so she’s began a pay-it-forward program. All donations from this system develop Casey’s capability to serve Two Arrows shoppers freed from cost.

The identify of the challenge is rooted within the Buddhist parable of the 2 arrows, or Sallatha Sutta, which illuminates the character of struggling. In keeping with the parable, the primary arrow symbolizes an unavoidably tough life occasion—similar to sickness, demise or the tip of a relationship—whereas the second arrow represents adverse feelings that will come up in response to those occasions, similar to disgrace, anger and self-criticism.

The parable teaches that whereas the primary arrow is probably going inevitable, the second arrow could be a alternative. As an alternative of taking pictures the second arrow of self-judgment and deepening the primary arrow’s wound, the parable provides an alternate path towards therapeutic and self-compassion.

Conversations and connections

It is this therapeutic path that impressed Casey’s challenge. And for Casey, there’s hope in reclaiming energy from the potential disgrace surrounding self-harm.

“It must turn out to be a dialog after we make connections with different individuals. Once we can, you realize, be trustworthy concerning the issues that doubtlessly have triggered us essentially the most disgrace and battle—convey that out and take that little bit of energy away from it. I believe there’s a variety of good in that,” she mentioned.

Earlier than receiving his tattoo, Barnes mentioned his scars had been at all times on his thoughts whereas interacting with everyone. He feared that folks had been fascinated by his scars or that they’d ask questions.

“Now that is not there anymore,” he mentioned. “So it has been an enormous step in my course of.”

And although overlaying his arm has helped him discover peace and therapeutic, Barnes would not really feel his tattoo has erased his scars.

“You already know, my scars are part of me,” he mentioned.

“In a approach I form of see them as battle scars as a result of this was like a very unhealthy time that I managed to get by means of. … I assume it is not likely in a method to cowl them up, however form of incorporating them into a wonderful piece of artwork.”

The place to get assist:

In case you are in disaster or know somebody who’s, right here is the place to get assist:

• Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 (Telephone) | 45645 (Textual content, 4 p.m. to midnight ET solely) crisisservicescanada.ca
• Children Assist Telephone: 1-800-668-6868 (Telephone), Reside Chat counselling at kidshelpphone.ca

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