Healing can occur through all art practices, and is especially helpful when people cannot find the words to express what they need to. An understanding of self can be developed through the physical process of making art, or discussion of images post creation.  This understanding can assist the creator gain clarity and peace of mind. Learning and building relationships with artists on social, cultural, and holistic scales has expanded my personal understanding of my art and the world around me. Understanding that my work with tactile materials—primarily fibers and metals—builds upon generations that have sustained their livelihood in the same way has brought clarity to the direction of my art practice. Through the embodied experience of bending fibers, melting metals, and shaping new forms I participate in healing practices through the act of creation. The result of this work, along with art in response to lived experiences, is new expressions of communication, growth, and conscious awareness.