Hi There! I am Jennifer, the Creator of Portrait Healing, and I am so glad you’re here! 

 

I am an artist and a passionate mental health advocate located in Philadelphia.

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I've grappled with depression since my early years, but thankfully had an inner sense that the emotions I was experiencing weren't right. This intuitive awareness ignited a lifelong journey of self-discovery and emotional understanding, propelling me forward in search of answers and healing.

 

During my pursuit, I explored a range of avenues, diving into self-help literature, meditation, therapeutic workshops, and counseling. It was within the depths of my own sadness that I stumbled upon a profound insight: Understanding what caused my unhappiness served as a pathway to clarity about what truly brought me joy. In essence, deciphering what made me unhappy evolved into a process of elimination to what brought me happiness. 

 

While on this mental health journey,  in my artistic pursuits, I tended to stray from creating within my mood, furthering the mismatch of my external expression and internal experience. Until one night, while in the pits of a deep depression, uninspired to create, but desperate to maintain my identity as an artist, I had a breakthrough idea: to document my depression.

Without delay, the next day, I set up my camera and let it capture me while I moved through some feelings. When I was done and looked at the photos, I expected a creative perspective, but what I saw instead was my own humanness. This was how my emotions were affecting me? I could feel them, but seeing them was powerful. It was the first time I felt compassion for myself.

 

This experience combined with different modalities for introspection birthed the Portrait Healing Toolkit. My goal is to impart the tools and wisdom I've acquired on my personal journey, with the aim of assisting others in forging a connection with their authentic selves. I firmly believe that everyone should have access to these tools, and I am really excited to bring them to you!