II. The BioMindfulArt Approach

So, if it's not clinical therapy, what exactly do you do? Is it something like art therapy? Are you a painting instructor or maybe a life coach? I try to explain without cracking up at the confused looks people give me while they try to figure out what I actually do. Most of the time, they just say:"Interesting." And honestly, there is no better word!

Without meaning to sound insolent, I stopped caring about it a while ago and started lovingly accepting whatever title people want to give me. If they want to call me a therapist, artist, coach, teacher, or even crazy, I accept it with love. If a title brings them peace, it brings me peace too. I understand the need to define ourselves with a title, as I often catch myself categorizing people into boxes I've created. Although I understand it, and the idea of this blog is to try to explain my approach with the passion and love I feel for it, it's challenging for a single word or title to encompass everything I do at BioMindfulArt, which reflects the many facets of who I am and my journey.

And I'll start there. I'm María José, and I am many things. I studied psychology and biopsychology in Colombia and the United States. I founded BioMindfulArt because it allows me to be true to myself without being constrained by traditional methods. While I value science and education, I am concerned about adhering strictly to what any discipline claims as the sole truth. I've faced this conflict across various fields, particularly with clinical psychology, diagnoses, scientific evidence, pharmacology, traditional medicine, and even the scientific method.

I have a passion for learning and studying clinical psychology, yet I never felt fully aligned with it. During my final years at university in Colombia, my classmates and professors encouraged me to pursue clinical practice, but I resisted; something within me felt that it wasn't my path. Additionally, I held the belief that "psychologists struggle financially, choose organizational psychology." And that's exactly what I did.

Working at Marriott was one of the most significant decisions of my life. Initially, I thought it was a mistake, but now I am grateful for it. This decision led me to move to the United States, reject the corporate world, and deeply question how I wanted to live my life, who I wanted around me, and what it truly means to choose a profession and work for more than just survival. I needed to grasp strategic planning in real life and understand the structure and standards of the corporate world, which often conflicts with my values. However, I have profound respect and compassion for those who thrive in that ecosystem and find a healthy way to evolve within it.

What I appreciate most about my experience with Marriott, and everyone involved, is that it led me to discover my passion for training. Just a few months after beginning my internship at Marriott, I assumed the role of a training professional. Despite not knowing what I was doing at first, I learned to craft presentations and lead training sessions. Although I lacked the confidence I have today, I had the courage to embrace the challenge and responsibility, even without being fully prepared. And that was the lesson; this experience taught me that we are always ready for whatever life and God intend for us to learn.

Absolutely nothing happens by chance! I had to learn how to design and implement a training plan. I had to learn how to prepare topics, speak in front of groups, structure ideas, guide human processes, and truly appreciate the power of creation and innovation. Several years later, I realized that life had been preparing me all along to craft my own unique method and equipping me with the tools to lead my very own workshops.

The most effective solution I discovered for reconciling the conflict between organizational and clinical psychology was to blend them into my own unique approach. This approach embraces all my passions and integrates the positive elements from various fields that, in my view, enhance the therapeutic process. I combined insights from training, planning, clinical psychology, positive psychology, art, biology, and spirituality into a unified method. Indeed, it is entirely possible to have it all; any limitations are merely self-imposed.

Before scheduling a session, I clarify that I do not evaluate, diagnose, or prescribe medications. I do not administer psychometric tests, nor do I spend extended periods in an office to determine if someone has ADHD, depression, or anxiety. While a diagnosis can provide peace and clarity for some individuals, it may also lead others to adopt a "diagnostic lens" through which they construct their identity and seek confirmation of being "anxious" or "depressed." I refrain from interpreting symptoms in clinical or diagnostic terms or directing focus solely on symptoms. Instead, I leverage my expertise in clinical psychology to uncover the root of expressed emotions and apply positive psychology, highlighting the individual's resources to facilitate their own transformation.

The second point I clarify is that working with me involves a complete transformation process. The body and mind are not isolated machines, and that's where biology plays a crucial role. While I'm not a doctor, I have a deep understanding of how factors like nutrition, sunlight exposure, physical activity, sleep, hydration, drug and substance use, and various modern toxins affect the brain. Through biopsychology, I've gained insights into the biochemical reactions that illustrate this mind-body connection. It has taken years of personal work to fully comprehend that the physical and spiritual worlds are intertwined, which creates the need for a simultaneous transformation.

I just mentioned the spiritual world, something many people struggle with, and I understand why. The spiritual world I'm talking about isn't necessarily about religion; although for some, a path of personal growth based on their religious beliefs helps them find meaning. Spirituality, in my approach, means connection, and some call that connection intuition, energy, nature, the universe, God, angels... We explore spirituality through the power each of us has to connect with our body, our mind, and, for those who believe, with our spirit. And that's where art, meditation, praying, and all the tools of mindfulness come in, to begin with the most basic thing: stabilizing the nervous system.

The biggest professional challenge I face each time I begin a process with someone is rebuilding their nervous system and learning to pause and process what they've stored over the years. This involves designing a unique and flexible training program tailored to the individual's time, pace, and expectations. The training is a co-creation process where I simply accompany the person on their journey of transformation. It's not a fixed plan, because in life, all plans can change. My sessions don't have a script. I also don't like to set an alarm, especially in the initial sessions when someone arrives with a burning soul and needs a space of calm, not haste.

I'm the woman who tells people to get moving, sip on some electrolyte water, eat protein, get sunlight, dance, and so on. Being a student, client, and patient made me want to find a way to enjoy my work and use everything I've learned in a fun way that fits my values. Truth be told, I didn't come up with this approach just for fun; it came about because I've tried it all myself: therapy, diets, exercise, meditation, prayer, cutting out sugar, taking supplements, painting... You name it, I've probably tried a long list of experiments to improve my own health and emotional growth. After all these attempts, I've come to a bunch of conclusions, but I don't think they're the only truth—I'm always open to questioning things.

The first conclusion is that traditional clinical therapy—sit-and-talk—isn't designed for everyone and isn't always enough to transform patterns and stabilize the nervous system. Second, neither the cleanest diet, nor the most calorie-burning exercise, nor eight hours of sleep a night is enough if your nervous system is in a permanent survival mode. Third, we need to learn and internalize concepts before transforming them, and we don't all learn in the same way, we don't all create the same kind of art, and the same plan doesn't work for everyone. I understood that it's not necessary to force things because what can't be expressed in words can come out through art and exposure to nature. In this way, returning to the basics and simplicity opens the door to understanding the complex and painful. And the last thing I understood the hard way, and which I had to study to find a "logical" meaning for, is that when you've tried everything and keep falling into the same tunnel, spirituality is the most powerful weapon to sweep away the last vestiges, connect, and achieve flow.

I continue to reach more conclusions, learning and unlearning every day. From all these stories, explorations, and experiences, BioMindfulArt emerged! It's an evolving journey that transforms with every step I take. While I could dive into endless paragraphs of stories and personal lessons, I'd rather present it as what it truly is: the vibrant beginning of a living process. There's no single word that perfectly encapsulates it, so I've provided some context to illuminate the path, not to fully define it, but to offer a glimpse into its essence.

Thanks for Reading ♡

Maria Jose Tovar