Finding Healing Through Creative Expression

Grief can silence even the strongest voices. The Grief  Art Coaching Program offers a compassionate space where color, texture, and movement give loss a language—and hope a foothold. One‑on‑one sessions guide participants from raw emotion to gentle expression, turning pain into a pathway toward peace.

Barbara Hawkins‑Cleveland, MS, CLC, CAC
Counselor • Wellness Coach • Creative Guide

Barbara Hawkins‑Cleveland integrates more than a decade of clinical counseling with certified wellness coaching and a background in the visual arts. Her credentials include:

  • Master of Science in Counseling & Addiction (Indiana University South Bend)

  • Certified Wellness Coach (Symbiosis Coaching)

  • Certificate in Art (Stratford Career Institute)

  • Member in good standing with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) & Certified Coaches Federation (CCF)

With warmth and professionalism, Barbara helps clients transform unspoken grief into meaningful creative expression.

Close-up of an older woman with short, curly gray hair, wearing glasses, smiling, in an indoor setting.

Meet Barbara

Meet Your Coach

A white palette with dollops of red, blue, yellow, peach, and black paint, along with a blue brush stroke on a canvas with two paintbrushes resting on the top edge.

Who We Support

Who This Program Is For

The Grief  Art Coaching Program welcomes adults facing profound loss or emotional overwhelm, including:

  • Mothers, fathers, and grandparents grieving a child lost to gun violence, illness, miscarriage, or addiction

  • Adults navigating cancer who seek a safe outlet for fear, uncertainty, and anticipatory grief

  • Military personnel and first responders processing loss connected to service

  • Caregivers & loved ones experiencing trauma‑related or generational grief

Whether the loss is recent or decades old, born or unborn, each participant is met with empathy and respect.

The Approach

What to Expect in a Session

Sequence of four illustrations showing a green leaf with three water droplets, a black caterpillar on green leaves, a beige pupa, and a colorful butterfly with orange, blue, and black markings.

This trauma‑informed process combines evidence‑based counseling, coaching strategies, and creative exploration offers clients a practical yet soulful route toward resilience.

Each session is a one-on-one experience combining gentle conversation and creative expression. We begin with a short check-in, followed by hands-on artmaking using materials like acrylics or pastels. No art skills are needed—just a willingness to explore what’s within. We close with supportive reflection, helping you connect the artwork to your healing journey.

Client Reflections

Stories of Healing

Child silhouette standing on a colorful abstract landscape with a blue sky, clouds, and a yellow sun.

The Beauty Discovered Within

This piece signifies the growth and the changes I have made once I decided to take control of my life and future. The dark shows the mental turmoil I was living under. The brighter colors are the beauty I have discovered within myself which feed into the unknown future. If you look closely, you might see my younger inner child which I have gotten in touch with and I have started to heal.

Deacon R.
4-2-25

What to Know Before We Begin

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The studio is located in the Nexus Center in South Bend, Indiana. It’s a quiet, welcoming space designed for healing, creativity, and reflection. Directions and details will be provided after booking.

  • At this time, sessions are offered in person only at the Nexus Center in South Bend, Indiana. The hands-on, creative nature of this work is best supported in a shared physical space where clients can fully engage with the materials and environment.

  • Grief Art Coaching sessions follow a flexible, pay-what-you-can model. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and the goal is to make this work accessible to those who need it most. You're welcome to share what feels manageable for you—we’ll find a way forward together.

  • Not at this time. Grief Art Coaching is offered outside of insurance networks. However, the flexible, pay-what-you-can model is designed to make sessions accessible regardless of financial circumstances.

  • Session frequency is tailored to your needs and availability. Some clients meet weekly, others biweekly, or as life allows. This is your journey, and we’ll move at a pace that feels right for you.

You Don’t Have to Grieve Alone

Here When You’re Ready to Begin

Whether you're processing the loss of a child, navigating the emotional weight of cancer, or carrying unspoken pain, Barbara will travel with you side by side through the stages of grief utilizing Grief Art Therapy as a means to hold and deal with the emptiness.

Barbara is also available for individual presentations to organizations or groups seeking to understand how art can be a useful tool in supporting individuals, especially experiencing the loss of a child.