“I want to understand why I avoid being alone. Why is it killing me to be alone with myself,” the client set a goal for a specific session. True, during the consultation, she defined “being alone” as the need to do routine work: washing, ironing, cleaning, cooking, and so on. To check the version I had, I handed her markers. “Draw yourself alone,” he asked. Look! Within the framework of schema therapy, cognitive behavioral (CB) therapy is used, including CB art therapy. Through the creation of art objects, it is possible to clarify the request, as well as work out some problems. I wanted the client to imagine herself lonely through the drawing. - Relax and depict how you are alone, where is it deadly for you to be alone with yourself? For example, I personally find it difficult to sit calmly and relaxed alone in some places. But I don’t bother with sunbathing. “I’m taking sunbathing and no disturbing thoughts,” I clarified the task, “After all, perhaps you don’t always avoid loneliness. (How I myself spoiled my husband - read) The girl got down to business, starting with her face. Then the body (By the way, the hands are partially embodied! One will have to ask why? Maybe there is a meaning in the absence of hands?). She is alone and looking into the distance, she leaves. Where? She drew a house. It is in it that it is “deadly for her to be alone with herself.” “There is no comfort, no protection. This is not my fortress! – she explained. “I just don’t know how to draw with brushes, so I covered the right one with a bag and tore off the left one,” she answered my question about the absence of palms. During the process of art therapy, it became clear: “it’s the situation at home that weighs on her (“It’s like something is pressing on me.” from all sides"); - it is at home that she avoids being alone, because there she must be an ideal mother, a woman: washing, ironing, cooking, dusting, helping with homework, but not resting; - if she allows herself to relax at home (put aside washing dishes for tomorrow), then “Guilt-inducing Vasya” sounds in my head - a maladaptive mode; - “Vasya” evokes guilt, shame, and sometimes fear; - so that “Vasya” does not cause unpleasant emotions, the client burdens herself with routine work and constantly takes care of child, why she gets tired, why she starts to get angry with the child; - outside the house she can calmly be alone, have fun; - it is important for her to reduce the influence of “Guilt-Inducing Vasya” and increase the dose of self-care. Look, do you understand? She voiced the problem : “I want to understand why I avoid being alone.” By “alone” she sees the responsibility of being an ideal housewife (Must be!). In the process of creating the drawing, she clarified the request: working to reduce the influence of maladaptive mode (and cognitive error “ “shoulds”) and increasing self-care (first of all). “You know, after the start of our sessions, I began to allow myself more. Previously, I could walk around in torn tights, but the child and ex-husband had to be dressed perfectly,” she admitted. It may be tempting to use art therapy without the help of a psychologist. I agree, it’s a good tool for reducing situational, say, anxiety, but to study the reasons in depth, it’s better to work together with a therapist. To clarify the request, among other things. Do you agree? What do you see in my client’s drawing? (Permission to publish has been received) (I don’t want sex with my husband - the client’s story) Sincerely, Pyotr Galigarov, practicing psychologist. Write if you want to understand yourself!