Chapter 37: Art Therapy

The smell of acrylic paint and freshly sharpened pencils filled the air as Olivia stood hesitantly at the threshold of the art therapy studio. Bright canvases adorned the walls, each a window into someone else's soul. Her fingers reached out to the end. "You alright?" There was Mark beside her again, his voice low and with feeling, his hand reassuring on her back. Olivia inhaled roughly, giving a shaky smile. "Just nervous, I guess. I feel. It's, uh, not quite like the other work I usually do." Mark nodded in understanding. "That's the point, isn't it? To approach your art from a new angle, to use it as a tool for healing rather than just creation, His words, as ever, sliced through her doubts. Olivia squared her shoulders and stepped into the room, with Mark close behind. The art therapist, a woman with warm, kind eyes and wearing paint-splashed overalls, met them with a big smile. "Welcome! I am Dana. You must be Olivia and Mark. Please make yourselves comfortable." They settle