Illustration from Nami Nakamura's upcoming coloring book, 'Remembering Mom'.
Illustrator Nami Nakamura and I are fellow members of a parent loss grief support group. Although she didn't lose her father to suicide, she is intimately familiar with the profound grief that can accompany the loss of a parent.
In response to her grief, Nami used her skills as a published illustrator to channel her feelings into a project that would help others process grief as well. In her coloring book (geared toward adults) Remembering Dad, Nami both celebrates the love she has for her father, and she provides a venue for the mindful processing of her loss.
It's hard to miss the recent explosion of adult coloring books. It turns out these books are more than just a fad and provide more than just a whimsical hobby - they have a therapeutic value as well. In the online health and medical journal, Medical Daily, Dr. Stan Rodski (a neuropsychologist), explains, "Coloring allows us to switch off our brains from other thoughts and focus on the moment. Tasks with predictable results, such as coloring or knitting, can often be calming."
Rodski explains that advanced technology can show us the physical effects that coloring has on our bodies. “The most amazing things occurred — we started seeing changes in heart rate and changes in brainwaves."
Perhaps though, Nami Nakamura's inspiration came from elsewhere.
"Death changes your life forever," Nami acknowledged when we spoke directly.
Like many of us who are grieving, perhaps Nami wanted to express that pain in a way that ultimately, would be beautiful.
You can find Nami's coloring books on Amazon, here:
*Note: Lighting Up the Sky / Chelise Stroud does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. I am not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites and various other topics.
