Do you have arachnophobia? It’s one of the most common phobias people develop.

I had it for years, developed it when I was a child and it lasted till my early 20s. Every spider, even the smallest one, would freak me out and I would scream and run away. I even had terrible nightmares in which the floor of my room was filled with spiders 3 feet high and I was trapped in my bed.

Even though I was so scared of them I never killed a single one. I would yell for help and most of the time my mother came, caught them in a glass and brought them outside.

After about 15 years of having that intense fear of spiders I started taking a closer look at them. They fascinated me just as much as they scared me and I began to see them in a more curious and exploring way.
I practiced looking at them without freaking out and slowly realized that there was no reason to be afraid. At least where I grew up… there were no dangerous ones. I still wouldn’t want to meet a black widow or something similar…

But my phobia was gone! When I unexpectedly see a huge one I still jump, but I don’t freak out, scream or run away.

With my pastelizing therapy collection I’m taking my past and current phobias and turn them into something less scary. Because everything is less scary in pastel colors.

In this form and fashion I celebrate the phobia I overcame and maybe it helps you to overcome yours as well.

 

• 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)
• 32 singles
• Fabric is laundered to reduce shrinkage
• Raw edge seams