Yeah, even under the best of circumstances, when everyone wants to change, it is difficult and lengthy. Even when the hoarder want to change, letting go of the stuff can be disorienting, uncomfortable, lead to nausea and other physical symptoms, panic. It's sick, but it is what it is.
Feeling overwhelmed makes it all the more difficult . . . the person just does not know where to start even to start clearing things.
Finding what might lead to an "epiphany" can take time. For me, there were two major things. One is my parents getting elderly and starting to have health problems and having to deal with their stuff (they were both hoarders, though not anywhere near the degree that one sees on the shows; and my mother is an artist, so I can imagine your situation somewhat). Suddenly, I started looking at my stuff and it's potential "usefulness" differently. The other was a "scare" from my coop association and the thought that, if I ever did reach a really extreme situation (and I was heading that way), I might lose control of the stuff.
But, you need to draw your boundary, too. You can only reach out; ultimately, they have to solve it.
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