How do I work?
At times in our lives, we may experience feelings that can become overwhelming and can be difficult to cope with alone. Art Therapy can provide a safe place where we can express difficult feelings without fear of judgement or criticism. I use a Person Centred approach which means that the client is offered acceptance as they are, without any need for them to change. I provide a non-judgmental and safe space where people are listened to and are free to express and feel their emotions in order to fully move through and into a new way of being. I draw on the theories of psychotherapy, which work with the unconscious thoughts and feelings that sometimes need to be brought to consciousness in order to understand and resolve emotional pain. I work cognitively; sometimes it can be helpful to explore the thoughts we hold in order to find whether they are true, or if they serve us. I use a combination of directive and non-directive approaches where appropriate. Directive Art therapy is when the therapist provides direction in the form of a theme for a person to work with in order to explore a certain aspect of their life. This can sometimes provide a feeling of safety that is needed in order to have therapeutic movement. This is mainly used in group work. Non-directive therapy lets the person choose the pace and the subject of inquiry, and tries to give the client as much power as is possible and appropriate.