ADULTS

Adults

In the initial art therapy sessions, I place a strong focus and emphasis on helping clients establish a felt sense of safety and support. Both within the physical environment, as well as in familiarising themselves with the process of creative exploration. I also work to establish a relationship between myself and the client based on trust, authenticity and open-mindedness. These foundational qualities making are some of my professional values.

These initial sessions with a new client also help me to better understand the extent to a client’s creative ability with the understanding that clients fall in to one of two categories, those who:

  • have an artistic practice or preferred artistic modality, or

  • identify as “not being artistic” but who are open/curious to the process of art therapy.

Through the use of creative enquiry processes, a new and/or deeper understanding of emotional and behavioural reactions and responses can be explored, as well as the potential of addressing challenges and barriers that a client faces.

In addition to creative enquiry, sessions can also include other therapeutic techniques and interventions, such as mindfulness practices and/or guided meditation.

Areas of expertise include:

  • Anxiety

  • Stress

  • Depression

  • Relationships & connection

  • Low self-esteem

  • Sexuality & gender

  • Grief & loss

Areas a client may focus on, include:

  • developing a deeper understanding of how current (and/or past) lived experiences may inform their decision-making.

  • dealing with significant and/or unexpected changes in their life.

  • learning how to better process and/or adapt to current lived experience.

Potential benefits to a client:

  • Developing a deeper understanding of patterns of behaviour and/or patterns of response, and how to work better with these.

  • Being able to better understand relationships with those close to them, as well as themselves.

  • Gaining new perspectives on lived experience.

What does a session typically look like?

Art Therapy can be considered an extension to more traditional 1:1 ‘talk therapy’, whereby talking through lived experience is considered the ‘entry point’ for potential creative enquiry.

By incorporating either specific or various art modalities (dependent on the client’s level of comfort), sessions are tailored to find a comfortable balance between verbal and creative enquiry into lived experience.

“Really listening requires an attitude which respects the other’s experiences and stories”, and that, “deep listening is a way of being attentive and present in the moment, and requires an attitude of being attuned to and aware of the other.”

- McInernery, 2012