Art therapy encourages people to develop their thoughts and feelings further by drawing, painting, photography, sculpting and basically ‘constructing or making’ something. I encourage my clients to use whatever art mediums and techniques they would like to explore. It differs from traditional art in that the emphasis is on the process of creating rather than the end product. Their work is not judged and art ability is not necessary. In fact, as long as there is significant meaning expressed in the art making it does not matter how it looks.

Art making adds the extra dimension to therapy by using visual language & kinesthetic use of the body to express thoughts & feelings difficult to verbalise. The art therapist facilitates the individual’s discovery of personal meaning through art expression. The ‘art’ provides a concrete record to be looked at, referred to & talked about immediately or in a later session.

Art Therapy is a client-centered form of counselling accessing creativity to work through problems and difficult issues with a psychosomatic approach of mind-body holistic healing different to the mainstream psychology / medical models. By using the imagination, we can tap into the unconscious & work with dreams, intuition and the collective consciousness.

Art therapy has a range of benefits, from gaining a greater awareness and control on decision making, to stress reduction and general feelings of well-being as it encourages self-awareness which leads to authenticity and personal empowerment.