Many people are not sure what Art Therapy or Creative Arts Therapy is, they think that they must be an artist in order to participate in this therapy. This is not at all the case, in fact sometimes artists find it more difficult to drop into the process and benefit from the therapeutic outcomes.
I will ask what brings you to therapy, but because this is not 'talk' therapy you don't have to tell me, or go into great detail. Clients often end up in Arts Therapy because they have exhausted the avenues of talk therapy, or find it too painful or difficult to share their story, and Arts Therapy is an alternative and gentle way to explore emotions, experience or patterns of behaviour.
I will use various art materials depending on the client and the presenting issue, I may use music or movement in conjunction with art materials, I may use a short meditation to help the client feel into the emotions to be explored. The therapeutic alliance triangulates between the therapist, client and artwork, the artwork becomes a metaphor through which the issue can be explored and externalised. Sometimes I will offer sand tray or clay work instead of art materials, depending on the client and presenting issue.
Sessions run for an hour (90 minutes for the initial session), Tuesdays from my studio in Redland Bay, and Wednesday/Thursday/Friday weather permitting in the therapy paddock at Tamborine.
Art Therapists are required to hold the minimum qualification of an Advanced Diploma of Art Therapy and be a member of ANZACATA.
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