Perhaps you have been in traditional talk therapy and felt you have reached a plateau. Or maybe you feel stuck and want to try an alternative way to process things. Some experiences are beyond words and you need a place to express those sensations and feelings.

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Art therapy provides a way to use the creative process to express yourself, gain insight and awareness and to build coping skills. The process of making art can make you feel more relaxed and can reduce stress on your nervous system. The piece of art that you create might offer insight and awareness that wasn’t in your conscious mind.

Using symbols, metaphor, and colour, art therapy can be a less confrontational way to work through difficult issues. It can also be fun and deeply satisfying when your expression matches your inner sense of self. Your artwork provides a way to express visually, “This is who I am. This is what I feel. This is what I think.”

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In a session, I will offer you a variety of materials such as acrylic paint, watercolors, pastels, clay, or collage materials. Sometimes I may suggest a direction, but in my experience, what people create in the moment is what they need to. In order to touch into yourself I may offer a mindfulness exercise or focussing.

We might talk while you make art, or you might want to focus solely on your art piece. I try to create an atmosphere where you feel free to experiment and play. Then together, we’ll look at how what you create might connect to what’s happening in your life. I’m there to help you discover your meaning in the images that you create.

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Art therapy isn’t about being a great artist or achieving a technique. It’s about letting yourself be free to explore, grow and expand your comfort zone and being open to the process of getting to know yourself in a different way.