Art Therapy
Putting something down on paper, whether it is planned or not, can be incredibly powerful.
At your pace and in a confidential setting, the therapist can look with you, at what feels important for you. Art can help to access emotions and thoughts that may be difficult to express verbally and can also provide a sense of control and empowerment for clients who may feel overwhelmed or stuck.
There are many reasons why a child, adolescent, or adult, would use Art Therapy. For example, it could be because of low mood, anxiety, stress, loss/grief, low self-esteem, trauma, depression, communication and developmental issues, self-harm, relationship issues. These are just a few examples and it could be that they are feeling lost and just want to make sense of your emotions or thoughts.
In a safe and non-judgemental space, it can help people explore and process challenging feelings. Feelings that might be bubbling at the surface or feelings that emerge at a deeper level. People can often feel stuck when first coming to therapy. By creating art or looking together at imagery, with or alongside a qualified therapist, a new kind of ‘thinking together’ relationship can be created. A space where someone might start to reflect on what’s going on for them and where the therapeutic relationship develops, alongside a need to be heard and understood.
Putting something down on paper, whether it is planned or not, can be incredibly powerful. At your pace and in a confidential setting, the therapist can look with you, at what feels important for you. Or, it could be that you find art making relaxing and it is easier to talk whilst using a material or tool. There is no right or wrong way to express yourself and there isn’t one specific way of working, the therapist adapts to your needs. You don’t have to have any previous experience of using art materials to use art therapy.
Play is a key part of how children learn about the world, express themselves and tell stories. Art therapy uses ‘playing’ throughout its process. Children naturally find having an object to ‘play’ and ‘express’ with, much less anxiety provoking than talking about what is on their mind. Art Therapy can connect and meet the client in their world, and this is just as important with adults as well as children. As adults, we forget how to ‘play’ and this should be encouraged as we grow and develop throughout our lives, especially when things can feel heavy.
How do I know if Art Therapy is right for me?
I offer an initial phone conversation to let you know more about the service. You will have the opportunity to establish if art therapy is something that we both agree might potentially help you. If it is, then an assessment session will be arranged to assess your needs and agree upon the next step. If a child or adolescent is referred, then the parent or carer will need to be involved in the initial assessment process before the child has a 1:1 session. Therapy is available for children aged 5 to 11 years old and adolescents aged from 11 to 17 years old.
There is evidence to show that having weekly or regular therapy over a longer period is usually more beneficial than one short term block of sessions. Starting therapy can understandably feel very nerve-racking and ‘new’. It takes time to build trust with the therapist and get the most out of your sessions. I recommend having a block of six sessions to start with, to see how it feels and to properly give the process a chance. Please contact me if you’d like to discuss making a referral and booking an initial conversation.
How much does it cost?
Adult
Initial consultation ( 1 hour) £75
Per therapy session ( 1 hour) £65
Child or Young Person
Initial consultation process cost £80 in total. This comprises of two separate meetings :
1 x session for up to 1.5 hour with parent or carer
1 x meeting for up to 30-minute meeting with child or young person
Thereafter on going therapy session (40-50 minutes) £65