Art Therapy

Art Therapists are master level clinicians trained in fine arts, psychological theory, counseling, metaphor, symbolism, and the therapeutic use of the creative process. It is very different than the Western model of talk therapy, so if you’re looking for something different, then you came to the right place!

Art Therapy uses the creative process as a pathway into your internal world. Through this process, you learn how to develop a relationship with your wholeness instead of escaping, suppressing, over-intellectualizing, or trying to fix yourself.

With mediums like drawing, painting, collage, 3D work, or building with clay, creativity becomes a way to express emotion, explore the psyche, work through past or present experiences, and connect with yourself in gentle non-verbal ways.

So much of what lives inside invites us to listen, but not always in the ways we were taught to listen. Sometimes, the only way a feeling or an experience can be understood is through creation. You get to discover what becomes possible when you stop trying to figure yourself out and start expressing what’s already living within.

My favorite thing about Art Therapy is that it has a way of moving past the part of the mind that wants to analyze, defend, or make sense of something too quickly.

Imagery becomes a bridge that reaches into the unconscious, allowing what has been sitting in the shadows of your psyche to come forward in a way you’re ready to see, and most importantly, bringing the unknown into form.

Making the unconscious conscious by showing you exactly where you’re at through the art. When expressive art becomes your own personal practice of connecting with yourself, as a byproduct, the bridge will not only lead to the unconscious; it can also descend into the soul.

You also get to have fun while diving into this deeper exploration of yourself! Many people have lost sight of their creativity, and Art Therapy is a great way to practice tapping back into your innately creative, playful nature.

By learning how to creatively express yourself, you get to remember how joy and beauty are woven into all of life, which is just as valuable as diving into the unconscious. We work with both over here: the dark and the light. All of it has a place.

What you do not have to worry about:

You don’t need to be artistic
You don’t need to know what to do with the supplies
You don’t need to know what something means before you create it
You don’t need to make something “look good”

Contrary to what many of us learned growing up, there is no ‘right way’ to do this. Art Therapy is about the process, not the product. Our main goal in working together is to teach you how to express instead of suppress. The artistic skill behind it does not matter.

I will provide instruction on how to use the supplies when necessary. It is my role to guide you into the process by offering prompts, reflections, questions, and invitations to help you slow down enough to notice what’s happening beneath the surface. What you discover about yourself through the midst of creation is where the magic lives.

You will learn how to get curious about what is present and what wants to emerge instead of getting lost in making a perfect piece of art.

And another thing…

**you are not a problem to solve or fix!**

Instead of trying to get rid of what you’re feeling or ‘fix’ what you’re experiencing, you will learn to ask questions like:

What is this here to show me?
What wants to be expressed?
What wants to be witnessed?
What happens when I stop fighting or avoiding myself?

One of the most important parts of my work is reminding you that you are not a problem to solve or a project to fix. And you are definitely not a diagnosis, a symptom list, or a vessel to optimize in order to ‘function better’ in a broken system. That is not the lens I work from.

As an Art Therapist, I was not trained to see you through the lens of pathology. I was trained to see you within the wholeness of your humanity. Now, that does not mean we ignore the pain, patterns, or the parts of life that feel hard to be with. But it does mean I guide you in building a relationship with all of these aspects of self so you can move through it with greater ease, presence, curiosity, compassion, and choice.

That is the liberation we are cultivating.

This is how you can come into relationship with all of who you are.

Who can I best help?

If one or more of these RESONATE, we’d probably work well together!

You feel like you’ve received all you could from talk therapy and would like to try something different OR would like to incorporate art therapy in conjunction with your current therapist/mentor.
You’re ready to kick escapism and avoidance to the curb and cultivate devotion to meeting yourself, your emotions, your body, and your soul.
You no longer want your past to be affecting your present.
You want to learn how to let go of control and become more trusting and more unencumbered.
You may feel a sense of fear when it comes to doing this inner work, yet you know it’s something you need to do.
You no longer want to feel trapped within your inner world or by your shadows; instead, you’d like to gain a relationship with what’s inside to live more freely in your day-to-day life. You came here to live life to the fullest after all.

Your next steps!

Click the button below to get in contact with me to schedule your first virtual session! If you have any other questions or are curious about what to expect in session, I’d be more than happy to discuss it on a free 15min consultation call.

email me here!

Other FAQ’s

- You do not have to have any experience with art or movement or even identify yourself as a creative person in order to work with me! The way I work with art and movement is about expression vs skill. The purpose is to learn how to connect to your body, emotions, unconscious mind, shadows, work through hardship, and cultivate presence. I will guide you through the process and before you know it, it will feel like a natural form of self-care practice and expression.
- If you are a virtual client and are not used to working with art, I will also provide you with a list of art supplies so you can easily pick the materials you feel called to and know what to purchase!
Of course! Talking is still important and a necessary part of the process. Sessions are based on your needs. If there are days where there is more talking than usual that is okay.
- I do not take insurance. All services are private pay which means the full rate is due upfront each session.
- Private pay means that you will not be diagnosed and your personal information or mental health records do not have to be submitted to insurance companies or other government entities.
$165 for a 50min session
$247 for an 80min session
For virtual sessions, art supplies is NOT included. You will need to provide your own supplies. I can give you a list if you are unsure of what to purchase.
**currently all sessions are virtual
This is a practice that focuses on body-based movement and increasing sensational awareness for healing. Somatic work will help you learn how to connect to the body, feel your emotions, regulate the nervous system, increase your capacity to be with discomfort, and teach you how to let go of pain from the past.
If you feel like you are prone to suppressing your emotions, avoiding your pain, or feeling like a prisoner to your internal world and would like to change that, this is for you!
On the flip side, somatic work will also increase your capacity to feel and receive joy, love, peace, pleasure, and all the other pleasantries of life! As you face the difficulties, you allow the blessings of life to unfold more fully.
Check out my somatic movement page for more information.
Please consult with your medical provider before engaging in any somatic movement.
Somatic movement is for all bodies! Certain practices can be adapted based on your current medical or physical needs. I would need to be informed of any limitations beforehand so I can make the appropriate modifications for your physical needs.
There are many variations for movements, and remember, you also have full authority over your body. If something feels off and you need to move differently, listen to the body. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask.