What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy combines psychotherapy with art making and creativity to access change and growth that goes beyond the spoken word.
Can adults do art therapy?
They can and do! As adults, we tend to rely heavily on verbal and cognitive processing to try to "solve our problems". But our ancestors and modern science all tell us that our bodies are powerful sources of change. Art therapy provides a chance to explore what our hands can create, not only out in the world, but inside our own hearts.
What might a session look like?
A session can look a lot of different ways. Some folks find that having their hands busy helps them talk through a concern. They might sit down at the table and begin drawing or painting abstract images. Others prefer to be given prompts about what to explore in a creative way. Some folks may want to spend all their time painting at the easel. And yet others might just need to talk.
One thing is certain. No training or "skills" are required. I will never assess the "value" of your work and there are no secret code books for what your images mean. What matters is the experience of creating, and your own response to what you make.
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Participants often find that their hands show them things they didn't have words for. Each of us has the ability to access a deeper self. Your creativity is a wonder-filled, even magical, place for self-discovery.
What are your qualifications?
As the Canadian Association of Art Therapists outlines: Art therapists are trained professionals with expertise in counseling psychology and fine arts. In Canada...art therapists must have at minimum a master’s degree or a master’s level diploma in art therapy before identifying themselves within the profession. This graduate level education includes 700 supervised clinical practicum hours (visit CATA for more info.)
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I am a Certified Art Therapist (DVATI), a member of the Canadian Association of Art Therapists (CATA) and a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT)