Art Therapy

Art therapy is about using art materials, with an art therapist, to show yourself and others how you are feeling. It helps you to understand your feelings and behaviours and supports you in managing and communicating your emotions.

Children who have experienced early/developmental trauma and attachment difficulties can communicate through their artworks what they cannot put into words. The work can be directive or non-directive and therapists can work with individuals, families or groups.

Art therapists support individual adults and children to make art without assessing or judging the artwork. It is not a recreational activity, or an art lesson, and prior art experience is not necessary.

ART THERAPY SUPPORTS:

Emotional expression and regulation, increasing understanding of different feeling states.
Self-esteem and confidence building, through exploring views and increasing awareness of self.
Relationship building and development of social skills.
Understanding behavioural difficulties and developing coping skills.
Increasing the use of sensory motor skills and supporting cognitive functioning.

One-to-one art therapy sessions

For some families availing of art therapy sessions on an individual basis may be helpful for children or adults who wish to do some personal exploratory work on their own, being guided by the therapist.

These sessions may be completed in the therapist’s workspace, school or any other space that can provide safety and confidentiality. The family home is not an ideal location for individual art therapy sessions and would only be considered as an option in rare cases.

Dyadic art therapy sessions

Dyadic sessions are offered to families who would like to attend therapy together, as parent and child. These sessions focus on the relationship between parent and child and offer a therapeutic space, as guided by the art therapist, for both people to explore their feelings together. These sessions can be beneficial for parents who wish to connect and understand their child on a deeper level.

Parents who wish to embark into dyadic art therapy sessions are required to complete a series of self-exploration preparation sessions prior to the dyadic sessions beginning.

Creative self care

When appropriate attention is focused on the care of the roots and trunk, wholesomeness is emitted creating a safe place for others to hang out.

Creative Self Care is a series of four online experiential self-care sessions for parents using Art Therapy methods.

No previous experience of art is needed.

For many of us life can be full of lots of goings on that have us constantly pouring our energy out. When we are 24/7 on the treadmill of all that has to be taken care of in any given day, we may become focused on everything else to the extent that we forget about the ‘me’ that is experiencing it all.

However, when we are at our best our focus and attention keeps track of what is happening on the inside and responds caringly to it. When we do this, we are energised to respond authentically to whatever seeks us out.

GOALS:

1) Through engagement with creative process support parents to:-

– a) value themselves

– b) appreciate their strengths

– c) take care of their needs

– d) self-nurture

2) Co-create the sessions with parents in response to themes/needs that emerge from them.