Exploring Emotions Through Creativity and Expression
Art Therapy in Abbotsford & Online Across BC
Using Art Therapy to Explore What Words Cannot
Adults, Youth (15+)
Working with art in sessions, sometimes in between sessions, as a symbolic representation of your feelings.
One of the unique gifts we offer is Art Therapy. As humans, we experience life in images. Memories are stored in images and particularly ones that occurred in early childhood and ones of emotional impact tend to bypass the part of our brain that allows us to recall verbally. This can make talk therapy challenging. Through the creative process of simple art making these memories can gently be accessed and brought to our awareness in the presence and safety of our space together. As professional Art Therapists, we are trained to facilitate this intricate dance in our sessions if you choose to do so.
Art Therapy is different from traditional art making where an emphasis is made on the final product and the outcome. Rather, the emphasis is on the process of creating, the movement, the feelings that arise and accessed through your art making process.
You don’t have to be an artist to engage in Art Therapy. No drawing/artistic skills required.
“Art Therapy combines visual art and psychotherapy in a creative process using the created images as a foundation for self-exploration and understanding.” (excerpt from BCATA. Read more about Art Therapy: https://bcarttherapy.com/about-art-therapy/)
Who might benefit from Art Therapy?
• I am a perfectionist, struggling with anxiety, ADHD and having difficulty softening my rigid expectations of myself or others
• I am grieving and there are no words to describe how I feel.
• I have difficulty expressing and naming how I feel.
• I’m so scared to make mistakes.
• I have painful trauma I am scared to talk about.
• I want to take a look at myself deeply and discover who I am.
• I am curious about Art Therapy and interested in seeing what it’s about.
And so much more.
Some of my art therapy services include, but not limited to:
Directive Art Therapy:
Guided and directed by our team based on the initial intake assessment and goal setting. They can range from something small and simple that can be created during session to a bigger project that stretches over several sessions.
Body Mapping
Vision Board
PhotoTherapy
Non-Directive Art Therapy:
Open, client-centered without prescribed steps, accessing your subconscious and right-brain creativity and expression.
Sometimes there may be an experience in session where it makes more sense to illustrate it through art-making. In this case, I may invite you to non-directive Art Therapy.
Open Studio
Art Therapy Groups:
An opportunity to connect, create and reflect on who you are both individually and collectively as a group and look deeper within.
2 week Art Therapy group
Custom tailored groups brought to your organization