Using Art in Therapy 

 

When your words just don’t seem to get across what you’re feeling or when your thoughts have you going round and round in circles, I might invite you to use some art materials to get at emotions and/or experiences that are beyond words.

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Sometimes when I pull out the crayons (yes, we use Crayolas) and copy paper in a session, a person says, “I’m not an artist!” Maybe you would say that too; but let me assure you that the way we use art in therapy is different from what it was like in school.

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Instead, it’s like when you picked up your first crayons and just had the joy of making colorful marks on paper. (We won’t talk about the times you used walls because all too often the joy may have been followed by distress and punishment!)

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We won’t decide whether your drawing (coloring) is good or bad or whether it means this or that. You’re invited to create art so that you can 

1. access and express emotions

2. tap inner resources of imagination and wisdom

3. reduce stress

4. promote health

 

The process of creating art takes us into the realm of spirit and soul. As a trained psychologist and certified spiritual director I promote transformation and healing by integrating psychotherapy, spiritual-growth counseling, expressive art techniques, and breathing meditation.

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In addition to the work of holistic psychotherapy I am a self-taught expressionist artist. When I create art I’m painting from my soul and the paintings express and evoke emotions. Many of my pieces reflect my own experience of inspiration, transformation and healing. When I work with people in Soul Support Counseling, we use imagination, metaphor and drawing to help them access inner wisdom for healing.