Therapeutic Approach
Emotions live in the body. Through the act of creation, people can access and express what may not yet have words. For many, healing begins with art.
Traditional therapy can be powerful, but it is not suited for everyone. For those living with trauma, anxiety, grief, shutdown responses, or neurodivergence, beginning with verbal processing is not always supportive. Too often, people are asked to move away from their natural ways of being to fit systems that expect words first. A somatic and creative approach can offer a more accessible doorway into healing.
My work is trauma-informed, relational, feminist, anti-oppressive, and neuroaffirming. I meet people where they are. I draw from approaches such as positive psychology, internal family systems, and narrative therapy to support people in recognising and honouring their authentic selves.
Sessions may include a guided prompt, time for art making, and space for grounding and integration. Verbal reflection drawing from appropriate modalities is encouraged, but never required.
In group settings, the focus may shift toward art as therapy or therapeutic art, depending on the structure and needs of the space. This means less focus on therapeutic depth and more on wellness and team-building.
My approach is gentle and client-led. I believe people hold wisdom about their own healing, and art offers a place for that wisdom to emerge. Clients determine the meaning of their work. I do not interpret their art, but offer prompts, questions, structure, and support for exploration at their own pace.
Material choice is intentional. Each medium carries its own sensory and emotional language; watercolour for fluid expression, pastels for intuitive movement, collage for flexibility and choice. The medium becomes part of the process.
Safety comes before depth. Because art can surface emotion quickly, careful pacing, resourcing, and containment are essential. I support clients in building grounding strategies, regulation skills, and internal resources so they can navigate what arises without becoming overwhelmed.
My goal is to make trauma-informed, neuroaffirming creative healing more accessible, and to offer spaces where individuals and communities can engage in this work.