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I am an art therapist. I know how to use image to identify and process emotion. Well, I would hope so, since that’s what I teach other people to do! During this process I am often able to identify the thoughts that have created my emotion (sometimes … ok, often these days, I laugh at those thoughts once I realise what they are). More often than not, I can see that my nervous system is walking a fine line between one emotion and another and I can get it sorted through choosing

Art therapy works by utilising the image storing part of our brain. Our emotions are connected to us . And the activator for these emotions (the thing that sets of our nervous system - some call them 'triggers') can be either physical or mental. And the less connected we are with our bodies, the more complicated the 'coming down from' the emotional activation. Let me explain. When I was young, my best friend and I would often play over the fence of her back yard, in the gard

Have you ever wondered what your dreams mean? And what they have to do with individuation? And what the word 'individuation' means? We probably should have started with that last question first. Individuation is a word Carl Jung used to essentially describe the becoming of ones whole self in a way that is very different from another becoming their whole self. It is different from individualisation, which is more about the expression of that self. Most people, mind you, don't

The conscious mind and the subconscious mind work very differently from one another. The conscious mind tends to work more linearly, logically, analysing things through verbal language and it processes things very sequentially. The subconscious mind, on the other hand, tends more toward intuition, imagery, creativity and storing memory. It is more holistic in its processing, always including the body in its outworkings. In our colonial cultures, we tend to have historically g

Everyone has heard the word ‘mindfulness’ thrown around. Especially in the early 2000’s. ‘Mindful’ means literally ‘full of the mind’. Mindfulness in an art therapy context means focusing so hard on something that your thoughts are completely taken up by it. Some of your thoughts are completely blocked out! Without effort! Simply because you are so focused on the thing in front of you. This can be a wonderful tool for an art therapist to use in a session, especially when some

Ever wondered what art therapy actually is — beyond the stereotypes? In this honest and relatable reflection, I share a real conversation that captures the confusion (and curiosity) many people have. A conversation I’ve had more than once… Male human: “So you’re an art teacher?” Me: “No, I’m an art therapist.” Male human: “So, you get paid to paint pretty pictures with people who are sad?” Me: “Well, sometimes, if that’s what they need. But basically, I teach people how to