Inked Art Therapy

Tonight’s creative supervision group focused on exploring the systems and structures we work within as therapists

Through collage, image-making and metaphor, themes of safety, courage, visibility, vulnerability and connection emerged across the group

It reminded me of Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious. Nobody was making the same thing, yet shared themes surfaced again and again in different forms. And that makes sense- we might be working in different fields, with different clients and using different modalities, but we’re part of the same world, affected by the same structures and systems that shape both there therapy profession, and society as a whole

These art pieces are all distinct- completely different, and yet all part of the same conversation

Happy Pride Month! 🌈

As a q***r art therapist, this month feels deeply personal. So much of the work I do with q***r clients is rooted in the belief that q***r art isn’t just decoration
Art holds our stories, our communities, our pain and our love
It’s a way of saying I exist, and my inner world matters

Q***r people have always made art to process the things that words alone couldn’t carry. That legacy lives in my practice every single day

Wishing everyone a meaningful, joyful, and creative Pride 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

***rArtTherapy ***rArt ***rHealing ***rMentalHealth ***rCommunity ***rJoy ***rArt ***rTherapist

This month’s Art Is Therapy letters are on their way! ✉️

Today has been one of those slow-down days. I posted the letters, met with some lovely local therapists, drank good coffee, swapped ideas, and soaked in the passion and care from people who value therapy as much as I do

It’s a reminder that so much of private practice is built in these quieter moments. Not in the therapy room or sat doing admin, but in the relationships, conversations, and communities that sit around the work

It’s been a good day

I keep seeing posts like this one on my feed. The companies advertising delete comments and word their replies with deliberate vagueness to make people think what they're offering is a legitimate pathway to practicing

Let me clear it up- being an Art Therapist takes years of study, at a HCPC approved course provider

Any company telling you you can qualify in a week, with no personal therapy of your own, no in person classes, no supervision and no placement is scamming you

Be cautious out there; and remember- if you want to train as a therapist (of any kind), its better do it slowly, safely and ethically

Art Is Therapy is a mail club with a difference.
My hope is this little monthly letter, filled with art, reflection and connection, helps a few more people to slow down, be creative without pressure and get to know themselves whilst they do it

Our upcoming theme is “Inner Voice”

You can find out more at: https://www.patreon.com/ArtIsTherapy

Sometimes there are parts of our story that feel too painful or overwhelming to say out loud. You might know something needs attention, but the idea of talking about it feels impossible

Art Therapy can offer another way in

Some experiences, memories, or emotions are simply too distressing to approach directly, especially where trauma is involved. Art can create a bit of distance. Instead of having to explain everything in words, you can represent feelings through colour, shape, texture, or symbols. An abstract mark on a page can sometimes hold something that words can’t safely carry yet

Art also moves the experience outside of you. Once it exists on the page, it becomes something you can look at, sit with, and explore without it completely overwhelming you

The process of making art can be regulating too. Working with your hands, focusing on materials, and staying present with colour and form can help keep your nervous system steadier while difficult things are explored

You don’t need to be “good at art” for this to work. Art Therapy isn’t about being artistic. It’s about finding a different language for the parts of your experience that words can’t easily reach

If this resonates with you and you’re curious about whether Art Therapy could help, feel free to reach out

***rAffirmingTherapy

My latest Patreon post, “In Search of a Word”, is a self-reflection on trying to define a feeling that doesn't have a name
If you'd like to read it, you can check it out at https://www.patreon.com/posts/157101693?utm_campaign=postshare_creator