PNEUMA
COUNSELLING - ART THERAPY
ABOUT ME
I work with addiction,
couples and marital conflict, infidelity, stress and anxiety,
trauma, depression,
and body dissatisfaction.
MY PHILOSOPHY
As a counsellor, I believe in working alongside my clients as we discover their innate strengths and resiliency to support empowerment, self-acceptance and overall health and wellbeing.
I work with an attachment-informed and trauma- informed approach. I have counselling and art therapy experience with children, youth and adults in group, individual and open-studio formats.
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In my personal life, I enjoy being immersed in nature and engaging with my creativity though cooking, interior design and art making.
MY
WORK
Traditional talk therapy
Mindfulness practices
Body-work/ somatic experiencing
Developmental models
Attachment theory
Art therapy and artistic expression
THE IMPACT OF MY WORK WITH CLIENTS
ART & PLAY
Art and play are the languages of children. Incorporating these modalities into therapy means that we are communicating in ways that are congruent, both neurologically and developmentally. This means that my client's and I make meaningful progress that is integrated and fun.
TRAUMA & THE BODY
Traumatic memories and experiences are held in the mind and the body. By working with modalities that incorporate the body, my client's and I are able to find a place beyond the trauma - a place of safety, body-mind reintegration and wholeness.
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness practices work to bring my client's in relationship with their emotions. Through incorporating mindfulness, my client's are better able to understand their emotions and to ride and regulate them. This is a powerful non-pharmaceutical tool for those experiencing addiction, depression, mood disorders and trauma.
MY CLIENT'S TELL ME
"It's not all gloomy and boring with you, I get to laugh"
"I feel really safe here, I feel heard...like I really matter"
"I'm becoming the person I knew I could be, I'm living the life I want to"
HOW CAN I HELP?
Individual, couples and family counselling
offered in-person in Vancouver BC, online
or via phone
What is art therapy?
FAQs
Q: Do I have to make art every session?
A: Absolutely not! Each session is centered around you, the client, and although I may propose art activities, you are encouraged to say no if you do not want to. I truly believe in the healing power of art, but there may be sessions and days where art does not feel right for you.
Q: What kind of art will I create?
A: Anything you feel you need to!
There is no expectation of creating a traditional ‘masterpiece’. What you create may or may not be visually pleasing in your mind’s eye; either case is just fine because it is the process of creating that holds the beauty and potential. The art that is created in art therapy is to facilitate your unique therapeutic process and healing.
Q: How can art therapy help me more than traditional talk therapy might?
A: There are many ways that art broadens the therapeutic experience; these are just a few ways being creative does this:
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Supports safety and containment of those things that are painful to acknowledge and discuss verbally
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A physical, tangible record of the process and progress of therapy, which can be reviewed during therapy and kept to continue the healing process after therapy is terminated
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Insight and validation of feelings
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A way to discover skills to recharge and self-care
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An opportunity to find new personal strengths, which can lead to a sense of identity, self-esteem and confidence, among many other positive outcomes!
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Being creative is fun, peaceful and experimental and cultivates a greater sense of personal well-being
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Engagement and integration of the left and right brain, which helps in the process of healing from trauma and pain.
Art therapy is more than creating visually pleasing, neat and tidy images. In fact, it often involves a process of creating messy images that express emotional states. Clients work alongside their art therapist and an array of art making materials to explore feelings, reconcile internal conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behaviour and addiction, increase self-esteem, and welcome a sense of personal well-being into their lives. Research supporting art therapy is mounting, particularly among those experiencing physical illness, trauma, mental health difficulties, interpersonal conflicts and struggles in social skills.
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Art therapy has powerful therapeutic potential across mental and physical challenges, ages, genders and ethnicities.
Incorporating art making into the therapeutic journey adds a another layer of understanding, one that helps go beyond words and into a deeper truth. Although beautiful products can emerge in the process, it is the process itself, the act of creating, that facilitates healing and personal growth.