Not everyone likes to talk about what’s bothering them. Sometimes it’s hard to think your way out of a situation when no obvious solution presents itself. Expressive therapies bring the opportunity to explore the psyche in a creative and playful way.
So many of us seem to lose our ability to engage our imagination and creativity. We decry our situation in life, and wonder why we have lost our sense of passion and purpose. Expressive Therapies provide an alternative way of engaging with the issues. A different way of viewing our life situation. A creative way of exploring the options open to us as we move forward, allowing our imagination, our intuition, and our creativity to flow again.
I offer my clients weekly sessions in which we might engage in activities such as drawing, painting, writing, visualising, meditating, movement, listening to or making music, empathetic role-play, sand-play or symbol work which allow you to explore your inner landscape in ways that traditional talk therapy doesn’t. Each of these expressive activities has its own unique therapeutic benefit and use depending on the client, the setting, the situation and the objectives set as desired outcomes. We talk. I listen with an open-mind and an empathetic stance as we look to find the luminous space beyond right and wrong where fresh ideas emerge.
For a deeper exploration of the history, theory and practice of expressive therapies I recommend reading “Using Expressive Arts to Work With Mind, Body and Emotion” by Mark Pearson and Helen Wilson available to order here or Cathy Malchiodi’s book “Expressive Therapies” Available on Amazon
Click to read a chapter of Cathy Malchiodi’s book “Expressive Therapies”
