Creative Arts Therapy
Creative Arts Therapy is a person led method of working with adolescents who are struggling with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Sometimes young people don’t have the words or they simply don’t want to use them. Through talking therapy combined with creative interventions like journaling, poetry, mediation and the Play Therapy Toolkit, adolescents are able to explore their inner world in a safe and creative way, to bring meaning and language to their inner world and work towards solutions. Creative Arts Therapy is suitable for 10 to 18 year olds.
Creative Arts Therapy Can Support:
- Anxiety, stress, trauma, phobias or withdrawn behaviour
- Divorce, bereavement or family separation
- Attachment, regression and relationship difficulties
- Neurodivergent children (ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia, etc)
- Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
- Lack of concentration, confidence and/or self-esteem
- Friendship difficulties - including bullying or being bulied
- Communication and behavioural delays or difficulties
- Looked after and fostered young people
- Angry / aggressive, controlling behaviour or poor self-regulation
- Learning and achievement of academic potential
Creative Arts Therapy Can Help Young People to:
- Find appropriate words to describe their emotions.
- Verbalise key concerns, meanings, and memories.
- Verbalise the wishes, needs, behaviours and goals associated with feelings and emotions.
- Identifying the ways in which they manage and process their emotions.
My Role As A Therapist...
I will consistently interact with the young person during our sessions in an open, accepting, and respectful manner in order to build a trusting relationship. It is important to set boundaries between myself and my client to establish an understanding of how we will use the space, and the client’s input in this is valuable to me. In the early stages of therapy, I remain non-directive, allowing the individual to choose how to use the room in an unrestricted way. I provide observations and reflections to help my client learn more about themselves and their world. Once a relationship has been established and the client is open to a direction for their sessions, I may begin to implement more directive and structured sessions to help them work through what they are bringing into the space.work through what they are bringing into the space.
My Background
During my first degree in Early Years Education, I had a variety of experiences, including working in schools, contact centres and providing therapeutic support to children and families affected by Domestic Violence. These experiences, combined with my personal qualities, led me to train as a Play and Creative Arts Therapist with The Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC).
Whilst working as a Play Therapist alongside adolescents, I decided to continue my training with APAC to obtain a Post Qualifying Certificate in Play and Creative Arts Counselling of Children and Young People. This allowed me to incorporate therapeutic talking skills into my sessions with older clients. I have more than 3 years of experience working therapeutically in a secondary school, covering year 7 up to year 11.
I believe it’s crucial to provide young people with a safe space for expression and creativity, to understand their perspectives and the daily challenges they face, and to help them find meaning, motivation, and positivity in their lives.
Building a good rapport with my clients is important to me, and I strive to maintain and element of fun in my sessions wherever possible. I recognize the value of offering a holistic serive to my clients. I have trained in Parent Child Attachment Play (PACP) and my practice is NVR-informed (Non-violent resistance parenting) to support the parents and professionals around my clients, allowing us to collaboratively meet their individual needs.
Services
I provide 50-minute Creative Arts Sessions to individuals in schools across North West London or privately in Mill Hill on a weekly basis during term time for at least 12 weeks. The duration can be longer based on the clients’ needs and will be determined during the referral stage with regular reviews. I work closely with parents and professionals to offer comprehensive support to my clients and strive to be flexible to accommodate the needs of the school.
You can book your free Creative Arts Therapy Discovery Call Here.