My Approach

Integrative Arts Psychotherapy is a process of deepening awareness, increasing choice and helping you to understand yourself differently finding new ways of responding to the challenges in your life.
In my practice I integrate psychological theories with an opportunity to engage with the arts. Providing a safe space to build a trusting and secure relationship, we explore aspects of life using a range of creative processes. Moving between talking and using the arts, I offer an empathic holding presence supporting you to work with your inner world.
People come to Psychotherapy for a wide range of reasons including anxiety, depression, relationships, self esteem, panic attacks, dissatisfaction, self harm, eating disorders, coping with change and loss, mid-life challenges, addiction, trauma, grief, or other types of physical, mental or emotional challenges, Integrative Arts psychotherapy allows a unique approach to suit each person, offering an opportunity to explore feelings, beliefs, thoughts and events, supporting change and growth on a personal level in a safe and confidential environment.
I support adults and young people to live a more satisfying life, working towards a deeper awareness and understanding of painful and difficult feelings, especially when these impact negatively on lives and relationships in the present.
Psychotherapy is able to provide a space that has the capacity to change lives and create lasting change. The Arts can provide a place to connect to unconscious material. No previous experience of art is necessary.
Life causes us to develop defensive strategies, working with the arts, body and image can offer added opportunities for bypassing defenses. Art can hold many meanings at once supporting expression and communication, engaging the unconscious, calming the mind, containing the unspeakable and facilitating healing when particular issues or feelings are too difficult to talk about.
Depending on your reason for engaging, Integrative Arts Psychotherapy can be short or long term.

About Me

Passionate about the power of psychotherapy, the mind and the body connection, expression and the arts to change lives, I work as a trauma and neglect informed integrative Arts Psychotherapist with private clients, charities and business exploring various challenging and painful aspects of life. A lifetime of involvement in the arts in various capacities has led me to believe that engaging with the arts and bodywork is a healing human phenomenon and sometimes images and metaphor can say more than a thousand words. I now primarily work with adults though for more than 22 years I worked with young people who have emotional and learning difficulties teaching Art/DT and Drama. I am founder member of a number of groups including a contemporary dance group and a community arts group. Currently, my private psychotherapy practice is in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
I am a director of two Community Interest Companies- ArtsshareCIC, and All Ways Making www.allwaysmaking.co.uk
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS - CPD is ongoing - see website
M.A. Integrative Arts Psychotherapy - Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education. IATE
EMDR therapist: EMDR Training Academy
Advanced Diploma in the therapeutic and educational application of the arts. IATE
Certificate in Couples Counselling : Paul Hitchings
Certificate in Walking Therapy: Jonathan Hoban
Certificate in Essential Supervision Skills (BPS approved certificate in clinical supervision)
Certificate in Counselling Skills : IATE
B.Ed. (Bachelor of Education) University of Greenwich
PGCE.

I work with

• Companies
• Couples
• Groups
• Individuals
• Private healthcare referrals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Types of Therapies Offered

• Integrative Arts Psychotherapist