About The Service

Art created within the context of a therapeutic relationship is intended to help clients not only to engage in self-exploration, it also involves purposeful meaning-making through specific art making. Working with a therapeutic goal or plan, a qualified art therapist will facilitate and encourage clients to visually express and record experiences within safe and imaginative applications. When cognitive ability or verbal skills are lacking, sensory based explorations offer clients a way to communicate their needs without judgement or the need for words.

Depending upon the growth and development stages of a child, young person or adult client, there are many benefits to using art therapy facilitating self -expression, give support that will lead to a better understanding and basis for growth, understanding and emotional well-being, regardless of artistic ability to compliment other allied health services.

The art therapist is trained in the practice of guiding (with client centred principles) and navigating the practice, to enable clients to seek right tools to self-regulate and heal on a deeper level using metaphor and encompassing story-telling, play and art-based activities. With an aim to nurture trust between the therapist and client without that pressure to verbalise an issue, to realise their own personal meaning and story. Art therapy is not an ‘art lesson’ and it is not the therapist’s role to critique or interpret the art produced in session(s).
Beyond the creative expression itself, art therapy is relationally based, therefore; when trust exists with unconditional positive regard, the client is empowered to speak their own truth. Whether that be via image making or by any creative process. The shift in conscious thought and emotional, or social cognition and personal narrative results differ over time and can be assessed on an individual basis.

By facilitating individual/or group sessions Mind Art Therapy will provide creative and client centred knowledge and practice to support self-esteem, with the aim to improve mental health outcomes, community participation and daily function.