We all have our own histories and desires for our futures. At times these personal narratives can feel like a resource and at other times a hindrance. Sometimes we feel like we’re stuck or are moving backwards when we want to go forwards. How do we stay present in our day-to-day lives when we are visited by the voices of the past or images of the future? How do we find and listen to the voice of strength, wisdom and resiliency that lives in each one of us, when that voice seems to be silent?
I don’t have pat answers to any of these questions. What I do have is an endless curiosity about these contradictions, what inspires us, and how it can be that we are all so marvellously different and yet remarkably similar in our overarching themes.
The other thing I have is sincere belief in the healing power of being witnessed, recognized and connected to another human being. I have discovered how empowering and transformative it can be to become curious about ourselves and more comfortable in our own skins. And for myself, the most exciting and interesting way to self-discovery is through mindful, deep, and vivid artistic exploration.
My desire to become a creative and expressive arts therapist was born from the power that I have felt through the arts. And not just one art form, but all of them. How they can feed into each other, and how they help to shift our stories and personal narratives into something that has beauty, power and fluidity. The arts help us to re-shape and re-frame things that previously may have seemed stuck, into something more alive that we can nurture and play with. This is what I want to share. This is what I want to explore through my workshops and my private practice. If this sparks something in you – curiosity, excitement, or even dread – then perhaps there is something here for us to explore together.