ART THERAPY

Human beings have always used the arts to communicate, to express themselves, to find inner peace or to heal themselves. With the development of psychology, we came to see the psyche as having an unconscious part that can be accessed through dreams but also through art. 

What is art therapy? At the crossroad between psychotherapy and visual arts, art therapy is aimed at healing or transforming the psyche with the use of simple art materials. The spontaneous creation of drawings, paintings, sculptures, masks or collages opens a window into the mysterious world of the unconscious which is explored afterwards in an attempt to understand how it connects with daily life. 

Art therapy is used for self-exploration, problem solving, inner transformation and healing. The art facilitates the access to the inner world and helps the release of pent up emotions and ideas. No previous art experience is necessary to participate in art therapy.     

I started giving art therapy workshops during my training in 1991- as a practicum student- and I have not ceased to be amazed by the incredible power of art to mend what needs to be made whole in ourselves. My own process with art therapy has been my greatest teacher.   

Workshops:

In an art therapy workshop, simple art materials are used for self expression (pastels, paint, clay and magazines for collages). The images and other creations are explored verbally in a very gently manner afterwards. My approach is mainly non directive,  I encourage spontaneity and free exploration. However, as I often combine art therapy with my other tools (writing, stories, masks, journaling, visualization) the format can vary. 

See the following websites for more information:

http://www.catainfo.ca

http://aatq.org/en