Creative Therapy

Creative therapy is an intuitive way of working, and allows you to explore your concerns through creative approaches.

What is creative therapy?

Creative therapy is similar to talk therapy, but instead of speaking about your issues, I also help you express your concerns in creative form.

We then use what emerges as the basis for further exploration. It is simply a different way of communicating. In fact, speaking is a creative act, so fundamentally all therapy can be considered creative.

I offer creative methods such as:

  • sculpture

  • music

  • movement

  • art

  • puppetry

  • sand tray

  • role play

  • poetry

  • dream analysis

Who can do it?

 

Some clients worry they cannot do creative therapy because they are ‘not good at art’, but creative therapy has absolutely nothing to do with skill. If you can put a mark on paper, or make a shape out of clay, you can benefit from creative therapy.

What happens in creative therapy?

 

You can choose to express a specific concern, or simply create something freely with no specific end in mind and simply see what emerges.

I follow how you feel comfortable expressing yourself, although I may also make suggestions if I sense a particular approach may be helpful.

I observe, letting you express yourself however you need to. There is then space for you to reflect on what you have created, and together we might explore your experience, and any issues brought out in the work.

There is also an opportunity to change the work and explore the difference that makes, or perhaps continue the exploration through another artform.

We might explore the issues expressed in a particular creative piece for several weeks, or you may start something new each session.

With your permission, I take photos of the work, so it can be referred back to in future sessions.

Creative therapy can be a time-limited process, or last several years.

You can also combine creative therapy with talk therapy.

Coloured pens, pencils, crayons on top of coloured paper.
Sand shapes and yellow moulds on purple paper with a heap on sand on the right.
Collection of puppets - a small green frog with red crown, a white polar bear and pink bunny rabbit finger puppets lying on top of a brown monkey hand puppet.
A collection of objects - a yellow and purple plastic egg, a silver key, a wooden drawing model, a large white shell, an aladin style lamp, a white unicorn with rainbow main, three other smaller shells.
Collection of costume props - a silver mask, two pairs of glasses, a diamond ring, a pearl necklace, a brown strip fan with long diamond earring on it, a blue and orange patterned tie.
View of a sand tray with a blue frame. Inside the tray is a brass aladin style lamp, a white shell and three grey stones.
Selection of musical instruments including egg shaker, red maraca, tingsha chimes, a kalimbas and a coconut.

Sand Tray Therapy

What is sand tray therapy?

 

Sand tray therapy shares the benefits of creative therapy, and has its own particular process.

You can choose to create a tray around a particular issue, or simply allow an issue to arise.

You begin by looking at an array of figures and objects, choosing the ones you feel drawn to. You then arrange the sand and the objects in the tray however you wish.

I am simply a witness and do not direct this process, and you let me know when the tray is done.

I then support you to explore what you experienced during the process, allowing you to explore the meaning of the tray, and any issues expressed in it.

I may then ask if you might like to alter the tray to explore different possibilities and outcomes, or if there is anything else you need to do with the tray.

As with creative therapy, we might go on to explore the issues expressed in a tray over a few sessions, or you may choose to do a new tray each time.

Again, with your agreement, I photograph the trays, so there is a record for future explorations.

 

A short explainer on
sand tray therapy

 
 

Video slideshow with captions of what is involved in sand tray therapy.

My sand tray experience

 

I studied sand tray as an integral part of my training, engaged in two personal sand tray processes - one six months and one a year - and attended a sand tray professional development group for three years.

Fees & availability

 

I currently charge £75 per session for individuals, and £90 per session for couples.

I also have some concessionary sessions available - please contact me for further details.

 Each session lasts 50 minutes.

I currently work on Tuesdays.

Please contact me to check availability.

Get in touch