Creative Psychotherapy

So what is Creative Psychotherapy? 

It is a form of talking therapy that allows you to express yourself creatively. Some people see it as a language to communicate with. It can be very useful when working with Neurodivergent Autism ADHD clients. You can use symbols, colour, form, movement, sound, clay, creative writing, poetry, musical instruments, miniatures, drama, or whatever you are drawn to. The process is more important than the final product or how creative you are. You don’t need to be an artist or be «good» at anything. What is more important is your curiosity and engagement with the creative journey. 

You can explore the feelings by pouring them into a creative expression. You might get spontaneous insights or not, and both are perfectly fine. The purpose of the sessions is to explore in a relaxed environment what wants to be expressed, heard, and seen, being open to what comes up. Metaphors, images, and movements go beyond words, taking us deeper into the emotional experience. They compress and distill the essence of what is being communicated. They act as messengers from which the client and I can learn something.

How do I work? 

I do not use art to diagnose or interpret and do not medicalise distress. Instead, I hold clients with the two hands of the Person-Centred approach. On the one hand, is my radical faith in the client’s actualising tendency. On the other hand, is the commitment to consistently offering a climate of sufficient support. In contrast to colluding with the pathologising medical model, I facilitate liberation from a self-blame mindset. I view my clients as people, not as illnesses or labels. 

My philosophy is to avoid discounting any aspects of the clients’ experience. Everything is valid. I accept any emotion or insight that surfaces to support your self-discovery without any judgment. Offering a safe space to bring different elements of yourself without me taking any sides facilitates the process of clients thinking for themselves, letting go of the need to impress, and becoming less dependent on external approval. 

As a Person-Centred Psychotherapist, I relinquish the directive expert stance and hand over the reins to my clients to lead the way. This sets the tone of mutual trust and a safe space for the nurturance of client autonomy. By trusting the inner wisdom of the healing process unfolding, I offer no agenda or expectation. As we connect here and now, the freshness of current concerns and priorities stays in the forefront. By leaning into this moment-to-moment dwelling, I bring my whole authentic self to be fully present and transparent. Offering the corrective emotional experience of empathy is a therapeutic antidote to distress. My clients learn to trust that my acceptance of their uniqueness is genuine. This gives them a feeling of safety to bring more of themselves into the therapy room. I believe in the human irrepressible unfolding of potentiality. However, it is equally important for me to offer a supporting presence so that clients do not feel abandoned. Clients ultimately find their way by getting in touch with their internal voice, self-advocating, and following their path to well-being. Whether you are in Manchester or further afield Creative Psychotherapy can help you both face to face and online.

This is the right approach for you