Art Therapy

For me, art therapy is about talking without talking. What I mean by that is that by making art, whether it’s happening in a three dimensional space or on a two dimensional surface, we are opening ourselves up to “speaking” to ourselves and to one another in a deeper way. Art therapy is an immersive growth process. Oftentimes language and words don’t suffice in helping us understand or express our innermost experiences. Language and words are immensely important and can stand alone in their own right, but when art making and discussion are combined in a therapeutic context, it can make for an incredibly rich experience for the participants. Art therapy is for everybody, not just artists.

Art therapists are highly specialized and, in the United States, the American Art Therapy association supports professional art therapists and has more information about the rigorous educational requirements to be an art therapist, what art therapy is, and the code of ethics I follow.

Green stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
Green stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
Collage made from other art which has been cut and repurposed with 'art therapy' written in black
Collage made from other art which has been cut and repurposed with 'art therapy' written in black

Talk Therapy

I am trained in both art therapy and traditional talk therapy. While there are many benefits of art therapy, I know that it isn’t for everyone or it may not be what you are looking for in your current journey. My therapeutic approach is rooted in humanistic psychology with a psychodynamic perspective. This means that I place high importance on helping my clients foster greater self awareness. I always aim to do this in a nonjudgmental, individualized, and sensitive manner. We holistically look at your life using information and experiences from the past and present to help inform the choices and opportunities for the future. This work also includes the acknowledgement of how the relational attachments and personal values we have in our lives may influence our wellbeing and mental health.

stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
Painted image of a red phone receiver, cord with a heart at the end, and leaves from the ear piece
Painted image of a red phone receiver, cord with a heart at the end, and leaves from the ear piece

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a subcategory of CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) developed by Marsha Linehan. While I do not offer a formal DBT program, I do use DBT skills with clients because DBT offers clear, concrete skills for people to use. DBT is less about processing what’s going on for folks and more about building up the skills of mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and crisis management. To learn more about DBT you can visit: behavioraltech.org

colored pencil drawing of three yellow flowers and an extended left hand with red lines
colored pencil drawing of three yellow flowers and an extended left hand with red lines
stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
stylized divider line with a leaf at the end

Mindfulness for Stress Reduction & Body Oriented Therapy

stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
stylized divider line with a leaf at the end

My art therapy experience nicely brings together stress reduction mindfulness and body based therapies. Mindfulness has been shown to help people reduce chronic pain, increase positive feelings, decrease depression & anxiety, and communicate more effectively. At its core, mindfulness is a particular way of paying attention to ourselves and our environment. Both personally and professionally, I have found great value in better understanding how the body and the mind can influence one another. Many of my clients will find themselves naturally tuning into their physical self during or after art making- an act of mindfulness. People find themselves wanting to “document” or “illustrate” where they feel an emotional response. We experience our mental health in our bodies and having the lanes of communication open between parts of ourselves promotes holistic growth. The pairing of these mind and body creative processes can lead to a greater understanding of how to care for oneself in a more compassionate and gentle manner. To learn more about Somatic experiencing therapy you can visit: traumahealing.org

figure sitting cross legged with hearts emiting from the head, a tree design in the shin
figure sitting cross legged with hearts emiting from the head, a tree design in the shin

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

stylized divider line with a leaf at the end
stylized divider line with a leaf at the end

Rooted in behavior therapy, ACT aims to help us understand the relationship we have with our own thoughts. We aren’t trying to stop unpleasant or uncomfortable thought patterns from taking place, we're exploring new ways in which we can “be with” or relate to thoughts. We also spend time exploring how our personal values can be used as a source of motivation. We ask questions like, “are my thoughts telling me stories that don’t align with my values?” “Can being in touch with my values give me the courage to shift out of unhelpful behavioral patterns and responses?”

I love ACT because it allows the client to engage in a variety of experiential (an active form of learning) exercises. To learn more about ACT you can visit: contextualscience.org

A bottle with water and glitter sitting on the corner of a table with grass and trees behind it
A bottle with water and glitter sitting on the corner of a table with grass and trees behind it

1005 Motter Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701
(443)684-7794