Person Centred Expressive Art Therapy

Natalie Rogers integrated art and psychotherapy and created the Creative Connection process and principles, using expressive arts therapy. She believed that what is creative is therapeutic and what is therapeutic is a more often a creative process.

Person centred expressive art therapy uses various media such as; writing, music, movement, painting, drawing, sculpting and improvisation. The media is used in a sequential way, to get into a ‘flow’ to access your deep emotional and intuitive selves to find meaning towards healing and growth.

This type of therapeutic work is not aesthetic and not about how accurate a drawing is done, what a great dancer you are or creating a perfect piece of writing. Many of us have expressed art in its many forms from; writing in a diary, doodling while on the telephone, maybe singing while driving or when walking outdoors, gardening, decorating your home, seeking out the meaning of your dreams, painting and so on. All of these things are ways to clear your mind by expressing your feelings, gain insights and maybe find some ideas for self-expression to increase your well-being.

I have completed an Introduction to Art Therapy course at Glasgow University and am aware that Art Therapy is a medical model and analytical in which art is used to diagnose, analyze as a form of treatment. Expressive art therapy is not diagnostic but a humanistic therapy to express the verbal/non verbal for self exploration and communication. For some people it may be easier to deal with difficult emotions through the use of expressive arts rather than talking about them. For others they may learn to express their true selves and move beyond any held onto boundaries and restrictions towards self-acceptance.

As a facilitator in a one on one or group setting my role is to be caring, non-judgemental, empathic,genuine and honest. My aim is to create a supportive setting to facilitate self-understanding while holding the belief in the individuals’ capacity for self-direction towards their full potential. By exploring your deeper emotions and any stuckness you may experience in grief, loss, anger, pain, fear and joy to be able to move towards a more fulfilling life. I hope that this way of working entices you to want to try new experiences towards self awareness, understanding and insight.

Natalie Rogers stated that, "Clients report that the expressive arts have helped them go beyond their problems to envisioning themselves taking action in the world constructively."