Welcome. I’m happy to see you here.

Art Therapy is an approach that allows the client to process their experiences in a non-verbal way. Art provides the tools to express, examine, question, and cope with these thoughts and feelings while externalizing these experiences. Through the art-making process and the therapeutic relationship, clients can study cause-and-effect interactions, and improve their problem-solving skills. Art also helps clients cope with symptoms, enhance self-esteem, and develop responsibility and independence while improving social interactions. Some clients struggle with verbal expression and art helps provide the tools for expression where words cannot.

Life rarely allows us to erase and start again. With art, this becomes a possibility, but moreover, through the process of construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction, the possibilities for reinvention are endless within the art process. Art has the added benefit of showing growth tangibly. My artwork from today has grown and changed from my artwork of yesterday, and through this objective change, we can see that growth.

Some common questions/concerns that clients have about art therapy:

As your client, do I have to do art?  

Absolutely not! We can process through challenges in whatever way feels comfortable. Art therapy, like anything, is simply a tool at our disposal.  

What if I’m not a good artist?  

Good news! Art skill is simply not required. We value the act of creating the art, not the final product that would result. In the art therapy world, we value the process over the product! 

What kinds of art do we do? 

What kind of art would you like to explore? I like to work with both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art media. So, that provides you with a lot of options. Anything from drawing, painting, and collage to fibers, googly eyes, minor woodworking, clay, and sculpture. If you can dream it, we can probably figure out how to do it. Let’s experiment together! 

What do I need to bring with me? 

That depends on the projects and what we are currently exploring; however, I do recommend wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting messy in, and for the days you forget, smocks can be provided.

My communication style utilizes a direct approach, combining listening with honest and thoughtful feedback.  I believe in providing support while gently challenging clients to help them find real growth within their therapeutic journey. I strive to learn new evidence-based techniques to assist others.

I bring with me a passion for ADHD awareness that comes from both personal and professional experience with ADHD and its common comorbidities. I feel that my firsthand, as well as professional,  experience aids me in my ability to meet clients where they are. These experiences have helped to increase my understanding of interacting with the world through a neurodivergent lens.

In my treatments, I am passionate about being able to provide a mix of traditional and art therapy therapeutic components to my clients. I utilize a variety of modalities and interventions with a focus on creating a robust therapeutic connection blending Art Therapy (AT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior  Therapy (DBT), skills training, and mindfulness techniques. I am a firm believer that the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors create the schema or lens from which we see the world. The way we feel about a situation “colors” our thoughts and perceptions. As an art therapist, I strive to help others add different “colors” to their situations.