Counselling & Art Therapy with Danlie

“I am not creative…” or “I am not good at art…”

are the phrases that we often hear when talking about using art as therapy.   In fact, creativity is everywhere.  When we use duct tape to patch up that broken window, or swap an ingredient in the recipe, we use our creativity.

We only unlearn how to draw when we turn 10-12 years old, when developmentally we start trying to draw realistically and realize that we can’t.  Instead of playing and making a mess, taking a risk and trying something new, we learn to be self-critical and limit our potential.

Interestingly, art is where we first “fail”, it can also be where we start to explore ourselves and find our confidence, and improve our relationships with self and others.

Using art as a therapeutic tool, we find meaning when words fail us, we try new things when making changes are challenging, and we find solution and insight toward healing.

Art therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy that uses art materials, the creative process, and the creative expression to work on our inner- and inter- relationships with ourselves and others. Unlike talk therapy, art therapy focuses on sensory experiences and may access implicit memory or feelings. Unexpected themes may emerge, and new perspectives and insights may also be achieved during the art therapy process. Art abilities are not required at all for art therapy.

Also, an art therapist cannot “interpret” your artworks because we believe that only the creator knows what it means to them; Instead, an art therapist works with you intuitively so we can assist you in finding meanings in your creative expression.

discovering happiness on our journey there.