About me
I am a fully qualified and insured, BAAT and HCPC registered Art Psychotherapist, experienced in providing therapy to a wide range of individuals and groups.
I was first introduced to art therapy as a teenager struggling with bereavement, and like any teenager I was initially sceptical of this new experience. However, with the guidance of a patient art therapist, I found the medium of art to be highly conducive to my therapy process. This experience as a service user ultimately led me to pursue a career in art therapy, aiming to help others in the same way I was helped.
My personal and professional experience, has made me particularly confident in providing art therapy to young people experiencing bereavement and people with special educational needs, however I am experienced in providing therapy to young people and adults in various other environments.
Experience
I currently provide art therapy to children with chronic conditions through my role as an art therapist with The Teapot Trust. This includes therapy in both a 1:1 and group settings and I would encourage anyone who thinks they may benefit from the services of The Teapot Trust to visit their website: The Teapot Trust
I also work as part of Theorise’s external support team to deliver specialist mental health mentoring sessions and interventions for young adults. My role is to empower university/college students to manage their mental health in relation to their academic progression, promoting strategies for independent learning, living and self-management.
I previously worked as a bereavement and young peoples worker for a drug and alcohol services charity, where I provided therapy and other support services to young people who had experienced sudden or unexpected bereavement. I found this to be particularly rewarding given my own history with art therapy and bereavement.
Before beginning my career in art therapy, I worked for the Pilgrim School, a Community Special School (Hospital School) which provides education to pupils who are not able to access mainstream school due to mental or physical illness.
I have also completed art therapy placements in an NHS adult acute mental health ward and in a primary school as part of my master’s of science in art psychotherapy, detailed below.
Education
I completed a Masters of Science in Art Psychotherapy at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. This course was completed over two years, and alongside my studies, I completed two six month placements as a practicing art psychotherapy student. In my first year of studies, I successfully set up an art therapy programme in a primary school, where neither the school nor the students had experienced art therapy before. In my second year of studies I worked alongside NHS art therapists in an adult acute mental health ward, delivering art therapy to those experiencing severe mental health difficulties.
My thesis focused on the experience of a neurodivergent female who is an Art Therapy trainee. My work is currently in the process of being published into the International Journal of Art Therapy, in hopes to expand the knowledge within the Art Psychotherapy field.
Prior to this, I completed an undergraduate degree in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln. Throughout this degree, I completed three placements in different learning settings, and gained experience working with a variety of children with diverse backgrounds and medical conditions. Additionally, I became familiar with using visual aids for communication and ways of creating differentiated learning environments that fit the needs of individuals.
