What is Neuro-Affirming Arts Therapy?

Neuro-Affirming Arts Therapy with me (Chrissy), is a holistic, creative alternative to traditional talk therapy. Accessing words, emotions and sensory needs can sometimes be more challenging for neurodivergent people, so we use drawing, painting, print-making, sculpture, LEGO, natural materials, poetry, journaling and more, to express ourselves and tap into our goals and needs. Creativity accesses a different part of the brain than talking does, which enables us to communicate in rich, meaningful, non-linear and non-verbal ways (as well as spoken if/when you choose.)

You always have full agency to choose the direction we take in our sessions together. I am here as your companion and trained guide in therapeutic creativity. The magic here, is that you don’t have to dig up any painful or challenging experiences you’re not ready/able to access. Therapeutic, creative inquiry has the power to embody, express and make sense of our needs and goals, elicit inner wisdom, and even enjoy the process of self-discovery. With my caring, attuned support and training in therapeutic arts practice, visual arts and education, I can meet you wherever you’re at to build your inner resources, offer inspiring insights, processes and techniques, and reflect on options for neurodivergent thriving. Together, we can feel empowered in who we both are.

The essence of our Neuro-Affirming Arts Therapy sessions together is about building trust, safety, curiosity, integrity and creative literacy, in a supportive and welcoming environment. It also means I am deeply passionate about supporting you in your unique neuro-wiring and sensory needs, as I have them too! Being neurodivergent myself, I meet you in a state of acceptance, belonging, openness and willingness to self-discover, rather than expecting you to conform to neurotypical standards. We are each quirky and unique and deliciously different and I see this as a massive strength to deepen into. This means we can learn and grow together in ways that are attuned to our innate strengths, challenges, values and goals. It’s beautiful, inspiring work to experience and I look forward to co-creating with you.

What Happens In An Art Therapy Session?

• Prior To Our First Session You’ll Receive A Client Intake Form To Complete, With Your Interests, Personal And Therapeutic Goals.

• Then our first session is about getting acquainted; with each other, your goals and creating with art materials.

• We may ease into our creative flow with a mindful art experience, or experiment with art mediums to express your current inquiry.

• I often create alongside you, so you feel more relaxed and companioned in your art-making.

• We can chat or be silently immersed in our creative expressions.

• At the end of the session, we may reflect on our creations and process, to discover insights for growth and self-care moving forward.

Ongoing Art Therapy Sessions

• Working together over time enables long term support and growth. It’s where we dive deeper into bringing your wellbeing goals to life.

• Together we will explore a wide range of creative processes and mediums over time, to nourish your expressive flow, feel easeful with the therapeutic art process, and connect with the wisdom of our inner language & inner healer.

• We will practice creative techniques and mediums for emotional regulation and authentic self-expression, and to help you translate what’s in your heart and mind, into authentic imagery.

• We may work on a different creative expression each session, or build upon previous artworks with alterations, layers and creative conversations.

• We’ll pivot, pause, flow and anchor as we need to. At all times, there is a focus on shared safety and trust - and a welcoming invitation to play, explore and grow.

About my classes

My Intuitive Art classes for both adults and children, involve a playful, exploratory and therapeutic-inspired approach to create richly satisfying Art. I provide a space to explore your intentions and values in artistic, fun, meaningful, inspiring and achievable ways; enabling you to make works that feel nourishing to your creative Spirit. In a workshop we will paint, collage, draw, journal and engage our senses as we create.

Please note my classes are all about enjoying the process, not just creating a ‘perfect’ finished piece! Instead, I will guide you to connect with your values, intuition and preferences and explore how that looks and feels, via creativity. It's a beautiful journey within.

Do I need any experience?

Absolutely not. Art-making is a journey suitable for beginners to seasoned artists alike, because we are focussing on exploring our creative selves. I have been teaching for over 20 years and I have a knack for sharing techniques in inspiring, achievable ways so that you can utilise techniques to get your ideas on the page. There is zero judgement of your art, it’s about feeling in the creative flow and I meet you where you’re at to help guide your unique creative process. You simply need to be open to exploring your inner creative muse with an open, colour-loving heart.

What is Intuitive Art?

Intuitive Art-making is a freeing, process-based experience of creating. Rather than planning our paintings from start to finish; we will paint, draw and collage based on our creative flow and personal values, moment by moment. Remember creating freely as a kid? It's like that; through play, experimentation and enjoying the moment! Intuitive Art-Making supports us to trust and surrender into discovering the joy of feeling creative again, without pressure to create a masterpiece. It’s part art, part, heart, part spiritual nourishment.

How do I access my intuition ... I'm not sure I know how?

Intuition is an innate part of being human. It's in the inner nudges you feel; the desire to try something new. It is the intelligence that keeps us alive and exists within us, every minute of every day. In my classes, we will focus on simple, yet profound techniques to help us access our intuition. I lead you to access your intuitive muse in mindful, values-driven, creative ways that you can use in everyday life to strengthen this beautiful tool you've been given. Play is an important part of this process, as it helps us get out of our heads and into our heart and creative flow. We’ll use intuition cards, mindfulness, visualisation, journalling and a wide range of artistic materials and processes, to tap into your intuition and fan her colourful flames.

Do I need to be able to draw?

No, but you can! Intuitive drawing is not about perfection, but rather creating an ‘essence’ of an image in your work. If you can hold a pencil, you can draw! Everyone can draw intuitively, because the focus is on the feeling conveyed, not to reproduce an image to photographic quality. You don't need to be able to draw conventionally, you will learn to symbolise your intuitions instead which feels way more exciting in my books. Yay!

What if I don't like my work?

What's important is that intuitive painting is a process and you're taking time to enjoy yourself NOW, not the final product. Please don't enrol in a workshop, expecting step-by-step rigid instructions, to create a refined finished masterpiece. If you're interested in creating intuitively (if you're here reading this, I'd say that's a YES!), this tells me your rich inner intelligence wants to explore freely and without judgement. Art is a way to access this part of ourselves - it's all about willingness and courage to grow and be playful and curious while we’re at it!. There may be in-between stages you feel challenged by in your creative process - it happens to me all the time! I’ll be there to help with freeing techniques and tips to get back into the flow, trust yourself and keep going. There are truly no mistakes, just new oportunities to deepen into the creative process and learn about yourself along the way.

How can I make art without a plan?

We learned from an early age at school, to set a task and complete it to a certain standard to gain approval. How freeing it is to let go of tasks and just enjoy being creative for the sake of artistic joy! The first step forward is doing - the time we spend together is less about the finished product and more about the process of accessing your intuitive, creative flow. As we work with our creative process, the more we learn that it always works out. Allow yourself to step into the unknown and trust that I’ve worked with maaaany people who felt the same way and they have thrived in the process of unplanned, intuitive art-making. You’re not alone and I have loads of tips and tricks to make the process feel achievable and exciting.

The Fine Print: Are your art classes the same as Art Therapy?

After spending my adult years studying art, education and art therapy, I have developed many inspiring ways to help you experience the innate wellbeing benefits of creativity in light-hearted, joyful ways.

All of my art classes are nourishing and well-being infused. However Art Classes are not an Art Therapy group.

I am a qualified Arts Therapist who specialises in neuro-affirming art sessions, with a focus on self-expression, values and strengths.

I am not a clinical art therapist and therefore my classes-and art therapy sessions are not aimed at clients with acute/complex mental, physical or emotional health needs. This means if you have any existing mental, physical or emotional health conditions where inner work could be triggering for you at this time, please be discerning as to whether my Art Class offerings are right for you. A trained clinical art therapist may be a more suitable support for you, if focussed healing is required.

Please read the information with each art class or art therapy booking, so you know what I am able to offer.