Services

Art therapy sessions

I offer art therapy sessions either in the setting of my private practice, in local green-spaces, or in institutions, such as schools.

Sessions will last either 50 minutes or 1 hour and 20 minutes, and take place on a weekly basis. The sessions are adapted to the individual needs of the person and, on occasion, clients may be offered a higher frequency of sessions. This will be agreed in collaboration.

In the sessions the client is invited to work with both a verbal cognitive process and a non-verbal creative process. Through the combination of dialogue and creative expression we may explore what is of importance to the client in the here-and-now, drawing on conscious and unconscious processes. The client will have the opportunity to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, conceptual and written work to express what is of relevance to them. These will be considered together with the dialogue that emerges around them. The materials will vary depending on the client, and what feels appropriate or helpful for them.

Art therapy sessions outdoors

Clients may also be offered art therapy sessions outdoors in a greens-pace in the local community. The location for the therapy would be agreed upon together with the client and would tend to remain the same from week-to-week. The client would tend to work with natural materials in the vicinity of the session, which may include, for example, leaves, twigs, and water. Paper and pencils will also be provided.

Outdoors there can sometimes be challenges to maintaining confidentiality and we will decide together what to do in these circumstances. In the first session we will discuss how to manage different situations and we may revisit this in the course of the therapy.

Free initial consultation

I offer an initial free 50-minute consultation. This is an opportunity for you to share a bit about yourself/your child and what has brought you to therapy now, and for us to get a sense of whether we may be suited to working together. I would also share a bit about my approach and answer any questions. Through this conversation we will hopefully be able to establish how best to move forwards. I may suggest having a second initial consultation which would also be free.

Work with children

When working with children, regular pre-accorded meetings will take place with parents to consider the process of their child, whilst respecting the child’s right to confidentiality. As part of this, art work will tend to remain confidential until the end of the treatment unless it is deemed necessary or beneficial to share it. This will be done with the agreement of the child.

Code of Ethics

Therapy is conducted on the basis of a Professional Code of Ethics. To know more about the code of ethics, please follow this link: Code of Ethics.

Safeguarding

In keeping with safeguarding, if I become seriously concerned for the safety of a client or for someone else, I may need to break confidentiality to raise an issue of concern. This would ideally happen with the consent of the client, however, this may not always be possible. Examples of this would be if a child or adult were at risk or abuse, serious harm or suicide. In such instances I may be obliged to contact a General Practitioner, the Police or Emergency Services.

Confidentiality and record keeping

The sessions and records of sessions are strictly confidential. This includes the artwork created in them, which are be stored securely by myself until the end of the therapeutic work when the client will decide what they wish to do with the artwork. The client can have access to their records at any time through making a written request.

All records kept about a client are stored securely according to GDPR regulations. The records collected will include storing the client’s personal information, such as their contact details, General Practitioner information and Next of Kin contact. Written records of the sessions will be kept and stored anonymously without reference to the client’s name, as well as photographs of the artworks created. The client’s personal information and the session records will be stored separately. All records will be stored in a two-step-verified secure folders.

The records will be used for no other purpose than to work with the client and will not be shared with anyone other than the client. Information about a client will only be shared if there are safeguarding concerns (please see safeguarding section) or if there is a police enquiry.

Languages

Therapeutic sessions can be conducted in English, Spanish or Swedish, according to the client’s wishes.

Rates

Rates are agreed on a case by case basis, depending on the length and nature of the therapy and the client’s circumstances.  50-minute sessions may cost between £40 and £60 per session.