Art Therapist Statement

            Growing up, my dad used to cut out small pieces of foam board, set up a still life of random fruit for our school lunches the next day, squeeze out dollar store acrylic paints, and say “paint.” From then on, I was hooked. Any and all artmaking has been my bloodline ever since. From tap dancing to embroidery and watercolor painting to printmaking, my life has been a long string of multidisciplinary expeditions and explorations. Expanding into indoor gardening and wheel throwing, my artistic pursuits became wider and my definition of art all encompassing. Art, to me, parallels existence – it is a part of me, it nurtures me, it has and continues to heal me.

            Here’s where the art therapy comes in to play. I think, without knowing it, art therapy has been ever-present in my life. Artmaking is my form of nurturing myself. Just as artmaking throughout my life has taken many forms, art therapy, I have learned, can exist in many ways. Art therapy is the act of making art that is inherently healing to an individual – creating something outside of oneself in this world. Art therapy is a nonverbal communication that holds space for difficult experiences to surface and resolve. Art therapy is the creative energy of a group of individuals coming together and supporting one another in community. Art therapy is love and care for and with oneself and others… and so much more.

            In my practice, I aim to bring happiness, healing, and hope to individuals through artmaking. Operating from narrative therapy and relational-cultural therapy frameworks, I aspire to bring the process of artmaking to individuals in order to promote confidence and self-love, help make sense of the world around them, and foster joy in their lives and communities. Complementary to the many facets of art therapy, I utilize a wide range of materials in my practice, including wheel throwing, painting, gardening, embroidering, and beyond.

            Although I may not have one exact definition of “art therapy,” I believe that the fluid and expansive nature of the field is what makes it so unique and necessary for the world. My goal is simply to love and care for others and myself through art therapy.