I like the idea of Art Therapy but I’m not any good at art?
Being ‘good at art’, is in no way a requirement for choosing Art Therapy. A willingness to engage with the materials and an openness and curiosity to witness what unfolds, are important aspects of the therapeutic journey. The process of creating the artworks is often much more insightful than the finished pieces as they can be used as a window into the client’s subconscious state of being, as a reflection of their inner world.
I feel nervous about starting therapy
I really understand that starting therapy is a big moment in your journey. Taking the first steps in reaching out, can take courage. Sometimes making the primary call, or sending the initial email, is the biggest step clients take in their journeys. You may have waited for months, years or even decades, so feeling any mixture of nerves or anticipation, is natural. From our first interactions together, I aim to put you at complete ease.
Where do you offer the sessions?
I work from a number of locations; I maintain a private and comfortable art studio in Barnet, North West London, I practice Environmental Art Therapy in a beautiful woodland environment again in North West London and I offer therapy from a charming room in Queen Anne Street, W1G. I can also offer support online, though Zoom. If you are seeking support on behalf of a child or young person, then please note, I will only see them at their school or college.
Can we work remotely?
Yes, we can. I offer sessions remotely over the platform Zoom. Zoom is both password protected and encrypted. For further information about remote working, please refer to my ‘Art Psychotherapy – Working Alliance and Informed Consent Contract for Online Working’ a copy of which, can be found here. This is to be used in conjunction with the ‘Art Psychotherapy – Working Alliance and Informed Consent Contract’ which can be found here.
How long should I plan to have therapy for?
Many issues can be worked through successfully within a shorter-term therapy model, this usually comprises of twelve sessions. However, sometimes people will come to therapy for ingrained patterns the have lasted for many years, sometimes for a lifetime, and working carefully with deep-rooted narratives are almost always best served by long-term therapy, which is open-ended. This means we will regularly review our work to ensure it still meets your needs and if required, identify other areas you may wish to focus on, and if not, we can begin to work towards and ending together. We will discuss these choices during your ‘Therapeutic Assessment’ and perhaps too, in our initial sessions or at any time we may need to.
Do you work with children?
I do and I really love working with children and young people, however I only work with under 18s, within their school or college environment. You can access the ‘Art Psychotherapy – Working Alliance and Informed Consent Contract for Under 18s’ here.
How can I initially contact you?
You can contact me through the ‘Contact’ page on my website, or you can call or text me on 07957775018. Please take notice, that I only communicate through email, text message and telephone calls. I do not use any social media platforms for my professional communications.
What will happen when we first meet?
I realise that reaching out for help, is not always easy. I’d like to reassure you that I aim to do all I can, to put you at ease at every stage of our work together. In the first instance I will invite you to meet online for a free of charge, thirty minute ‘Discovery Call’. I aim to make you feel comfortable, heard and held.
What is the ‘Discovery Call’?
The ‘Discovery Call’ is a free of charge call, held over Zoom and is an opportunity for you to meet with me, to learn a little more about art therapy and for you to briefly outline the reasons that you are seeking support and to share your hopes for therapy. Although it will only be a short call, there will be time for you to ask me any questions that you may have.
What is the ‘Therapeutic Journey?’
I have written the ‘Therapeutic Journey’, to support you in your decision to begin therapy. I have described and illustrated the therapeutic journey from our first hello to our last goodbye. This allows me to practice with complete integrity and offers you some realistic expectations about what to expect. You find more about this, here.
What is the ‘Therapeutic Assessment’ session for?
The ‘Therapeutic Assessment’ session serves as a space for me to learn more about you and the information needed, in order for our work to be set up safely and ethically. This can be conducted together both in person or online. This session lasts up to ninety minutes.
After the ‘Therapeutic Assessment’ session, why do you recommend working for 6 weeks?
In my experience six weeks is a sufficient amount of time, to decide if we can form a trusted therapeutic relationship together. We can and will, review the work and your progress within this timeframe. It’s important to remember it can take time for an unguarded professional relationship to grow. In order to honour the therapeutic alliance that we will be working towards, it’s of value to acknowledge the time this may take. Allowing yourself adequate space to process the material that is being brought, is another beneficial part of the journey.
Giving yourself a proper opportunity to work with the art materials, is also something else to consider and if at the end of our six weeks together, you don’t feel like working in art therapy is best suited to you, I will endeavour to refer you to a colleague who may work within an alternative discipline of psychotherapy. If this is the case, we will spend some time reflecting on this together before we say goodbye.
How long will my treatment last?
Until we begin our work, it is difficult to say how long we may need to work together, in order for noticeable changes to become visible. Some clients feel they have made the progresses they desired in a shorter time frame; however, some clients may need longer. This will of course depend on the circumstances that have brought you to therapy. I am committed to regularly reviewing our work and will encourage us to work towards an ending when you feel ready to do so.
How often should I have therapy?
Therapy generally requires weekly sessions to allow our relationship to develop and for you really be able to ‘lean’ into the work. Some people may require an increased frequency, and I am happy to work in this way if it is something we discuss and agree upon.
What is the duration of each session?
The duration of each session will be fifty minutes. If you are late, I am afraid, we will not be able to make up the time, as I work to an hourly schedule, so please try to be punctual.
If I want to stop therapy, why is it so important to work towards an ending?
We will regularly review and reflect upon your progress, at all stages in our work together. If you feel that you would like to stop therapy, I would very much encourage you to share this with me, as having an opportunity to consider why you would like to stop, could be a crucial marker in your journey. I will always encourage you to decide when your therapy ends however having a sudden ending is often inadvisable; planning and working on how we will say goodbye to each other, is so important.
How do I pay for my therapy?
Payment for sessions is due before the session or immediately afterwards. I accept cash or a BACS transfer. If paying digitally, I would encourage you to use your anonymised client code, (allocated to you on at the beginning of your therapy) as the payment reference, so payments can be easily attributed to you.
What are the prices?
The ‘Discovery Call’ last for up to thirty minutes and is free of charge
The ‘Therapeutic Assessment’ Session lasts for up to ninety minutes and costs £120
Each individual Art Therapy session, lasts for fifty minutes and costs £80
Reports are charged at £75 per report
Consultancy, Training and Supervision – POA
Why do I have to pay for missed sessions?
Once we have agreed to work together, we will decide upon a day and a time each week which is then held, just for you. I will not be able to fill this time at short notice. My cancellation policy is that you give me 48 hours’ notice of any cancellation or you will be charged for the missed session. This is also outlined in my ‘Art Psychotherapy – Working Alliance and Informed Consent Contract.’
Can I use private healthcare to pay for my sessions?
I am currently affiliated with WPA Healthcare. I’m am also happy to provide an invoice if required, please just ask.
Is there a written contract?
A copy of my ‘Art Psychotherapy – Working Alliance and Informed Consent Contract’ can be found here. This agreement will cover the terms and conditions that will keep our work both safe and boundaried. By providing you with the clarity of what to expect from therapy, my aim is that this offers you some reassurance about what you are beginning, as starting therapy is often daunting. I aim to put you at ease, from our first tentative interactions together.
Are you available outside of sessions?
I do not encourage contact between our sessions. Primarily, this is to protect and preserve the integrity of our professional and therapeutic relationship. If however, you have a scheduling need that you feel you need to make me aware of prior to our next planned session, then I would encourage you to send email, to let me know.
Can I change the day or time of my session?
Maintaining the rhythm of the weekly sessions offers both containment and a reliability, however I do understand that there may times when session days and/or times, need to be rearranged. I will do my utmost to accommodate you however once a session day and time is agreed, it really is helpful to preserve this.
What if we share a mutually known contact?
It is possible that we may know the same person. If this is the case, please be reassured that I would NEVER inform them, that we are working together. Discretion and your right to receive therapy privately, is of the greatest importance to me and to my practice.
Can a friend or family member come with me?
I only see clients individually. I’m afraid I have no waiting facilities at the studio. If we have agreed to work together in the woods, then you may like to travel to the location with a friend or family member, however the fifty-minute session will be only with you. If we are working online, then again, the session will be just for you and working from a private space where you feel able to talk and work freely, will be crucial.
Can I park at The Small Studio?
Yes, there is free off street parking available.
A map to The Small Studio, can be accessed here.
If you use what3words then you can use: relax.length.shock
What should I wear?
It is advisable to wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting paint or glue on.
Have you completed a Risk Assessment for The Small Studio space?
I have, you download a copy of it here.
Is my information kept securely?
I take client confidentially incredibly seriously – any information that I hold about you, will be securely, digitally stored and fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can read more about how I adhere to the important matters of GDPR regulations at ‘The Small Studio – Data Protection and Privacy Policy’ here. The Small Studio is also registered with Information Commissioner’s Office – https://ico.org.uk
Are you a member of a professional body?
Art Psychotherapists hold a protected title, which are governed by Therapists Code of Ethical Principles, held by the Health Care and Professionals Council (HCPC). I am registered as a full member of the HCPC. You can find out more information about them here: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/
I’m a full member of the British Association of Art Therapists. https://baat.org/
I also subscribe the Childhood Bereavement Network. https://childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/
What qualifications to do you have?
I hold a MA in Art Therapy, where I qualified with a Distinction, from the University of Hertfordshire. I hold an MA in ‘Fine Art and Contemporary Practice’, awarded from Goldsmiths University. I also hold Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Art and Design, from Cambridge University, a BA in Fine Art from Middlesex University, and a Foundation Course in Art and Design from Chelsea College of Arts.
Do you hold a DBS Certificate?
Yes, I do. I hold an Enhanced DBS certificate for working with children, young people and adults.
Do you have insurance?
I do. I hold a professional liability policy, which covers my practice as an Art Psychotherapist.
Who made the artwork on this website?
I created all of the artworks on this website. I would never publish any images of my client’s artwork publicly, without their express permission. I take client confidentially extremely seriously.
What are the alternatives to Art Therapy?
Other forms of psychological therapies are widely available. The NHS and National Institute for Clinical Excellence provide information about alternative therapies. You may wish to discuss some of these in your ‘Therapeutic Assessment’ session.
