Creative Arts Therapy
Creative arts therapy is a life journey through art expression, the use of creativity to express our pain, our hurt, our desires. It can be used to build a road map of where you are going, and to see how far you have come. It uses a variety of modalities, from plasticine and clay, to paint, and oil and chalk pastels. Expressive arts therapies support the awareness of what is happening in our bodies, and encourages the expression of the motor impulses of trauma that is held in our bodies. This allows the development of new neurological pathways around the trauma to significantly improve healing and wellbeing.
We often start with a mindfulness meditation, learning to listen to our bodies, what do they have to say, let our mind rest. We select art and creative materials, and allow our bodies to express what is happening for us through these processes; letting the thinking go, and allowing us to just be. The companion/therapist may ask questions about what the inquirer/client is noticing in their body as they complete the exercise, and work towards finding the conflicts in their values, accepting these sensings, thoughts, and feelings.
Melanie completed her Certificate of Initiatic Art Therapy in April 2015 with the Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy & School for Initiatic Art Therapy, and the Certificate of Clay Field Therapy in May 2016. At the end of 2019, Melanie completed her Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice from MIECAT. Her placement was completed at Phoenix Wings Wellness, with a project called “A Moment of a Record in Time”, which cumulated in an exhibition held at the GIGS Art Gallery in November 2019.
Mel offers creative and expressive arts therapy sessions and group sessions in Albury, Corowa, and Wagga, (unfortunately Mel is unable to offer clay field therapy sessions at this time, please contact Janene Castillo for these) whilst all practitioners here with us at Phoenix use creativity in their work, and have completed additional training and certification in arts therapy. For more information and to book, please get in touch.
