Art Therapy
- Anxiety and Depression
- Life Transitions
- Self Esteem
- Stress Management
- Grief/Loss
- Work and Career Issues
- Trauma related issues
- Self-Care
- Spiritual
- Dream Work
- Body Therapy/Somatic
- Nutrition and Health
“Art does not reproduce what we see; rather it makes us see.”
~Paul Klee
Art Therapy
Using the imagination is the key to reality.
Participating in art therapy can help access the unconscious thoughts and feelings more easily than through language alone. As a mirror illustrates the physical self, art displays an expression from the sou. Art provides a pathway to healing by connecting the mind, body, and spirit. Entirely new ways of processing information can be achieved through art therapy, revealing the route to self-actualization. Emotional awareness is a fundamental aspect of what we seek to achieve. Illustrating and putting into form what lies within you is possible with art. Identifying mental images that represent fear lays the groundwork to transforming them into love, joy, and gratitude.
The tactile engagement with mediums such as clay, fabrics, and sand naturally alleviate stress and anxiety. Drawing, painting, and collage improve our ability to problem solve and opens the mind to new ideas. While art increases drive and improves concentration it also provides meaning and helps us understand our world. You do not need artistic skill to participate, as the focus of art therapy is on the process and your reflection of the art rather than the final product. Whether you come with beginner or advanced skill, art therapy will improve your creative ability and benefit your mental health.
Art therapy provides a way to process trauma in an alternative way while also creating safety and building resilience from stress. It is a fantastic way to explore the rich messages from our psyche within our dreams to excavate new insights and meaning. Any adult can benefit from art therapy, and it is very natural for children and adolescents to express themselves artistically.
Bodywork, yoga, somatic, psychodrama, dance, poetry, storytelling, guided meditation, reading, and music are some of the expressive arts that can be a complementary addition to the visual arts. Art therapy is rooted in a combination of Gestalt, Cognitive Behavioral, Narrative, Adlerian, and Family Therapy. Soul Collage can be utilized in the art therapy process with individuals, children, couples, and families.
Soul Collage
Rachael is a soul collage facilitator and she would love to introduce you to this wonderful process. If you are already familiar with soul collage then let’s get started! If you are new to Soul Collage, it is a form of soul work that is applied by creating collage images on cards. The collage process is accessible and can be quick since the images are already created for you. Dialoging and journaling in specific ways with the cards connects you with your intuition and discernment to help you make decisions that may be weighing on you, gain much needed personal insight. It can clarify your values and goals and build self-awareness.
The beauty of the soul collage process is that we are provided a means to access the unconscious quickly. People are often surprised at the insights their images provide and how on target they are. It can be tough to access these messages from the psyche when we are constantly met with a need to meet the concerns of our material world. There is not much time to write down fleeting thoughts, our dreams, and other insights dropped on us in our daily life. These images are a way to capture those messages and we will quickly realize we are not alone! Soul collage can be done alone but is so much richer when done in a group. The friends you make or bring will likely create a deep bond as you share in this process together.
Please fill out the contact form here if you are interested in participating in a monthly soul collage group. You will be contacted when at least 6 people have signed up. It will likely be held on a Saturday morning or Monday evening.
“Dreams are the touchstones of our characters”
~Henry David Thoreau
Child/Adolescent
Rachael has a special place in her heart for children and adolescents. She loves to help them meet their potential. She has a great knowledge for child development, teaching, communicating, and assessing the needs of individual personalities. She knows firsthand how challenging it can be for parents and teachers when your child is acting out at school or at home. It can disrupt the fabric of daily, family, and school life. Some acting out is, of course, normal and sometimes it is not so obvious. If you or your child’s teachers are unable to control your child or do not know what to do, counseling can help. Your child, you, and everyone interacting with you child deserves the best we can do for them. Taking a step to attend counseling with your child is brave and it may feel uncertain. Working with a therapist can help you find peace and strengthen your bonds of the future. You can rest assured that there is no judgment here and you are not alone. Rachael uses talk therapy, art, and play therapy to work with children and adolescents.
Individual Counseling
Individuals are as nuanced in our personalities as there are approaches to therapy. Rachael will help you explore your values, beliefs, and thoughts in order to help you gain self-awareness. I like to blend components of different approaches and customize treatment according to each client’s needs.
Traditional counseling, or “talk therapy” services are time tested and evidenced based approaches for helping people work through a range of life-s challenges. Art & Soul Counseling utilizes a variety of traditional counseling techniques to help my clients in their personal growth and address their particular concerns. Some of my favorite most effective approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive (REBT), Solution Oriented, and Rational Emotive (REBT), Solution Oriented, and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). These approaches are solution based and highly effective.
Holistic Psychotherapy grows the person as a whole rather than looking at the problem as a psychological issue or sickness. Holistic therapy acknowledges the individual in terms of mind, body, and spirit. Art & Soul Counseling may pull from holistic methods such as Gestalt, an experiential present based therapy, Body Centered, Somatic, Yoga, Expressive Arts, Hypnosis, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and the Enneagram, Nutrition, and Nature.
A mixture of these therapies is considered and “eclectic” approach and is very effective in the treatment of a variety of conditions including, but not limited to:
Trauma | Depression | Anxiety | Mood | Self-Image | Behavior | Relationships | Conflict
Family Therapy/Family Counseling Services
You may have found the saying that people that are hurt, hurt people, can sometimes be true. Many problems people experience are due to painful interactions and relationships. We are not taught many skills to improve relationships while ironically our relationship with ourself and others is one of the biggest determinants for happiness and success in life. Our children are continuing our story and we all desire to have a relationship with our children and grandchildren. I want to come alongside you and help you understand the variety of ways to enhance these all important relationships. Together we will forge a path to open the lines of communication and strengthen bonds to help you build bridges and make connections with the most important people in your life.
Anxiety and Depression Counseling
Whether you’re dealing with a painful relationship, a new or old illness, a problematic child, a life transition such as a career change or empty nest, grief or loss; anxiety and depression can feel very painful. If you want better functioning in your life and want to spend less time being ruled and overwhelmed by your emotions that steal your time and your sanity, I would love to work with you to help you find solutions.
And Also...
Art, Movement, & Life Skills Academy
Rachael is the co-founder of an Art, Movement, and Life Skills Academy. It is an arts academy that teaches and applies the critical skills of emotional intelligence, social skills, and physical health through the arts and activity. Visual arts, the expressive arts like drama, creative writing, music, creative movement, yoga, sports, fitness, crafts, and games are used to facilitate critical skills like creativity, leadership, teamwork, decision making, self-worth, communications, assertiveness, and conflict resolution. These are the soft skills of the 21st century that are not directly taught in the schools as the academics take precedence.
We offer small groups and together, Lola and I are supervising, facilitating, and interacting with your child. Rachael is a career teacher and licensed professional counselor and registered art therapist. She has an understanding of the whole spectrum of child and youth development. Lola is a fitness and nutrition expert. She is also a career teacher in her field. Both Lola and Rachael build strong rapport with students seeing the potential in each one to help them actualize their goals for developing leadership skills.
Adult classes and workshops are offered for parents and grandparents incorporating art, yoga, and mediation for adults. Lola and I would be delighted to help you reach your goals for increased health and wellness, improved parenting and communication skills. We both know how important our children are to us and that it takes a village!
“Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful parts of us.”
~David Richo Description