How does it work?

When we use the Arts in therapy we use our senses and intuition as well as words. Sometimes a visual prompt can trigger new ways of seeing your situation, or placing simple objects in a sand tray can open up new possibilities.

By way of a very brief 'visual' example, you might like to take a look at these images of trees, and then use the questions below.

NB: A note of caution: If you are feeling very emotionally fragile or unwell at the moment, I recommend you skip this exercise for now, or only do it if you are with someone you trust who can help you process your reactions appropriately. Using the arts can be surprisingly powerful.

TREES - an example of working visually..

Have a glance through these tree images… see which ones catch your eye most. It is best not to think too hard when doing this exercise. There are no ‘rights’ or ‘wrongs’ – it is simply about reflecting on your own reactions to the pictures.

• Which of these images are you most drawn to? Which are you least drawn to? Consider why this might be.

• Which images(s) seem closest to how you feel in your life at the moment? You might consider aspects such as season, colour, shapes, location, etc. If you can’t find any which fits the bill, try and imagine what kind of tree image would best describe your life right now. If you wish, you might draw a picture of it.

• If you could change one thing about the image, what would it be? You may like to make a note of what you discovered through this simple visual exercise, or even draw your own tree.

This is just a very simple example to illustrate one way in which creative media may be used to begin an exploration of feelings and experiences.

You may or may not have been able to engage with that example - different methods work for different people at different times. Some people are highly 'visual', whereas others favour different senses, and this is why I have a whole range of objects and creative materials in my therapy room, to allow for different possibilities and personalities, as well as talking and listening. Most of the objects are deceptively ordinary, yet these creative approaches can be surprisingly powerful, often revealing truths we were not aware of. The above exercise could be used as a starting point in our work together, and may lead into all kinds of new avenues as we unpack it together.

'The creative and sensory elements were particularly useful

in unlocking my thoughts and feelings. They added a whole

new dimension which made the whole experience

surprisingly revealing and liberating.'

(comments by a former client)