Welcome to the ART-icul-EYES studio of Liz McKnight, Registered Art Therapist

Sessions

Ways to participate in art therapy

In addition to an individual experience, sessions could be in a group of like-minded people, as a couple, or as a family. Most likely you will participate in a minimum of six one-hour sessions. If in a group, sessions may be 90 minutes and longer depending upon the age group and/or focus of the session.

Summary of what to expect in an individual session

When you have looked around and made a selection you will be free to create where ever your mood takes you. Play, experiment and observe your feelings and thoughts as well as the process of your art piece unfolding. This is not about creating beautiful art (although it may be.) It is about working through your "stuff" using the creative part of your brain which is often under utilized in daily life. This process also works around the human tendency to avoid, by talking around an issue. By using the creative side of our brain we look at things in a fresh and  honest way. (For a more detailed description, read more about my philosophy (pdf, 129 kB).)

Your work will be saved, located in the safe storage here, to be continued later or reviewed down the road to see where your journey has taken you. Although this process is work, it is soul satisfying as well as an opportunity to let down your hair so to speak.

Group Information

Spontaneous Art Groups

Working with art spontaneously and focusing on the process of creating freely using simple art materials, gives all people a chance to express and explore awareness of their thoughts and feelings, to develop relationships with one another, and to help in specifying personal goals.

Working in a group provides an opportunity for participants to discover more about themselves, their strength and worries, as well as ways to relate to other group members. They can give and receive feedback from other group members, increase understanding of issues and emotions, and realize that others experience the same struggles. Spontaneous art is a concrete way of working through experience.

Creating art accesses a different part of the brain than using words only. Recent neuroscience shows that new connections are made between different areas of the brain, accessing feelings that may otherwise remain hidden which are then transferred into the art. Once the art is created you may begin to clarify thoughts and feelings, to understand better and in time, to decide what to do. The therapist and fellow group members may be a part of the process as they share their art and responses.

Parent Information

For children, art making involves processes that bypass our more conventional, logical, and verbal ways of thinking. Making art also addresses a fundamental need for creativity and self-expression. In terms of development, the mind of the child is not yet as language or logic oriented as the mind of an adult. Instead, children and adolescents move very comfortably in the realm of images and imagination.

All can gain fresh insight through this modality, as art therapy provides a unique approach. Through art exploration, one may access new levels of understanding of self and new ways of looking at the world.

The art therapy sessions provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for personal art expression. Clients have the opportunity to freely use various art media, such as pastel, paint, clay, and collage. Sessions may be individual, with siblings or as a family.

Children's Group Example

Losses experienced by children may be a result of death, illness, or trauma. Unresolved loss may cause depression and damage to self-esteem, which in turn, blocks energy for self-expression and learning. Trauma can affect a student’s ability to learn similarly to loss. The consequence may be that most of the child’s energy is required to repress or deny their painful feelings. The goal of art therapy is for the child to learn to express themselves effectively, alleviate depression, and in turn increase self-esteem.

The goal is to support, encourage and facilitate the grieving process in a group of up to 8 young children, ages 4 – 7  or  8 – 12 years.
The objectives are to:

• provide a safe and caring environment to acknowledge and freely express grief
• provide materials to facilitate the creative expression of repressed feelings
• encourage the release of and working through painful feelings
• help reduce anxiety
• increase understanding and acceptance of the death of a loved one
• recognize that all these feelings are normal and to be expected (anger, guilt sadness, happiness etc.)

Fees

When we meet, we will discuss fees which can, in some cases, be funded through MCFD for Autism support, Community Living BC for developmental disabilities, Crime Victim Assistance, as well as privately funded. I do have a professional rate assessed by the government based upon my training and experience. Using this rate as a starting point, I work on a sliding scale, based upon the need, issue, and number of sessions which may be required. I prefer to discuss with you in person.

Please feel free to email  articuleyes@mac.com or phone 250-713-8857 with any questions. I  look forward to meeting you.

Liz