Creative Counselling
Julie Cunningham
Creative Counselling is good for...
Relationships
All life is about relationship; to significant others, our family, our work, our creativity, the world, our culture, to the stories we buy into and carry, and to the various parts of ourselves. Creative Counselling offers a way to explore relationships and to attend to them.
Body/Mind conditions
Some stress in the body, can be motivating. Chronic stress though, is likely to create body distress and dysfunctions and later, if not addressed, diseases sometimes arise. These stresses can have an emotional basis.
Patient stories I documented in my Masters Of Fine Arts film project revealed the emotional basis of some chronic conditions bio medicine treats as purely physical. This was revealed through the work of a doctor who address both the mind and body, a psychotherapist and immunologist. When a patient's condition was addressed at its emotional core, conditions transformed. For more on this see Medicine as an Art.
I have also witnessed significant shifts through Art Therapy. In the testimonial section you'll find Natalie's account of her healing through our therapy together.
Any mind/body issues are best addressed in conjunction with consulting a GP.
Female Cycle Distress
Exploring what is behind an irregular or painful cycle can point to emotional factors. That said, it is also best to check with a doctor. The cycle can reflect relationship issues, particularly with your partner. Negative attitudes to the female cycle abound, so pain can also reflect dominant cultural atttitudes.
Alexandra Pope, author of The Wild Genie frames the menstrual cycle as a template or map of the creative process. This may seem like an odd idea initially but travelling with the cycle in this way can aid the flow of your energy and creativity, enriching you and directing you towards your female power.
Transition/Adolesence
Art Therapy provides creative self reflection for young adults that is empowering, non judgemental and fun. Art Therapy is about drawing out a person's own answers, so for teenagers wanting to develop their own understanding about themselves and the world, Art Therapy can be very effective.
Grief/loss
Commemorative art processes can help with loss. Creating art can help to express intense feelings and can also be a great way to honour the person, and your life together.
The grief felt after a beloved companion animal passes is also intense as bonds with animals can significantly touch us . Again commemorative art processes can offer a way to honour their passing and serve as a reminder of their part in your life.
Addiction
Art therapy can help with some addictions. When a person really wants to change, discovering the emotional basis of an addiction can help in the process. The testimonial of a client who shed a marihuana addiction through combining art therapy sessions with energy work, is on the Testimonial page.