Arts therapists work differently.
*WHAT
What are Arts Therapies?
When you think of therapy, you may have an image of sitting in a chair pouring your heart out to a therapist who listens to you, nodding sagely from time to time and telling you at the end what the problem is and how to fix things.
We believe you have the tools and strength to sort your own problems out; only things have gone a bit haywire along the way because life can be inundating and scary and people can end up feeling lost and frightened when too many things go wrong.
Facilitated by me, Sarah Herbert Penny, progress takes place, step by step, building a secure and trustful relationship between myself as the therapist and you as the client, which allows you to feel safe enough and held enough that you can draw a deep breath and figure out how you would like your life to change and what you would like to do to allow those changes to take place. It’s like having a good friend that you trust to be on your side, only this friend knows a lot about mental health, what makes people feel good about themselves and what happens to people when they lose belief in themselves.
*HADITHI
Story-making is at the heart of how I work
Hadithi means ‘story’ in Swahili and story-making is at the heart of how I work; exploring the stories of what has happened in the past that hurt you, but also the stories of what you would like to make happen in the future to bring you joy.
As my qualifications reflect, I’ve spent a fair few years of my life in educational settings exploring creative writing and drama. The two arts therapies I work with are creative therapeutic writing and dramatherapy.
We make stories about our life by using the processes of drama and creative writing, and working in groups.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to be a writer or an actor or a skilled public speaker to participate in, and benefit from, any of these therapies. You just have to be you, and prepared to put in the work to change the things you would like to change in your life.
To give you an example of how we might work, let’s say things have gone wrong in your relationship with your sister, and every time you see your sister you end up feeling furious. I might ask to write a letter to your sister expressing all the things about her that drive you nuts (a therapeutic writing technique called the ‘unsent letter’). In the therapy sessions I might ask you to role play your sister and have another group member role play yourself. Through these two techniques you would gain perspective on what you wish you could say to your sister although you know you never will. But you would also gain perspective on what it feels like to be your sister, in her relationship with you. You would potentially end up with more understanding of your frustrations, and her vulnerabilities, and it would give you the ability to manage your reactions to her better in your relationship to her.
*PROCESS
How the sessions work
Therapy is informed by an academic approach, drawing on years of experience in academia.
1. Initial Consultation
We begin with a one-on-one session to explore your needs and determine whether the group process will be beneficial. This session can take place in person or online.
2. Preparation Session
If the group format is appropriate, we meet for one further individual session to prepare you for joining the group.
3. Guided Preparation
You may receive background reading to deepen your understanding of the themes we will explore. Reflective exercises, often in the form of creative writing, may be assigned to complete at home.
4. Group Therapy Sessions
You will then join the group sessions, bringing your reflections and writing into the shared therapeutic space for discussion and exploration.