Glossary
Art therapy
Art therapy is an evidence-based tool that has been known to treat myriad mental disorders and psychological distress. These include, but are not limited to: psychosis, eating disorders, personality disorders, life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, learning disabilities and trauma.
When words fall short of our experiences, art therapy provides an alternative way to communicate; making it a very powerful medium for self discovery, empowerment and accessing parts of our unconscious mind.
Art therapy is not about crafting beautiful works of art. In fact, you don’t need to have any skills whatsoever – just the inclination to explore a creative outlet. There is an element of play with art therapy that can provide an immediate and welcome distraction from the pain and discomfort; but the enduring benefits can include improved social skills, increased confidence and the ability to access and express painful emotion.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy relies on trained professionals to harness the power of speech and guide clients through their concerns, struggles and difficulties in a space that feels both safe and free from judgement.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy goes a step further and explores one’s emotions, patterns and behaviours to achieve a deeper understanding of how our past experiences inform our current feelings. Examining one’s inner conflicts can ease distress and help people to develop healthier ways of being and relating.
EMDR therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is an effective evidence-based therapy that resolves unprocessed traumatic memories. It is a structured and phased therapy that leverages eye movement (officially known as bilateral stimulation) to reprogram the relationship between trauma in the brain and its physical manifestations in the body.