ColourMeIn
Wellbeing

Art and Creative Therapy Services

We provide personal Art Psychotherapy onsite or online with Rachel Oxborough, Art Psychotherapist (MA, HCPC, BAAT); supporting you to explore difficulties that you may be experiencing with your mental health, such as:

Anxiety and depression;
Work related stress;
Relationship difficulties;
Emotional and psychological trauma;
Complexities arising from neurodiversity or special educational needs; or
Mild to moderate mental health conditions.

Rachel works with both Under 18’s and Adults. There will be an assessment and application process regarding suitability. If we are unable to provide you with a treatment plan, we will to signpost you to more appropriate services. No previous art experience is required.

“The art allows for expression of unconscious feelings that are too unbearably painful to articulate but are contained within the metaphor of the picture.”

Klorer, (2022)

Rachel’ special interests are emotional and psychological trauma, neurodiversity, attachment difficulties, anxiety and depression and work related stress. Her model of practice is psychodynamic, using evidence-based art therapy techniques which incorporate attachment theory and neuroscience. Rachel works alongside her clients and encompasses a co-productive model.

Rachel has an Enhanced DBS check in place, has regular clinical supervision and completes CPD in line with HCPC and BAAT guidelines. All sessions are treated with confidentiality, within the guidelines of our safeguarding policy.

Under 18s Application Form

Adult Application Form

What will I be letting myself in for?

Not everyone has been exposed to art psychotherapy and uncertainty can lead to anxiety - which is not what we want for you. We have provided a detailed explanation of what we do in the About Us section of our site. Now, let us show you what we do - below are some examples of therapy sessions (all used with full permission).

A little misunderstood

Exploring feelings of anger, which can often be misunderstood as a negative emotion. Supressed anger can often lead to anxiety and depression, along with other mental and physical conditions. The art materials provide a safe container to express and hold anger with a compassionate art therapist.

Opposites attract

Magnets can often mimic emotions and relationships. By accepting all emotions, both the positive and the negative ones this promotes overall healing and emotional literacy. We often use magnets and they can show us what might be happening in our inner worlds in how we relate and experience others.

The great unravelling

Often when we start to begin therapy, we can feel like we are falling apart or unravelling, but this is often part of the process as we slowly work on the emotional infrastructure that we have built throughout our lives in order to survive. As we grow and mature or experience life changes, sometimes these infrastructures no longer serve us. With the support of an experience art therapist, we can use the art materials to understand what served us to where we are now and to develop new emotional mechanisms for change whilst increasing our emotional window of tolerance.

Uncontained

Emotions can feel overwhelming, as if we are struggling to keep everything inside.

However, by using art materials with a qualified art therapist, we can look at these emotions on the paper which provides us with perspective and allows our brain to reframe them, that we are safe and we can feel them and not be flooded.

“Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood untreated cause of human suffering.”

Levine, 2019

Healing happens together

Working alongside clients helps to build trust and it is through trust that healing has the best opportunity to happen. This helps the brain to develop healthy neural pathways especially where attachment difficulties have occurred in early childhood.