I am Birmingham Hospice’s Art Therapist, and I’ve been working here since I qualified 10 years ago. Previously, I worked creatively with diverse groups within society such as the elderly, people struggling with mental health challenges and individuals with brain injury. In my work I have experienced how powerful working with art materials and images can be, enabling expression of feelings and emotions that are not possible with words alone. Therefore, I feel passionate and privileged to be able to offer creative arts therapies to support patients and their families as they face loss.
As an art therapist, I work compassionately and empathically alongside patients and family members who are managing overwhelming circumstances, supporting them to engage with the creative process of art making to improve mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. This process bridges the gap between imagination and communication, offering a non-verbal outlet for emotions and thoughts. Art really does speak when no words can be found.
Since I qualified as an Art Therapist I have uncovered a deep curiosity within which has resulted in me continuing to learn. I feel that it is so important to meet people where they are facing their unique challenges; therefore I have qualified as an Environmental Arts Therapist and a Forest Bathing Practitioner, which I also offer at the hospice.
