Jessica is available for commissions in a range of areas, in Swedish or English. Find contact details under "Cv".
Art Therapy and Self Development
In groups or individually
In groups or individually
Expressive arts therapy combines psychology, talk therapy and the creative process to promote emotional growth and healing. It is rooted in a holistic view and rests on psychodynamic and existential psychology, phenomenological theory, as well as the latest research regarding affect regulation and the connection between body and brain.
It is an interdisciplinary form of therapy and self development practice that uses the arts as its basis for discovery and change. All five disciplines of the arts (visual, dance/movement, music, drama/theater, and story making/poetry) is offered to give you a richer vocabulary to work, play and grow a life you love living. No previous art background is needed. Simple, low skill art making in these different areas help open the senses and access our imagination so we can find our own resources and meet our situation from a new point of view.
The arts have been an integral part of life for humans throughout history. We painted caves and painted our faces and bodies. We danced around the fire singing and playing drums and flutes. We gathered, told stories of our day, of our ancestors, of our dreams through words or actions. Shamans used the arts to heal their communities, through the use of dreams, singing, dancing and stories. Spiritual pursuits throughout history used song, dance and visual arts as a community activity. It has been only in recent times that we as humans have become so separate from art, we began looking at art rather than creating it ourselves. Expressive Arts offers a safe place to reconnect to our art making.
Is Expressive Arts Therapy the same as Art Therapy?
Both Expressive Arts Therapy and Art Therapy are creative therapies. Though there are many different ways to practice within each discipline, the main difference is that Expressive Arts (ExA) uses all the disciplines of art: visual, movement, music, drama and writing/poetry and views the shift from one art form to another as a potent way of deepening or regulate the process. Unlike some forms of Art Therapy, ExA does not interpret the art and add meaning like, “you drew this so it means this.” The artist can apply meaning to their work if they want, and we may help them reframe their interpretation or ask questions that take it in a different direction.
At the core of expressive arts therapy is the concept of poiesis, a Greek word that is the root of the word poetry, which refers to the natural process of moving from everyday expectations into the world of imagination and creativity that results in art making. Because art comes from a deep emotional place inside you, creative endeavors enable you to undergo a profound process of self-discovery and understanding. Creativity becomes the pathway to the expression of inner feelings, leading to a process of self-discovery and understanding. In other words, your creative process becomes your road to emotional health.
I work with clients at my center reTreats Svedmyra (www.retreatssvedmyra.se) in Stockholm and are also available for group sessions either at my center or at your work place or organization. On-line work is also an opportunity. My latest groups have been a variation of work places interested in personal growth, people on sick leave with fatigue syndrome, and adult cancer survivors. I have collaborated with organizations such as Stiftsgården Rättvik and Barncancerfonden among others.
Expressive Arts can help in a variety of ways and levels. From a 1-3 day group workshop to a continuous therapy over an extension of time, in a group or individually. It is suitable for playful self development and growth as well as for different levels of mental illness and life crisis situations. A period of individual therapy sessions always begin with three meetings to explore our possibilities to start working together.
