What I Offer
A mind, body, and spirit approach to healing using both an evidenced-based approach and expressive arts
Cognitive Processing Therapy and Expressive Art Therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based therapy founded in Cognitive Theory for trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, and related conditions. PTSD can develop when an individual experiences a traumatic event such as physical and sexual abuse or assault, accidents, threats, military combat, or being a witness to violence or death.
CPT focuses on the connections between thoughts, feelings, behaviors and bodily sensations. CPT provides a way to understand why recovery from traumatic events is difficult and how symptoms of PTSD affect daily life. The focus is on identifying how traumatic experiences change thoughts and beliefs, and how thoughts influence current feelings and behaviors. An important part of the treatment is addressing ways of thinking that might keep individuals “stuck” and get in the way of recovery from symptoms of PTSD and other problems.
https://cptforptsd.com/about-cpt
Art Therapy assists with clients who struggle with connecting to their body and emotions, which is a common symptom of trauma. Reframing is a technique used in art therapy to help clients view their situations from different vantage points. By creating art, the client is exploring a broader scope of the problem. Art making can tease out false perceptions and distorted cognitions to explore in therapy sessions.
Art therapy is understood as beneficial when working with women who experienced trauma. The non-verbal approach provides a safe space to explore difficult feelings (Malchiodi, 2012). Treatment incorporating art-making and cognitive therapeutic techniques can assist a client to begin to reconstruct the self, increase coping abilities, and improve cognitive flexibility through art-making (Rosal, 2018). Art-making becomes a form of problem-solving and a way to resolve shame (Malchiodi, 2012).
Rosal, M.L. (2018). Cognitive-Behavioral Art Therapy: From Behaviorism to the Third Wave. Routledge
Malchiodi, C. A. (Ed.). (2011). Handbook of art therapy. Guilford Press.
