#156 The Power of Arts Therapy with Rebecca West

Welcome to the 156th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast. This month’s focus is all about the arts and mental health. So this week, we are delving deeper into the power of arts therapy.

Joining me to do is Arts Therapist, Rebecca West.

About my guest

Rebecca studied graphic design at the University of the Creative Arts which gave her the opportunity to express and develop her creativity. She has worked with YMCA and Place2Be, learning to combine art, play and therapy together.

This type of therapy gives you the freedom to communicate your feelings through play and creativity which can be a powerful tool for both children and adults. Whether this is through drawing, painting or moulding with clay, it can be a deeply profound and freeing expression of our emotions. 

She is a fully trained integrative counsellor, which means she has a broader toolkit of

therapeutic support to work from. This means there is a mix between the creative and the cognitive. However, fundamentally, Rebecca believes in the power of simply listening to your story, your challenge, and your dream and helping you achieve or move through your chosen area of need.

Rebecca has also worked extensively with parents and caring professionals to get guidance and support so that they can go on to support those they teach or care for. 

In today’s show

• About Rebecca and the work she does. [02:05]
• How she got into therapy. [03:20]
• Her experience of training as an art therapist. [05:13]
• Some of the barriers people from black, global majority and diaspora backgrounds face when it comes to accessing support in the form of art therapy. [11:16]
• Her top 3 tips for looking after their mental health. [22:24]

Quotes

• I've always just been really curious about the human condition and why people do what they do.
• When I have worked with people of colour, I think they chose me because they saw a part of themselves in me.
• If we can have more, particularly black male therapists, that's gold dust.
• I try to work quite hard with the community around me.
• One of the really important things about being a therapist is authenticity.

Connect with my guest

Work with me

Have a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONC

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