Emma Thatcher, MA, HCPC, BAAT Registered

Hi, I'm Emma. I am a qualified Art Psychotherapist, currently offering sessions online. I provide a safe and creative space for mental health support, self-exploration and growth.

Art Psychotherapy uses a mixture of talking and art-making in the sessions. It combines the usual practices of talking therapy - a safe confidential space to discuss what may be troubling you - with the possibility of using creativity to give further insight. Sometimes people like to paint, draw, use collage, clay, writing, poetry, photography, music or found objects. As we will be working online, I will support you to use art materials you may have in the home to create images.

By also using the arts, it is possible to explore emotional issues in a different, sometimes deeper way, one that words alone may not allow. You do not need to be an artist to benefit from this, just drawn to the idea of expressing yourself creatively or using symbols and metaphor. I will encourage you to be curious and reflective about what you create. Together we can explore what might best support your wellbeing. You can read more about art therapy here: https://www.baat.org/About-Art-Therapy

People start art therapy for many different reasons. You may feel dissatisfied, worried or sad, want to explore the past, process difficult events, or achieve goals. I have experience of helping with a range of issues, from common life problems, through depression, anxiety, panic attacks, trauma and experiences of unstable mood.

I work in an Integrative way; this means I use ideas from different therapeutic frameworks depending on individual need.

This includes:

• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - how our past, unconscious processes and repeating relational patterns impact us.
• Humanistic (Person-Centred and Gestalt influenced) Psychotherapy - our experience and self-actualisation in the ‘here-and-now’.

I believe questions of purpose, freedom, meaning, and how we manage life-stages are also important and am happy to explore clients’ existential and spiritual needs if desired.

My style is empathetic and warm, with an awareness of how identity, difference and social context impact experience. My therapy is supportive of LGBTQ+ issues and alternative relationships and lifestyles.

Please get in touch if you would like to know more.