Rachel Clyburn

People seek therapy for various reasons. Wanting to gain deeper insights into yourself and your relationships. You may be experiencing major changes or losses in your life. You may be looking for ways to express your emotions and shake off anxiety. Whatever your goals might be, therapy can provide the support and guidance you need to navigate life's challenges.

Who am I?

I am a qualified and HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) registered Art Psychotherapist & Counsellor, providing therapy to children, adolescents and adults. I create a compassionate environment where we can think about your concerns at your own pace. With experience in working with both children, young people and adults, whether in face-to-face or online sessions, I strive to make support accessible and effective for everyone.

I have a specialism in grief and bereavement, gained over the last 5 years of my therapy career while working with clients who have been impacted by cancer, life-threatening illness or bereavement. I have been working as an Art Therapist & Counsellor for 10 years and have extensive experience meeting with clients from various walks of life, all looking to understand their feelings better and come to a place of healing through the use of therapy.  

Loss and bereavement are not exclusive to just death, it is something many people seeking therapy face in various ways. At many points in our lives we will all encounter loss, often feeling unsure of how to continue. This could be due to divorce, geographical moves, job changes, death of a loved one… the list goes on. What is universal, is that many changes in our lives leave us feeling a sense of grief. Many challenging emotions which we feel in our lives can be linked back to grief. Confusion, numbness, anger, dread, depression, self-isolation, anxiety, low self-esteem.  I offer my clients the opportunity to explore these uncomfortable and often very painful experiences in therapy. 

Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy which allows us to journey through your experiences, using imagery as well as talking to explore your feelings together. We often have experiences which are hard or even impossible to put into words. Art making can be interwoven into sessions as an opportunity to explore your thoughts and feelings through both words and images. Combining these two elements helps us to access painful or challenging emotions in a safe and hold way. Including making art while also talking, allows me as your therapist to look with you at these experiences and make sense of them together. The emphasis is not on the artistic skill or technique but rather on the process of creation and self-expression. No previous art experience is needed. Making artwork is always an invitation in sessions and not an expectation. Sometimes clients like to only speak and not make anything in session, which is completely fine.

For therapy with children and young people, art making with me allows them to share their inner worlds. This means their feelings can be seen and understood in a way which makes sense to them. Art therapy is a safe space for children to explore their emotions, increase coping skills, process trauma and develop self-confidence. We can use toys or art materials to represent different aspects of their lives. Play and creativity is innate in children and helps them communicate their experiences and feelings effectively. My therapy room holds an array of toys, games and art materials for children and young people to use to express themselves.

What can I expect in the session?

Each session can look slightly different depending on your age and needs. You might like to make art and talk (sometimes at the same time), or you might like to work in silence. Sometimes I make artwork along-side clients and at other times I will just observe. In the room there will be a variety of materials (paint, clay, pencils, collage etc) to choose from. We will also talk about what is coming up for you during the session, exploring the feelings and themes in the artwork. Therapy is a creative and highly personal process which looks unique to everyone.

Testimonials

"Rachel was amazing, and I'm very grateful to her for helping me work through some of my issues and equipping me to deal with things better on my own from now on."

"Professional & compassionate. During the worst, most terrifying time in my life, Rachel helped me to feel braver and like life would keep going and that I would be ok."

"Rachel helped me get my thoughts and feelings in order. To address difficult issues that I find hard to talk about. To get rid of my anxiety and feel positive about the present and future."

"Brilliant, very friendly, very understanding, very supportive and non-judgemental."

instagram.com/art_therapy_with_rachel/