Expressive arts or creativity therapy uses art as a therapy. The end result is not always of great importance in art or creative arts therapy, but rather the process of creation. Imagination is a potent tool for healing, and in artistic therapy, there are many different ways for people to express themselves.

Therapists that use the artistic methods believe that creative expression taps into the imagination, allowing people to examine their emotions, feelings and even the body and thought processes. Some of the models used in creativity therapy, include dance, drama, psychodrama, music, art, horticulture, and writing.

Creative Arts therapy has the ability to foster healing, development and human growth.It can help a person of any age to reclaim their capacity for creative expression about individual and collective experiences in artistic form.

Through creativity expression, an experienced therapist will help you to manage emotional and physical problems, using a range of creative activities. Art therapy provides an avenue for the client to explore emotional conflicts and to increase self-awareness. Expression therapy helps a person to express unspoken and usually unconscious issues, allowing for those issues to be expressed in a safe, nurturing environment.

During therapy, the therapist and the client will move freely between the different models, preferring the intermodal approach to facilitate deeper exploration. It enables the therapist to explore a wide range of emotions through different art forms, from journaling, to painting, dancing, drama, poetry, phototherapy and a range of traditional artforms. Evidence has shown that it is helpful in a range of circumstances, from helping with emotions related to diagnosis of an illness, to dealing with grief or post traumatic stress disorder.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers creativity therapy to address your emotional issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Depression is the most common psychological condition, and most people experience it at one point or another in their lives.

Symptoms of depression include lethargy, low self esteem, a feeling of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, dysphoric mood and even suicidal thoughts. People who are depressed usually feel a lack of energy and a lack of pleasure and they may be agitated or irritable.

Since there are so many causes to depression, which boils down to a natural response to life experiences (a defence mechanism), each situation warrants a thorough investigation into the exact catalyst. Depending on what causes a specific incidence of depression, a treatment plan can be developed to help the individual deal with his or her emotions.

Some people are predisposed to depression in that it can run in the family. In many cases, it is learned when someone is constantly exposed to it.

Counselling can help a person to adapt to life changes that are causing grief, particularly with bereavement or marital issues. Systemic therapy is helpful in family therapy, where the efforts of the whole family can help the individual. Psychodynamic therapy helps a person to find the hidden psychological defences that cause problems to manifest. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the problem at hand, providing solutions to day-to-day issues and finding ways to restructure negative thought patterns.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who has training and experience in depression counselling you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Sexual assault or abuse in childhood often causes psychological and emotional difficulties as the victim grows up. A child who is abused by a parent, is likely to suffer from severe anxiety, low self-esteem, uncontrollable anger, depression and intimacy issues. However, sexual assault is not limited to children, and it can harm an adult emotionally too.

Immediately after sexual assault, a person may not immediately experience pain or fear. They may even experience moments of pleasure, which can cause a lot of confusion and inner turmoil. They may feel betrayed if the abuser is a relative or acquaintance, but at the same time, feel guilty for reporting the sexual assault and getting the abuser in trouble. Abusers often lie to their victims, or reward them, and threats can deepen the emotional trauma.

A victim of sexual assault will often have trouble coping with relationships that are growing close, or with people physically touching them. When starting a relationship, memories will start to occur and they will cause trouble with intimacy in the relationship. Some people who have experienced sexual assault will become promiscuous, which can cause even more guilt.

It is essential for sexual assault survivors to receive counselling from a professional psychologist who is experienced in sexual assault. A therapist will help the victim to work through emotions and help clarify his or her choices. Working through the emotions of anger, guilt and shame will help to facilitate emotional healing. EMDR has been proven a very effective treatment for post traumatic stress disorder in sexual assault victims.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers sexual assault counselling to address your emotional healing issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.