Creative Therapy Counselling in Edinburgh

Counselling is non-judgmental, does not tell you what to do, but it encourages you to seek out your own choices in life to become complete. There are many different therapeutic tools to help a person to communicate emotions, we can use creative materials, sand and art when verbal communication is tricky. I offer counselling face to face and online: via Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime platforms, in English and Portuguese languages.

Children and teenagers can benefit from counselling therapies, and studies show that these are hugely effective, both in the short and long term. For older kids and teens, talking therapy can provide a unique space to safely explore what's going on to make them sad, angry, or anxious. For younger children, using play and art , as well as talking therapy, can help them begin to piece together things that might be difficult for them. Life doesn't always go according to plan, and sometimes things happen that no one is prepared for - an accident, a traumatic experience, a situation no one could have foreseen happening.

I offer a confidential, warm and friendly space, close to the city centre, to meet with you. Together we will explore what has led you to seek therapy and decide which route to follow. Therapy may consist of talking therapy, and Art Therapy, as part of the process. One or a combination of approaches may be used throughout our commitment to your wellbeing. The different types of therapy that I offer allow us to tailor therapy services to meet your individual requirements so you get the support you need.

Here is a safe place where you can bring what’s on your mind and together we can make sense of it to find a clearer way forward. Sometimes troubles can feel too stuck or confusing to find words for. In sessions with me, along with words, we can use art materials, or any to hand objects, like a pencil, a piece of paper or string to express what is happening for you. This can give a cathartic sense of difficulties as if lifted from you and shared. Working together in this way can support new ways of thinking and improve relationships through increased self-awareness and emotional mastery.

“It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” (D. W. Winnicott) I am a state registered Art Therapist with twenty years’ experience, having worked primarily in the NHS since qualifying in 2003. I am currently employed as the head of Arts Therapies with an NHS board. I am also active with the Scottish Council of the British Association of Art Therapists.

I work with whatever my clients bring into the therapy room and have a particular interest in personal identities and how my clients wish to be seen and accepted in the world. This includes identities around chronic illness and disability, as well as around gender, sexuality and relationship diversity. I do not work as a blank mirror but instead use my knowledge and training to create a dialogue between me and my clients.

Whether you are suffering from increased anxiety or overwhelm, depression, burnout, relationship difficulties or marriage problems, you don’t have to go around feeling like this. As a therapist with additional and diverse life skills and interests, I can help you feel better, and quickly. Every situation is unique, but when working with you, I will aim to get to the nub of any problems quickly and effectively, and to provide practical solutions. For deeper trauma we can shift into a longer relationship, using IFS or Narm. I can show you how things can be better for you, using evidence based and trauma-informed methods.

The protective power of arts in health and mental health has been with us for millennia and today is evidence based. Daily life's emotional demands often go unnoticed and coping with anger, fear and sadness is socially accepted to happen in silence. Nourishing and protecting our mental health can get easily neglected. Although family and friends can play a wonderful supportive role in times of need they may not be enough in times of crisis. Making the choice to look after our mental health is our first step to personal growth. Making art is creative and fun. Being part of a supportive and safe group is therapeutic.

Sometimes life throws challenges in front of us which we may struggle to cope with. This could be a sudden and unexpected change like a loss or bereavement. It could be something that we have always struggled with that is making it challenging to move forward with life. Situations such as these can be stressful, and sometimes we can't shake off the anxiety and depression or we may even experience anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure in usually pleasurable activities). It might also be a past trauma or abuse that is causing the challenges in the present life, revealing itself as panic for example.

As a qualified therapist and a Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy, I maintain a full private practice working online with adults and couples. I'll work with you collaboratively to develop the tools, clarity, & understanding you need to grow and heal while honouring, with compassion & respect, the humanness in what you’re going through and the unique way that you experience life. Together, we may uncover the beliefs and patterns that are hurting or holding you back and pattern new, healthier ways of being with yourself and with others.

I strive to create a trusting and authentic connection with each of my clients. Through our work together, we can explore the deeper dynamics and patterns that may be influencing your thoughts and behaviours, leading to new insights and a greater understanding of yourself. My work with you will be at your pace and I look forward to working creatively with you in a warm and committed relationship. I believe you hold the internal resources that can help you along the way, and I am here to support you in accessing them.

From my own life experience & personal development trainings and counselling career, I have a deep compassion and understanding that underpins my work as a therapist supporting people experiencing emotional suffering and difficult circumstances.I have supported clients with many different issues and situations and can offer a wide range of helpful things such as teaching breathwork and visualisations for practising outside sessions. i have extensive experience working with clients experiencing struggles with bereavement, chronic illness, depression, anxiety and trauma.

Accepting that we're finding things difficult is often the hardest part. Throughout every stage of life we can experience times when things don’t feel right and we struggle with our relationships, or to make sense of our thoughts, feelings and world around us. This can lead to us feeling anxious, overwhelmed and struggling to communicate.

Talking is a wonderful way to share what’s on your mind. You may not even know what is bothering you, but by talking, it helps to get in touch with your emotions and make sense of your thoughts. Changes are often small but can be significant. Speaking with someone who is really listening and can offer a non-judgemental space to fully express yourself, improve your self awareness, and accept you for being you, can help!

How to describe the massive impact of loss and grief on our hearts, minds and daily life? The weight, chaos and turmoil of grief is a common experience which plays out uniquely in each of us. We lose interest in just about everything; nothing seems to matter. We're often frightened, wondering whether how we feel today we'll still be feeling in the distant future. We're often angry, intolerant of others. We seek so many reassurances... We don't want to let go of our grief because it's connected powerfully to the one we love and miss. How can we learn to let grief share our life? How can we understand it? How can we keep afloat?

When you encounter difficult times in our day to day lives it is helpful to be able to talk these through with someone who is trained and objective. To help you explore the issues that matter to you, bringing insight and understanding to enable you to find your way through problems and dilemmas.

At Summerside Counselling we can help with issues including stress, anxiety, depression, loss, and low self esteem amongst many others. Our experienced counsellors are fully qualified and offer effective and affordable counselling. We can help you explore your thoughts and feelings, allowing you to have a better understanding of yourself which in turn brings acceptance and healing.

‘You are not just a catalogue of adversities that you are faced with in life. You are not just the ‘damage’ that you have been told you suffered from. You are not even the pathology or the series of labels and diagnoses that have been given to you. You are a creature of immeasurable strength with the innate ability to grow and trust again and keep trusting and even learning to trust for a first time. You are hard wired and geared to connect with other and through that connection to protect your mental health and recover. You are a Growing Truster.’ Dr Zoë Chouliara Formerly Professor in Mental Health, Consultant Psychologist