| Who I am | Socially engaged artist committed to empowering marginalised communities and individuals through co-creativity and access to the arts. | Award winning Art Psychotherapist with special interests in flexible therapeutic approaches, cross-disciplinary collaboration and research. |
| Where I’ve worked | Over 25 years’ experience working with schools, non-profit arts organisations and local authorities. | Currently in private practice at Hackney Art Therapy
Barts Cancer Centre at Barts Health NHS Trust (2014-2018). Adult Secure Services at Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust (2013-14). |
| What I’ve done | Planned and delivered wide range of high quality art education, public art and community arts projects.
Creatively engaged older people, people with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, adults with mental health issues and young people. Developed a participatory art practice focusing on oral history, individual and collective memory. I use conversation as well as stimulating places, images, music, drama techniques and environments to engage participants. Made short documentaries highlighting social and environmental issues. Provided training and mentoring for care staff and artists. Gained wide experience of partnership working and achieving objectives for multiple stakeholders. |
Won the Corinne Burton Memorial Trust scholarship, which funds three years’ art psychotherapy work with people affected by cancer.
Provided one-to-one art psychotherapy for cancer inpatients and outpatients and their significant others as part of Cancer Psychological Services (CPS) at Barts Hospital. Initiated collaborations with CPS Psychologists: family group therapy; CPD events; pilot study to assess single art psychotherapy sessions for chemotherapy and radiotherapy day patients Set up and co-facilitated two art psychotherapy groups for adult offenders with mental health issues such as schizoaffective disorders, psychosis and borderline personality disorders. Familiar with protocols typical of NHS settings: writing up session notes, reports and letters; entering data to IT systems. |
| What I’d like to do | Integrate community arts and art psychotherapy experience and skills.
Widen my experience of working therapeutically with the arts, working in new settings and with new client populations. Develop interest in systemic approaches (e.g., family therapy). Continue research into cultural and institutional dynamics that affect the delivery of arts and psychological interventions and services. |
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Work/project history
Hackney Art Therapy, London
2022-current
Art Psychotherapist
Private art therapy practice collective : hackneyarttherapy.space
Wave Cafe, London
2022-current
Creative facilitator
Creative sessions for differently-abled adults and their support workers
Paddington Development Trust, London
2021-current
Art Psychotherapist/Therapeutic Artist
A series of online and face-to-face workshops to support the wellbeing of the Church Street Community Champions and their community
Westminster County Council, London
2019
Lead Artist
Nature Keepers: Funded by Westminster City Council through the Neighbourhood Keepers programme, I worked with artist Anna Winstanley to deliver a series of nature-themed workshops and a mini-festival, connecting local people to their natural environment. This was during a time of major regeneration – and associated uncertainty – in the Church Street Ward.
Barts Cancer Centre, London
2014-2018
Art Psychotherapist
One-to-one art psychotherapy for cancer inpatients and outpatients and their significant others as part of Cancer Psychological Services.
Abbey Community Association Ltd, London
2014-2021
Visiting Tutor
Art-making groups for children and adults including women with mental health issues from the BME community in Westminster.
Park Royal Secure Services, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust
2013-14
Trainee Art Psychotherapist
Art psychotherapy groups for adult offenders with mental health issues.
Epping Forest District Council, Essex
Transitions Essex
2013-14
Artist-in-residence
Collaboration with carers in care homes combining expertise to plan, deliver and evaluate activities for older people including those with dementia.
Weblink: fansnetwork.org/journeys-in-the-moment/
Westminster Arts, London
Resonate
2010-13
Project Artist
Working with older people with mental health issues including dementia in day centres, residential homes, hospitals and in people’s own homes. A partnership with Westminster Memory Service.
Cheshire West and Cheshire Council
Day Services for People with Learning Disabilities
Project Artist
2004-11
Ran a series of projects developing staff capacity to offer arts-based activities to service users, and finding new ways to promote service users’ integration into local communities.
Fusion Arts, Oxford
InSite
Project Artist
2004-07
Co-ordinated and co-delivered a public art and regeneration programme involving multiple agencies, local community groups and artists.
Selected awards
Corinne Burton Memorial Trust Award
2013
The Trust supports trainees to undertake the MA Art Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths, University of London. The awardee then receives funding for two further years to provide art therapy in cancer care in hospitals, hospices or other settings.
Westminster Arts film bursary
2012 and 2013
Providing funding for two short films about a Soho resident living with advancing dementia.
Membership of professional bodies
Health and Care Professions Council
British Association of Art Therapists
Qualifications
Goldsmiths, University of London
MA Art Psychotherapy (Distinction)
2012-15
An exploration of diverse therapeutic approaches underpinned by in-depth knowledge of psychodynamic theory continues to support my delivery of best practice in cancer care.
University of East London
MA Art in Architecture
2001-03
Other roles and interests
- Exhibition curating. Curated an exhibition to coincide with launch of two art therapy books in 2015. Weblink: gl/jMEC8e
- Digital art therapy. Developed use of iPad apps for use with cancer patients at Barts
- Death Café movement. Hosted two Death Cafés for Barts Hospital staff in 2015 and 16. See article here
- Children’s right to play. Was Trustee and artist for Kinship, a charity promoting creative play in the UK and abroad