Creating Insights - art therapy

18/04/2026

It’s been 10 years since I set foot upon this art therapy path.

Partly a journey of curiosity and self discovery, it also became the necessary teacher, this mature-aged student needed.

Eager to work with people/over products, due to decades in what started as organic design and illustration BC (before computers), the industry grew rapidly from type setting, bromide machines, rough drafts, yoken marker renderings, and paper based pitch presentations to literally learning to use a Mac in third year uni, remembering the exact day I first experienced the internet, rapidly trying to keep ahead of technology as we moved from floppy disks to ram drives! There was a camaraderie amongst my uni and work pals as we navigated this new world together. Aah those were the days.

As the world sped up, I found myself wanting to slow down. Marketing felt toxic and manipulative and I was yearning those days of yesteryear.

These years also gave me several traumatic experiences which I was constantly processing and running from.

Alongside this time, I also became more aware of the cruelty of ableism as I navigated parenthood and the deficit based systems that encouraged it.

That part of my path was rocky, muddy, slippery and often filled with pot holes never filled and paths diverted without endings.

The people along the pathway, well that’s another story altogether.

Enter art therapy. The sign I needed. I dipped my toe in the water gently as I couldn’t imagine diving back into university life with a business and 3 kids.

I decided to use the training as therapy and self growth and bought parts of my “stuff” to the table as encouraged.

This gave me a new appreciation and respect for the healing aspects of art, whilst processing alongside clinical frameworks in a safely held environment.

Fast forward to obtaining my masters, it has been a path of connecting and working with the most wonderful people, holding their experiences safely and creatively through a clinical lens in my own private practice, as an art psychotherapist and clinical counsellor.

With deep gratitude for this golden path 💛

01/04/2026

Just a pair of Pom Pom fans living their best life here…

Care to Pom Pom?
💜 Place two paper or plastic side plates together, back to back
💙 Cut into the centre, then create a circle hole in the middle of the plate like a doughnut 🍩 and cut away a gap a few cm’s wide to wind will through
🩵 Choose a colour range of around 5 wools and starting winding 2-3 rows of each colour ensuring you achieve a great thickness
🩷 You may need a second pair of hands here to help you. Cut a piece of wool to follow around the middle ‘hole’ area, whilst the other person trims through the layers of wool. Ensure you follow along until the string of wool is able to wrap around to the other side.
🤍 Keeping the plates together, tie the string tightly, all the way to the centre and make a double knot. I added a pipe cleaner during the process to keep it together. Pull the plates apart gently and fluff the ball of wool and tidy up any odd ends.

Go enjoy Pom Pom life. Make them big, make them small, make them any way at all (cue dr suess)!

Pom Pom making is a wonderfully repetitive and rhythmic process to do alongside each other whilst discussing therapeutic needs.

The process is forgiving in that there are many ways to get back on track, accept the unexpected and has fulfilling moments chopping through the layers and trimming the ends.

It also illustrates that you get back, what you put in and is a great way to show progression and how making small changes, staying the distance or being explorative can have improved results.

Plus! You can pop it down and come back to it later when you need to detach from life or calm your nervous system.

🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶

29/03/2026

20/03/2026

Facilitated another art therapy session with for week 1 of a 2 part series.

The group enabled opportunities to share and express with others in relation to reliable needs.

Together we considered ourselves in relation to weather patterns, changing seasons, transient conditions and fluctuating capacities.

We used two processes to sink in to our felt sense, repitieron and movement, expansion and growth, contemplating darkness, inviting light and navigating change.

Some truly beautiful insights were made, including ways to invite art making (and beyond) into our daily lives.

Flow can be found in rhythmic motions such as stirring a cup of tea, wading in water, following a leaf or chasing the sunshine in a cloudy day.

Metaphors or symbols can act as a talisman to remind us of what we truly value and how to access those moments even though they may feel inaccessible at times.

A sense of pride, resourcefulness, faith, joy, acceptance, wisdom and hope became evident as we completed our time together.

I really love this work and am again grateful to traverse alongside and be invited to guide these sessions.



*Own artwork

18/03/2026

Back story.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a week since my second surgery, just 6 weeks post the previous one.

A second surgery that should never have needed to happen.

A surgery to fix damage caused by injury obtained whilst in care.

Anterior and posterior spinal surgery merely weeks apart.

Setting me back.
Setting my recovery back.
Setting my mind, body and nervous system back.
Not my spirit.

For now, I’m restricted and dependant.
Not forever.

Hopeful for the alignment I so excitedly felt the first time around.

Moving forward one day at a time.
Never looking back…

04/03/2026

It is such a privilege to witness, create alongside, make connections and hold safety, through the lens of art psychotherapy.

💜 Creating wisdom

💙 Creating connection

💚 Creating meaning

💛 Creating tenacity

🧡 Creating hope

❤️ Creating Insights



Shared with permission

10/02/2026

I just thought I’d pop in to say hi 👋

It’s hard to believe it’s been two weeks since undergoing major surgery.

The difficult decision to take this next step, came as a result of aggressive pain and multiple conditions impacting my daily life.

I have managed chronic pain for decades, however the past 18months kept throwing new and extended structural, physical and degenerative challenges my way and it screamed so loud, it commanded to be heard.

So, I listened.

I made gradual changes.
I adapted and became more educated.
I commenced prehab.
I tripled my strength through guidance.
I attended to multiple injuries.
I lightened the load.
I leant more on others.
I became more attuned to my body.
I focussed on alignment.
I started to put myself first.
I shed what no longer served me.
I let go.

Has it been easy? Hell no!
Has it been necessary? Oh, Yes.

I’m eternally grateful for my loved ones and supports in my life who continue to be there wholeheartedly, for my clients and families who continue to understand, for the healthcare professionals who are continuing their care for me, for my work pal Jess for looking after the studio, for the wildlife who endure my made up morning songs and for the many arty moments that have supported pain relief and regulation during this time.

Early days still.

Looking forward to being a new Lou, or my old one, or whoever emerges from this wild roller coaster ride, dark night of the soul, wounded healer adventure.

Stay curious
Lou 💚

13/01/2026

Investing in avoiding burnout for frontline workers with art therapy sessions, leaves lasting effects up to 3 months after.

🔥 Art therapy sessions could cut the risk of burnout by half, a study of London medics suggests.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust worked with 129 doctors, nurses and other health professional from London hospitals to study the effects of group art therapy sessions.

They found that those who took part in the sessions reported much lower emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, and less stress, anxiety and depression.

🔗 Read the full article from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yj6412gvxo

📷️ Image: Dr Francesco Rosato
Credit: BBC

07/01/2026

So lovely to be back in the studio practice.

2026, were ready for you!

“Expressive art therapy integrates all of the arts in a safe, non-judgmental setting to facilitate personal growth and healing. To use the arts expressively means going into our inner realms to discover feelings and to express them through visual art, movement, sound, writing or drama. This process fosters release, self-understanding, insight and awakens creativity and transpersonal states of consciousness.”
– Natalie Rogers

23/12/2025

🎄✨ On the twelfth month of creating,
Art therapy gave to me… a silly prom from chat gpt!✨🎄

➕Twelve months of co-creating,
➕Eleven months of deep listening,
➕Ten material tubs filling,
➕Nine sessions grounding,
➕Eight sensory moments,
➕Seven layers of collage,
➕Six altered books,
➕Five sensory pla-a-a-ays,
➕Four steady breaths,
➕Three open conversations,
➕Two paths growing side by side,
➕And holding space through art therapy.

Along the way, we were recognised by the NDIS, while welcoming wonderful Jess from Pink Zebra Psychology into the Creating Care space, alongside the thoughtful presence of Eva and Cath, supporting and mentoring a university student Anna, continuing professional development, delivering another wonderful day with Maroondah City Council, working meaningfully online with MS Plus, and welcoming so many creative neurodivergent folk into the space.

There were also quieter comforts with new, gentler air conditioning in both rooms.

As the new year begins, I’m stepping in with hopeful new energy (after surgery), and deep gratitude for every person who walks through the door, sits at the table, or meets us in the making.

✨ Looking ahead wish list…
❤️ late-diagnosed collage spaces,
🧡 creative workshops,
💛 carer education,
💚 PDA information through creative experiences,
💙 more group connections for young people,
💜 and the rollout of an 8–12 week neurodivergent-affirming art therapy program for schools, education, professionals

Paint, paper, clay, glue, texture, movement and care that meets people where they are.

With heartfelt thanks, Louise
Creating Insights Art Therapy 🌈✨

19/12/2025

In the days leading up to the break I often collaborated, co regulated or created pieces that either felt meaningful or helpful, to ride the wave of managing the festive season.

What do most of my clients have in common at this time of year?

Anxiety - Adrenaline - Overwhelm - Exhaustion - Expectations - Excitement

Why? So many reasons really.
Here are a few…

🎄managing change
🎄managing expectations from others
🎄managing comments from relatives
🎄managing sensory overload
🎄managing social battery
🎄managing potential disappointment
🎄managing expected small talk
🎄managing gift reactions
🎄managing overwhelm
🎄managing gratitude
🎄managing unexpected contact
🎄just managing

How can you help?

⭐️ allow stimming
⭐️ allow fidget toys
⭐️ allow a quiet break space
⭐️ allow gift giving or receiving in private
⭐️ allow choice and control
⭐️ allow things to be just as they are
⭐️ allow accommodations
⭐️ allow a feeling of safety
⭐️ allow different (not less) interactions
⭐️ allow use of support devices

May your festive season be just what you and your kin need. Block the white noise, create an inclusive environment and remember, even though it’s just one day, there’s weeks of change and expectations and we all experience it differently. There’s no prize for conformity, even though we are led to believe otherwise.

We’ve made many changes over the years. I hope you can too.

Permission to 🎶 fidget all the way 🎵
🎄⭐️🎄⭐️🎄⭐️🎄⭐️🎄⭐️🎄⭐️🎄