Creative Connections Arts Therapy Auckland

24/05/2026

Much of our healing culture is still organized around the mind. Around thinking differently, understanding more, finding the right framework, philosophy, diagnosis, or spiritual language to explain our suffering. And while insight matters, many of the deepest patterns we struggle with do not originate in thought.
They live in the nervous system. In the body. In the unlived emotional world beneath conscious awareness.
Long before we had language, many of us learned that it was not entirely safe to be here. Not safe to fully feel. Not safe to fully embody ourselves. Not safe to relax our defenses.
Over time, the body adapts. The nervous system organizes itself around protection. And eventually we begin to mistake survival patterns for identity . . . .
Healing is not always about becoming someone new. Sometimes it is about creating enough safety to finally inhabit the life that has been waiting underneath the defense.

Matt Licata
Artwork by Andrea Kowch

15/05/2026

And Hand In Hand wants you to know we have Five Tools that make these things possible, and give you a framework for how to meet your family's needs even when things get hard. The first pillar being good support, which you will find in the Hand In Hand Community. We would love to gift you 3 months free with no obligations and no credit card needed.

Comment "HIHC" for your link to join.

03/05/2026

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25/03/2026

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Some people believe that only the loss of a loved one should trigger a grief response but we now know that grief is not a response to death but to loss, of all kinds, and ought to be honored.

16/02/2026

Good news for Auckland based young people in need of mental health support. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17teVXFMq6/

Reach Out

18/01/2026

Such valuable insights into parenting with self-awareness. Well worth the listen. In this episode of Conversations with Annalisa Barbieri Professor Alessandra Lemma and Annalisa explore what it truly means to be a “good enough mother”. Drawing on the original concept by paediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, they challenge the pressure for perfection and instead focus on what really matters in parenting, and what doesn’t, in ways that might surprise you. The conversation weaves psychoanalytic wisdom with real-world reflections, inviting listeners to reconsider childhood memories, expectations, and the value of ordinary, attentive caregiving over unrealistic ideals.

Society & Culture Podcast · Updated weekly · Have you ever wanted X-ray specs into human behaviour? Then this is the podcast for you. Listen to ‘brilliant, insightful and wise’ agony aunt and journalist Annalisa Barbieri, as she releases exclusi…

07/01/2026

Engaging with the arts can be a powerful way to enhance mental and physical wellbeing in by reducing stress, anxiety, depression and even lowering risks of cognitive decline, while strengthening brain connectivity and fostering joy through meaningful activity; scientific research shows that singing, dancing, drawing, visiting exhibitions and other creative practices benefit mood, immune function and overall health, and offers five practical ways to bring creativity into everyday life, encouraging people to see art not as a luxury but as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

These creative activities support wellbeing through a combination of physiological, emotional, and relational pathways, by engaging the nervous system in states of focus, pleasure, and gentle challenge that help regulate stress hormones and calm the body, while also stimulating brain plasticity and strengthening neural connections linked to memory, mood, and emotional resilience. Making or engaging with art can induce a flow state, drawing attention away from rumination and worry, offering a sense of agency, mastery, and meaning, and allowing feelings to be expressed and processed safely without the pressure of words. Shared creative experiences such as singing, dancing, or attending exhibitions also foster social connection and belonging, which are key protective factors for mental health, while regular creative rituals provide structure, rhythm, and moments of beauty that support emotional regulation and a deeper sense of vitality in everyday life.

Engaging in creativity can reduce depression, improve immunity and delay ageing – all while you’re having fun

25/12/2025

This perspective reminds us that pleasure and celebration are not fickle, superficial, or non-essential. They are not about excess or spending, but about attunement. Noticing and valuing the preciousness of transient beauty and joy, precisely because they are fleeting is one of the keys to living a joyful life. Cultivating pleasure can be an act of care, resistance, and restoration, especially in a world that so often prioritises endurance over enjoyment. Savoring what is gentle, meaningful, and alive in the present moment can be a powerful way of supporting wellbeing, connection, and a sense of being fully human. This article explores the idea of being a "bon vivant", not in the sense of indulgence or extravagance, but as a way of engaging more fully and consciously with life. It suggests that pleasure is not a guilty extra or a reward for productivity, but a vital contributor to psychological wellbeing. The research highlighted in the piece shows that positive emotions help broaden our thinking, strengthen resilience, and deepen our capacity for connection. The practice of savoring, whether through anticipation, presence, or reflection, allows everyday moments of enjoyment to linger and nourish us. So rather than relying on rare, lavish experiences let's emphasise the power of small, frequent pleasures, a good meal shared with others, the beauty of light, texture or nature, a moment of laughter, or the quiet satisfaction of being fully present. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/4000-mondays/202511/how-to-become-a-bon-vivant?utm_source=FacebookPost&utm_medium=FBPost&utm_campaign=FBPost&fbclid=IwY2xjawO6jQ1zcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEehQ419KncVO40T4I0pEGSvTwGElisKzBembp6l_VJwGnqJhH2iHz28Bu_uq0&brid=Y-Bn4tDZ0tJdg21mJ0jI4w

3. Seek out small luxuries, not extravagance.

16/12/2025

A recent international study highlights something many clinicians and creatives already witness in practice, ADHD is not only about difficulties, it is also associated with meaningful psychological strengths. The research found that adults with ADHD were more likely to strongly identify with traits such as creativity, imagination, humour, curiosity, emotional sensitivity, spontaneity and the ability to deeply focus on what feels meaningful to them. When people recognised and actively used their strengths, they reported greater wellbeing, better quality of life and lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress, regardless of whether they had ADHD or not.

From an art therapy perspective, this is an important reminder that creative processes can offer a natural pathway for people with ADHD to access these strengths. Making art allows room for intuitive thinking, sensory engagement, emotional expression and non linear problem solving, all qualities that are often heightened rather than impaired. When therapy moves beyond a deficit focused narrative and supports clients to experience themselves as capable, creative and resourceful, it can strengthen self trust, self compassion and emotional regulation.

This research supports an approach that values difference rather than pathologising it, and encourages therapeutic spaces where neurodivergent ways of thinking and feeling are not only accommodated, but actively welcomed and nurtured.

Adults with ADHD who understand and apply their personal strengths experience better well-being and fewer mental health difficulties.

01/12/2025