I visited Kym Allison’s Art Studio at Eagle Ranch a little while ago on one of those rare rainy Arizona afternoons with overcast skies and deeply saturated colours. Surrounded by greenery and a peaceful prayer flags under her large trees gently waving to send blessings across the desert. The mood was perfectly set in Kym’s open-air studio for her environmental personal branding portraits!
“I use a client-centered approach that nurtures self discovery & personal growth. This therapy is suited to individuals moving through life transition periods such as divorce, aging, teens, career changes, brain injury, life style changes, emerging self awareness and addiction recovery. I use traditional talk therapy or a combination of talk therapy and art psychotherapy. Using art works around verbal defense mechanisms and intellectualizing that can stall the therapeutic process. The combination of talk and art therapy works well for clients that have not had good progress in traditional talk therapy or feel that they relapse into old thinking or patterns.
If the client chooses to work with visual communication, I use directed art activities designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of present life circumstances, promote deep healing and encourage greater client self awareness and self actualization. I work with the client to find solutions, encourage personal growth and improve life quality.
I also work with children and teens in attachment assessments in response to divorce and blended families. Art psychotherapy provides a safe way to communicate feelings, thoughts, and experiences thought too taboo or frightening. Clients can also express feelings they do not know how to put into words.”
The serenity corner at Kym’s studio. Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the goodwill and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.