One Life Art Therapy

30/05/2026

Hi! I’ve been busy teaching myself how to use my Glowforge Aura laser cutter this week.

I’m working on a commission responding to interviews with people living at Belong in Chester about how they feel included in local government and their communities.

I’ve been experimenting with ways to document their stories and have chosen to illustrate verbatim lines from the interview.

I’d initially thought I’d create laser cuttings but infact realise that engraving would work better.

This person’s story really touched me. I don’t know who they are or what they actually looked like as the interviews are anonymous but I’ve enjoyed bringing them to life here!

13/05/2026

Always chasing the sun! I live for these long spring and summer nights!

13/05/2026

12/05/2026

I can not wait to be hopping into this hot tub for early sunshine chill time, a good book, birds singing, and just Bliss! ..... Who is coming on our Summer Blooms Retreat? Last few places remaining 11th-14th June!

20/04/2026

Two years since our book launch of Simi - Rainforest Girl in Helsinki

One of these days we’ll get around to publishing it in English as well as Finnish.

‘Simi hears that her father lives deep in the rainforest in the Caribbean and sets out to find him. The adventure book based on a true story takes the reader to her father's hometown and to the banana plantation where he worked. The journey continues from there to the waterfall that father loves, to the home village of the Carib tribe and finally to a colorful and happy carnival party.

During her adventure, Simi constantly wonders if her father is near her - and inexplicably feels his presence. Does dad feel the same way?

The authors of the book, Satu John, Emma Thackham and Anosia Simpson, know the Caribbean rainforests and the milieu described in the book very well, as well as the entire Caribbean culture and what family ties mean there. The illustrator of the book, Aino Papinniemi, is also a respected Finnish illustrator who has collaborated with the author on several children's book projects.’

It is my greatest hope that the story will touch the hearts of other adopted children, or children growing up without knowing their cultural roots and wondering where they come from.

06/04/2026

Hi everybody! I hope you are enjoying some of the beautiful Easter sunshine after The storm! This sunny day is making me very excited for our Summr Blooms retreat. Let me introduce myself!

15/05/2025

Self care and balance is a pivotal part of my practice as an art therapist. I currently work part of my life as an art therapist and part of my life as an ambassador with Tropic Skincare as I find the products so useful for finding meditation and calm.

03/01/2024

🤩It’s funny, I had no idea I had any neurodiversity until I began to learn about photography.

🤩I mean, I always had insomnia, I struggled to sleep as a child and would overthink things making myself sick every birthday because I wouldn’t sleep all night for days.

🤩I now recognise these as symptoms of ADHD or early childhood attachment trauma due to my adoption. But because I was bright when it came to English it was always missed at school.

🤩If I worked hard I was okay at Maths but I only recognised I had an actual neurodivergence when trying as hard as I could, when I realised I had an issue was that try as I might, reading books, having patient kind friends and teachers explaining to me I just could not apply and remember the rules of photography.

🤩Later at work, seemingly simple processes technical processes and computer systems became impossible for me. I know now that it’s executive functioning and processing issues most likely due to inattentive adhd or early childhood attachment disorder (or foetal alchohol syndrome).

🤩Having been tested now I know I am most likely borderline dyslexic, dyspraxic and likely on the spectrum of ADHD somewhere. Helpfully the drs surgery seem to have lost my referral for further testing. I found out over a year later after having been ‘on the waiting list’ forever that the initial referral should have been acknowledged within 6months.

🤩I don’t let it hold me back. I hold a first class honours degree, two Masters Degrees and a Master of Philosophy qualification. I currently run my own art therapy business, am launching a new jewellery business and planning another biz running art therapy retreats. I’m not bragging, although I am blummin proud of myself and my hubby and kids for supporting me to do all that).

🤩I’m posting this to raise awareness of invisible learning differences, to normalise them and to say F**k The Shame of them. I’ve known some or all this for at least 5years and rarely chat about it. But it does explain why I struggle to not do 15 things at once, drop and lose things a bazillion times a day and why it took me 5 times to pass my driving test!!!

🤩 If you are female in particular neurodiversity is still not widely recognised for girls and women. If you wonder if you are on the spectrum of ADHD please do listen to some podcasts such as ‘ADHD as females’ to learn more, and speak with your friends and family about how they can support you.

10/11/2023

Oops! I rolled my copper clay a bit too thin, and a tiny piece snapped off. This Aztec-inspired medallion underwent torch firing and received a vigorous brass brushing too. I havn’t polished it. As I delve into the therapeutic mindfulness of jewellery making at day's end, I'm reminded of psychodynamic theory's emphasis on self-discovery through creative expression.

In the spirit of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, I choose not to hastily patch up the mistake. Wabi-sabi embraces imperfections, finding beauty in the transient and imperfect nature of things. By allowing the flaw to remain, I honour the meditative journey of creation and acknowledge the inherent beauty in the piece's unique, imperfect state.