'Art helps us express
what is hard to put into
words sometimes.'

Creative counselling and psychotherapy in North London

Hi, I'm Vera. I offer a form of counselling that is creative, trauma-informed and transpersonal, to support you on your journey of self exploration, as you gently gain a deeper sense of who you are and what you need to live in harmony with yourself.No art skills are needed, and nothing you make will be judged. What matters is the process, not the product.

'Art helps us express
what is hard to put into words sometimes.'

Creative counselling and psychotherapy in North London

Hi, I'm Vera. I offer creative, trauma-informed support on your journey of self exploration, as you gently gain a deeper sense of who you are and what you need to live in harmony with yourself.No art skills are needed, and nothing you make will be judged. What matters is the process, not the product.

My work is heart-led

We call it 'mental health,' but for me it is often the heart that carries the deepest wounds. And to protect the raw, we harden around what hurts. I believe softening becomes possible through relationship: when we feel safe, connected, truly seen, heard, and accepted.I bring my heart into everything I do, it is my most valued ally. And it is with all my love that I offer my services in the name of healing the hearts of others.As a fellow traveler, I trust that each of us carries within ourselves the answers to what we need. With compassion and gentleness, I witness you shine a light onto your dark places, your rejected parts, and your potential (they are often the same).

‘Rarely, if ever, are any
of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.’

bell hooks

‘Often the hands will solve a mystery that the mind has struggled with in vain.’

Carl Jung

In my practice, I draw on an amalgamation of many influences:My life as an artist and musician, who has intuitively used creative expression to process experience and make sense of the world from an early age on.A background in punk rock and London's misfits which makes me feel at home with non-conformity, eccentricity, rebellion and all things ‘different’.My training in Transpersonal Art Therapy, which sees people as physical, emotional, and spiritual beings, for whom art, science, and spirituality are essential to personal growth and to forming a conscious connection with all things alive.My training in trauma-informed psychology, that adds a scientific context, including neuroscience and the understanding of the autonomic nervous system.My spiritual practice in which I connect with what reaches beyond the individual self and makes me feel part of a greater whole, through the stillness of meditation and the breath and movement of yoga.

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1 to 1 Counselling

In individual sessions the relationship between us becomes a living part of the process and the container for our work.Through art-making, sensing and reflecting together we create a space that is grounded and responsive to you, where you can explore your inner world at your own pace and discover who you are.

Group Therapy

Working as a collective, the group becomes its own entity built out of the various roles each of us plays in it. We use art to be in communication and in connection with ourselves and each other, exploring our roles safely, guided by our shared voices, stories, myths and archetypes.Together we uncover the fundamental and complex themes that make up our personal lives and the society we live in.To go ahead, groups need a minimum of three committed participants.

Growing and healing through the power of the Arts

‘‘Often the hands will solve a mystery that the mind has struggled with in vain.’

Carl Jung

1 to 1 Counselling

Group Therapy

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‘Darkness is the Gateway
to all Understanding.’

Lao Tzu

A gentle re-membering
of the Self

This work is for you if you are longing to find yourself again. It is the work of coming home.In our sessions we use art making to help us re-member what we may have split-off and forgotten. It is a grounding, earthy and deeply nurturing process where we express ourselves freely, reconnecting with our wild, instinctual nature and the parts of ourselves that know how to survive, thrive, and trust.Your sculpting and image making becomes a journey into your shadow where you meet and retrieve your lost parts, heal ancestral wounds, and find the raw, untamed power that lives within you.

A gentle re-membering
of the Self

This work is for you if you are longing to find yourself again. It is the work of coming home.In our sessions we use art making to help us re-member what we may have split-off and forgotten. It is a grounding, earthy and deeply nurturing process where we express ourselves freely, reconnecting with our wild, instinctual nature and the parts of ourselves that know how to survive, thrive, and trust.Your sculpting and image making becomes a journey into your shadow, meet and retrieve your lost parts, heal ancestral wounds, and find the raw, untamed power that lives within you.

‘Darkness is the Gateway
to all Understanding.’

Lao Tzu

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Hi, I'm Vera

My journey to becoming an art therapy practitioner really began with my ability to hold a crayon and make marks on a piece of paper when I was a tiny toddler.Intuitively, I used creative expression all my life to process experiences and make sense of the world. Drawing, painting, playing music and writing songs help me stay grounded and connected to myself, providing feedback on what is going on inside.I trained at Tobias, School of Art and Therapy. I was drawn to their holistic philosophy that sees people as physical, emotional and spiritual beings for whom art, science and spirituality is essential for personal growth and to form a conscious connection to all things alive.Along with my penchant for the woo I have a background in punk rock informing my personality and practice. Being part of London's misfits I feel at home with non-conformity, eccentricity, rebellion and all things ‘different’.

Heart-based Approach

Although we call it ‘mental health’ it is often the heart that carries the wounds. To protect the raw we tend to harden around what hurts and suffer alone and in silence.I believe softening becomes possible through relationship, when we feel safe and connected, truly seen, heard, and accepted.As a fellow traveler I trust that each of us carries within our own individual answers to what we need. With compassion and gentleness, I witness you shine a light onto your dark places, your rejected parts, as well as your potential (they often are the same).

‘Rarely, if ever, are any
of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.’

bell hooks

Inclusivity matters to me. As a white middle-class woman, I recognise that I am part of a group that holds systemic privilege within the therapy profession. My commitment is to offer a space where everyone feels respected, seen and valued, regardless of your race, religion, class, neurotype, age, who you love, or how you express your gender, sexuality, or unique way of being in the world.

‘We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.’

Maya Angelou

‘We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.’

Maya Angelou

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Creating Community

I believe it’s deeply important that we come together and create spaces where we hear and see each other in real life and remember our shared humanity.Through sharing circles and creative workshops I wish to offer nurturing connection, a sense of belonging, support and the reminder that we don’t have to have it all figured out or navigate life on our own.

Join in and help shape the space you and me both need :)

Sharing Circles

Creating Community

Join in and help shape the space you and me both need :)

Sharing Circles

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In-person sessions and gatherings take place at the wonderful Torriano Meeting House in Kentish Town, just a 10-minute stroll from Kentish Town station.Torriano has been home to poets and artists, storytellers, musicians and activists for decades, a living, breathing and much loved community space for creativity, expression and connection. It has a unique energy and I am delighted to work in such a meaningful setting with you.

Get in Touch

To book an introductory phone call, make an enquiry about a well-being workshop for your organisation, be put on the mailing list for community gatherings or ask me any questions you might still have.

Get in Touch

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Questions and Answers

What does an Art Therapy session entail?

The session takes place in Kentish Town, London or online. Home visits can be arranged at additional travel expenses.
The sessions are 50mins long, at the same agreed time once a week.

What materials are we using?

You can choose from an array of art materials such as watercolours, pastels, crayons, chalk, charcoal, pencils and clay. Because some materials affect us differently than others, I might suggest a medium at times but you are always able to decline my suggestion.

What does an Art Therapy session cost?

My standard rate for in person sessions is £75.
This includes all of your art materials.For online sessions, the rate is £65 and you have to source your own art materials.I offer reduced rates for students, social workers, health care professionals and families on low income. Please get in touch and ask for availability.

What does Group Art Therapy entail?

The group sessions are designed around specific themes and last about 2h. This usually includes an opening ritual, an introduction to the theme, art and craft making and a closing ritual and sharing circle.Please note that groups need a minimum of three committed participants to go ahead.

What does a Group Art Therapy session cost?

The rate is £55 per participant, which includes all art materials.

Can I book an Art Therapy session for my team?

Absolutely! Please get in touch to discuss your specific requirements.My rate depends on the length of the session. For a whole day, my rate is £500, excluding travel expenses and art materials needed for the session.