Not long ago, I came across an old document in which I had written as a teenager that I wanted to become an art therapist. I was surprised to see this, as I did not remember having that ambition at such a young age. However, in my mid-20s, after reflecting on my experiences, observations, and insights from life, I arrived at the same conclusion once again.

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While studying fine art, I found myself more captivated by the process of creating art than by the finished product. I often walked around the Academy, engaging in conversations with fellow students about their motivations for making art and what it meant to them. I also noticed that simply adding a new layer of paint to my large canvases could stir a range of emotions, from discomfort to calm. The colours I used and the way I applied them seemed to have a profound impact on my inner feeling landscape. Yet, when I shared these insights with my mentors, they often did not know how to respond, as if these observations were uncharted territory.

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I also witnessed the effects of encouraging young students to explore their pain in order to create “better” art, often without adequate support. For some, this led to a resurfacing of traumatic experiences, resulting in mental breakdowns, substance abuse, or dropping out of school. I was struck by the immense power of art-making—how it could access deep, hidden, and unconscious processes and transform a person’s inner sense of well-being. But I also recognised that, without proper guidance, this power could be destructive.

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These experiences, combined with my own transformative journey of processing trauma, anxiety, and loss through Transpersonal Arts Counselling, inspired me to pursue a career in this field, where creative expression becomes a pathway to healing.