Meet Sarah Baganz
THE BEGINNING
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.


BACKGROUND
I was born and raised in Berlin, where I received a Waldorf education that nurtured my creativity and connection to the arts.
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My passion for the arts led me to the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague, Netherlands, where I spent five years studying and earned a BA in Fine Arts. My focus during this time was on traditional printing techniques and painting.
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Building on this foundation, I pursued a City & Guilds Level 7 Award in Transpersonal Arts in Therapy at the Tobias School of Art and Therapy in East Grinstead, UK. This qualification, which is a form of Art Therapy, is grounded in an integrative and anthroposophical approach, deepening my understanding of how art can be used for healing.
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I then spent six years working as a Transpersonal Arts Counsellor in a Camphill Community in Scotland. During this time, I co-ran a household and cared for four adults with learning disabilities, combining my therapeutic work with hands-on caregiving.
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In 2021, I relocated to West Sussex to become a Senior Lecturer at Tobias School of Art and Therapy, where I continue to specialise in the therapeutic applications of working with clay.
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Alongside my teaching, I taught sculpture at Hoathly Hill Sculpture Studios for two years before establishing my private practice, Transpersonal Care, in 2023.
DEGREES AND TRAININGS
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Transpersonal Arts in Therapy, City & Guilds Level 7 Award for Professional Recognition, UK
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Bachelor of Fine Arts, Royal Academy of Arts, The Hague, NL
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One Year Foundation Course in Anthroposophical Social Therapy, Newton Dee, UK ​
MEMBERSHIP
BACP ( British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) Membership Number: 388556
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LANGUAGES
English • German
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AREAS OF SPECIALISATION
Anxiety • Emotional Distress • Stress Management • Grief • Loss • Life Transitions • Self-Esteem • Learning Disabilities • Autism • Down Syndrome • Creative Block • Creative Expression
