Question 1

What is Art therapy?

Accepted Answer

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art materials, images and creative expression to help people explore thoughts, feelings, memories and experiences.  You do not need to be good at art to benefit from Art therapy.

Click here for a blog on what art therapy is.

Question 2

How do I make an appointment?

Accepted Answer

You can contact me to arrange a free 15 minutes chat. If all goes well we can arrange an Assessment appointment and then start your therapy.

Question 3

How long should I expect to wait for a reply?

Accepted Answer

I aim to get in touch as soon as I can, typically within 48 hours.

Question 4

What happens in our initial 15 minutes chat?

Accepted Answer

This initial chat is our chance to see if my skills seem like a good fit for your needs. This first conversation is short and sweet and will cover:

your brief reasons for referral,
previous experience of therapy
who you or the referred person lives with/family/relationships
any court, police or social work involvement,
any history of self harm,
drugs/medication history or any relevant diagnosis,

I will provide information around:

the potential number of sessions (usually offering 6 sessions once a week at the same time each week)
I will collect your contact email address in order to send along relevant documents such as your client Agreement and Privacy forms and Self care contract.

These are standard therapy forms that I need you to read and sign before we can start the therapy together. Electronic signatures also work or I can sign with your verbal consent during our Assessment appointment.

Question 5

How much does art therapy with Ellen cost?

Accepted Answer

Our first 15 mins chat is free.

The Assessment appointment and each therapy session are 50 minutes long and cost £60 each

I use bank transfer and PayPal.

To reduce stress, payment in advance of each session is preferred. I will email you the invoice prior to our sessions.

Question 6

How many art therapy sessions will I be offered?

Accepted Answer

During our 15 minute initial chat we will arrange an Assessment session. Following that I offer 6 sessions with a review on the sixth session to check progress, goals and thoughts on therapy. We can continue, end or plan towards ending therapy with a review every sixth session.

Question 7

What happens at the Assessment appointment?

Accepted Answer

Our first official appointment will be an Assessment.  This can be online or over the telephone. If you are referring a young person (in secondary school) the Assessment session is with them on their own. The Assessment session will cover:

completing and signing of Agreement form,
going over the self care and privacy forms
reasons for referral
hopes and aims for therapy
confidentiality
fees and methods of payment
boundaries/cancellations
non-attendance
any questions you may have about therapy

This Assessment appointment is about making sure we both have all the information we need to work together safely and ethically. We will get any assessment forms signed off so that we can commence your official art therapy on the next appointment.

Question 8

What happens in an online Art therapy session?

Accepted Answer

I will email you the link to our meeting in advance so do check your spam just in case.

Please find a private space, preferably within your home where you less likely to be interrupted.

Bring along your choice of art materials.  White copy paper, a sketchbook and pens are good. Felt tips are quite good for online work as they are more vivid on screen. You might wish to take notes so a dedicated journal would be helpful. A folder to keep all your work safe is also a great idea.

During a typical session we will talk about what is going on in your life and I will support you to use the art materials to explore whatever feels relevant. Your art may help you process your thoughts and it may also surprise you with its meaningfulness. Keep it safe to look back on at review. You can share photos of your art with me via screen share or email if you choose. These will be kept safe and serve the therapy but will not be shown or used for any other reason.

Question 9

What materials do I need for online art therapy?

Accepted Answer

The basics are good enough. Bring a pen, some colouring pencils or markers, some white paper or a sketchbook.

Question 10

Is it confidential?

Accepted Answer

Everything you discuss with me during therapy is confidential. That confidentiality will only be broken if:

You have been hurt, harmed or treated in a way that is inappropriate 
There is a risk of harm to you or to anyone else 
I hear anything that makes me think the law has been or will be broken

I will always try to speak to you about this first, unless there are safeguarding issues that prevent this. I will send you a privacy statement form for you to read prior to starting therapy.

Sessions will not be recorded and AI will not be used in any way.

I adhere to current data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) (the GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Question 11

What if I have to cancel an art therapy appointment?

Accepted Answer

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact me as soon as possible preferably at least 24 hours prior to session.

Do let me know if there are holidays or events that prevent attendance and these can be accommodated. 1 week’s notice is requested.

Life gets busy sometimes but repeated late cancellations may result in your case being closed.

I reserve the right to charge a full fee for missed or late cancellation appointments.

I will contact you as soon as possible if a session is cancelled due to my sickness, any unforeseen circumstances and will give notice of planned holidays. Rescheduling may be possible.

Question 12

What happens if I miss an appointment or forget about one?

Accepted Answer

Not attending appointments suggests that now may not be a great time to engage with therapy. That's ok. Unfortunately, your case may be closed if there are 2 consecutive non attended sessions.

If there is a loss of contact I will try by phone to reconnect with you. If this doesn't work I will email to inform you that the case will be closed.

Question 13

Can I get top-up sessions?

Accepted Answer

Once you have completed at least 6 sessions of therapy with me I can offer one off therapy top up sessions. These therapy top ups might help you with a particular issue you are facing.

Question 14

What if I still have questions?

Accepted Answer

I will talk you through all of this and more but if you have any other questions don't hesitate to use the contact button below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions