We walk with pain in life. We have a breadth of wisdom and skills to survive experiences that are traumatizing, terrifying and wound us deeply. We receive messages from people and systems that do not match what our innate sense of self tells us, or needs to do in order to survive. Sometimes, we are taught that the way we survived was not ok, or that we do not have a right to feel our emotions. This creates suffering, and causes us to respond in ways to escape the suffering, shaming or continued violence or trauma. Some of these survival responses can harm both ourselves (depression, self harm, addictive behaviours, internalized shame, prologued fear or anxiety state, violence, stress) and/or others. When our resources are continually taxed, we experience ongoing suffering and life becomes difficult. The way these memories, or harmful experiences are stored in the body are not in words, but in body experiences and memories. By using Art Therapy we can find non-verbal entrance to tending to the deep pain and begin to uncover what is upholding the suffering, symptoms and behaviours. By connecting to our creative process, we can tell our stories in a way that both explores and contains the large and sometimes painful or scary emotions and tends to them. Through the Art Therapy process, we can use our imagery to process and integrate memories, and to connect to our of sense of who we are, and the strength and wisdom in bringing our authentic selves into the present moment. Walking alongside our pain and tending to it with reverence, dignity, empathy and compassion is the foundation for therapeutic work, and building a relationship with a skilled practitioner can support placing one foot in front of the other in the journey to healing what harms us.
Jessica is a Registered Art Therapist (RCAT with the Canadian Art Therapy Association) and a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada.) She has over a decade of experience working with Victim/Survivors of Sexualized Violence and Gender-Based Violence and with folks who have used violence. Jessica holds expertise and experience in the areas of grief and loss (including miscarriage, illness, death and transitions), parenting, heightened anxiety/worry, depression, addictions and self harming behaviours. Jessica believes in individual self expression, values gender fluidity and that love is indeed what we all need and deserve. Jessica is an open-hearted and imperfect ally in working alongside folks in the LGBTQ2S+ community and with cultural humility as a foundational principle of practice. Jessica's ethical and practical frameworks include Intersectional Feminist Frameworks, Response Based Practice, Trauma-Informed, Victim/Survivor Centred, Person Centred and Anti-Violence and Hate.
Jessica's practice Art Tree: Healing Arts and Art Therapy offers Online services for Art Therapy, Clinical Supervision and Healing Arts Groups/Workshops. Jessica accepts Consultation and Contract opportunities and welcomes requests for the development of Wellness workshops, Community focussed projects and those relevant to Anti-Violence work.
