Beth Duckett
I have a life-long passion for art and have lived-experience of how effective our innate creativity is for better mental health.
Once I got my head around the idea that “good art” wasn’t about drawing a perfectly realistic apple, I realised it was a form of expression that felt much more powerful and representative than words alone. Creating something tangible out of my thoughts, feelings and experiences allowed me to own them, accept them, believe them, challenge them, communicate them and overcome them.
Training as an Art Psychotherapist provided me a theoretical base for this lived-experience, which now underpins everything I do and motivates my professional and clinical practice with children and young people.
Type of therapy offered:
Art Psychotherapy
Approach:
Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art materials and creativity to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences as an alternative to using words – which are often difficult to find! For this reason, it is a form of therapy that is perfect for children and young people who are only just developing and understanding their own “feelings language”.
Like other psychotherapies, Art Therapy is a confidential and non-judgemental space where the relationship between child/young person and their therapist is the key to effective working. With a strong therapeutic relationship, the art-making can be used to address life events and emotions which may be confusing, distressing and causing behavioural changes.
Children’s lives are increasingly complex, and the demands on them are often greater than they can emotionally understand and manage. Therefore, my work is wholly child-centred, concentrating on the child as an individual and understanding their world from their perspective which prompts learning, growth and emotional development. My attachment-focus prioritises regular parent/carer reviews of the therapy, where we learn to understand the child’s world-view, which leads to increased understanding, more effective communication and beneficial change.
Who I work with:
I work with children and young people aged 7-18.
Where appropriate, I may also work separately with parents to support the therapy.
Further Information
Alongside my private practice, I work as a Clinical Project Manager for children and young people’s therapeutic services at Tameside, Oldham & Glossop MIND (The mental health charity) and work as an Art Psychotherapist for Capstone Foster Care.
I am a fully qualified and registered Art Psychotherapist with the HCPC (Health and Care Professionals Council) and BAAT (British Association of Art Psychotherapists)