Greater Chicago Art Therapy, LLC
Studio art therapy & evidence-based psychotherapy for meaningful creative change
Clare McCarthy, ATR-BC, LCPC, NCC
Connecting Beyond Words
“Inviting our thoughts and feelings into awareness allows us to learn from them rather than be driven by them.”
When we are caught in mental distress, we need a trusted partner to help us face our challenges and act from a place of honesty and courage. This creative partnership provides a secure and supportive connection in which to experience solace, find joy, and transform difficulty into resilience.
Art therapy is an established mental health profession that helps clients to access a visual entry point for deepened self-awareness. Through guided engagement with the innate creative process, a new way opens to safely explore and better regulate thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This creative lens is integrated with holistic evidence-based counseling models for effective, personalized care.
From a renewed place of expanded perspective and self-acceptance, clients are able to live more emotionally balanced, fulfilling lives in accordance with their personal values and developmental goals.
Integrative models for holistic mental health
Individualized
Studio art therapy is a place where the client is central to the work, and each person is encouraged to view themselves as creative, resilient, and adaptive. Guided art making provides new opportunities for clients to connect with their unique perspective, and explore their experiences from a place of metaphor and concept flexibility. This process is essential in building a fulfilling life.
Contextual
Integrative therapy is a place where different models can be used to meet particular treatment goals. Evidence-based models we use include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). Together these frameworks allow for healing integration of mental, emotional, and physical processes.
Collaborative
Successful therapy is a collaborative experience in which client and therapist work together to build a trusting and understanding relationship. In this setting, the client’s goals are explored and thoughtfully addressed in an atmosphere of safety and reciprocal respect. If appropriate, care is coordinated with other medical and behavioral health care providers for interdisciplinary work.
