Arts-based Coaching

“We are born makers. We move what we’re learning from our heads to our hearts through our hands.”

— Brené Brown

Arts-based coaching goes deep.

Using creative processes as a way of self-inquiry and self-expression gives us access to different areas in our brains. You can work with experiences for which you have no words (yet) or topics which are complex, go deep, feel impenetrable or difficult to engage with.

This way of coaching sits alongside verbal reflection and cognitive analysis.

Arts-based coaching simply means expressing your experience through various materials – these can include paints, collage, natural objects, images from magazines or your phone’s camera roll, paper, wood, textiles, symbols etc.

When we work like this, we value the process as a vital source of information in addition to being curious about the meaning of what you create. Whatever you make can hold personal meaning for you as you distance yourself from what is a ‘good’ or ‘poor’ creation.

Using your creativity boosts your ability to imagine and realise new possibilities.

"Engaging with the creative homework invitations between sessions was easy, in part because of my motivation but also because of the quality of the listening and reflecting by you, which meant that invitations were strategic and relevant to the process and helped to direct explorations and elicit productive responses."

Jackie (Coaching client)

What if I’m not creative???

Firstly – you don’t need to be an artist, identify as being artistic, have an ongoing creative practice or know anything about materials or techniques to benefit from arts-based coaching.

I can’t draw a face to save my life… but I love colours, textures, mark making and whenever I express myself in these ways, I learn something about myself that is clarifying, surprising, revealing or profound.

Arts-based coaching online – how does this work?

For most people, creative explorations happen between sessions. You can engage with creative invitations at your own pace, without needing to have a creative impulse at the press of a button in our session. You can immerse yourself into creating and add to or alter your work without time constraints. This allows you to digest and process what you are coming to know through your artwork.

We use the coaching sessions to reflect, discuss your process and any insights that emerge. When creative expression meets language and structure, we can work in an emergent way and stay focused on your goals and intentions. Some clients email photos, screenshare or read some of their written reflections to bring their creative exploration into the coaching session.

Creative processes clients resonate with

Collage as an accessible way to explore meaning, values or identity. Working with collage or individual images is also a great way to express what I call before & after, now & then, here & there experiences.
Reflective prompts or writing techniques, for example writing in response to imagery or poetry.
Selecting objects or symbols to externalise a challenge or the dynamics of relationships.
Exploring different parts of self by bringing them to life with materials or in stories.
Found poetry to reduce complexity.
Creating images or simple sculptures to externalise emotions.
Metaphors, letter writing, or storytelling.

How we weave arts-based approaches into your coaching will be guided by your creative preferences, goals and session content.

The aim is to access new knowing by bypassing well practiced narratives, offsetting overly analytical minds and delaying quick or easy conclusions.

You don’t need specific materials, skills or any experience.