Beginning the Journey

For several years now, I have found myself returning to the idea of studying art therapy. It seemed to quietly sit in the background of my life, waiting patiently for the right time.

Looking back, perhaps it makes perfect sense. My earlier studies included both a Bachelor of Psychology and a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and over time, I have become increasingly interested in the relationship between creativity, healing, memory and human experience. Art has always felt like more than something decorative to me. It can comfort, reveal, connect, regulate, express and sometimes even gently hold the things we cannot yet put into words.

This year, I have finally decided to give myself the space and time to pursue this long-held goal, and I am very excited (and a little nervous) to be commencing a Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice at MIECAT Institute.

I have created this space to document the journey as it unfolds.

I suspect these notes will become part reflection, part observation, part creative journal. I imagine there will be moments of inspiration, uncertainty, challenge, growth and perhaps even the occasional overwhelm that comes with stepping into something deeply meaningful. I am entering this experience as a learner with curiosity, openness and a genuine desire to understand people more deeply.

One of the questions that continues to stay with me is:

What kind of environment helps human beings flourish?

I have a feeling this question will quietly follow me throughout the coming years of study and practice.

What draws me most strongly to art therapy is the possibility of discovering new ways of relating to people through creativity, reflection and shared human experience. I am looking forward to learning more about the therapeutic value of art as a process of expression, meaning-making and connection.

I also hope these notes may resonate with others who are considering a new direction, returning to study as a mature-age student, or simply exploring the role creativity can play in emotional wellbeing and healing.

For now, I am simply allowing myself to begin.

And that feels both exciting and quietly profound.