Hi, thank you for stopping by, I’m Becky, a counsellor/psychotherapist. I am also a writer and artist, these themes are threads that run through all of my work, both in art that I create, and within the counselling room working with clients in creative ways.
My journey so far…
I have always been creative in many ways, stitch, knitting, painting. I wrote knitting patterns and had a knitting blog for many years, I took commissions and focused on this alongside my ‘day job’ as a nurse. After a major life event in 2011, I was really questioning what my path looked like, it was one of those moments in time when change was inevitable, but at the same time, very freeing and connected me to my true path.
I spent some time in the Outer Hebrides, inspired by the landscapes, the wild windswept ways and weaving, I taught myself to weave shawls and commissions. I taught knitting and other wool based activities. The therapeutic healing aspect of creativity, particularly when working with fibres, wool, stitch really stood out to me. I was interested both in the solitude, peace and calm it can create, the soothing textures of wool and stitch, the rhythm of making and also, the end results, being wrapped in a lovely comforting cloth is truly the best! and also, the social connection that can be made, finding your tribe, a world of connection through stitch.
During this period of time, I started to volunteer as a bereavement support worker for Cruse Bereavement Care, this opened up new ideas, opportunities and a new path for me into working as a therapist. Alongside supporting the bereaved through one-to-one sessions, I ran creative workshops for other support workers, alongside setting up knitting groups across Staffordshire that were accessible for all to attend in local libraries.
I then took my therapy training further, studying counselling and psychotherapy at masters level, focusing my dissertation on my ‘fear of being an artist’. I learnt so much about how the mind and body are connected, the stories we tell ourselves and others, the narratives and threads that run through our lives that connect us to others and a sense of belonging. I now integrate my artistic self with my therapy work and the two blend together really well, bit like alchemy for the soul!
My artwork is mainly abstract, sculpture and stitch inspired by the feeling of connection between my internal landscape (my psych/subconscious self/the soul ) and the external landscape. I have long held a fascination with nature, landscapes, life cycles, rituals, death, decay, the body, immortality, spirituality and felt senses, symbolism and metaphor and these are common themes in my work and present often when working with counselling clients.
I work from my quirky, sanctuary-like home studio/therapy room in Stafford, UK. Somewhere that I can shut myself away from the world and be arty, or share as a safe space for clients in therapy.
Arty Exhibitions
Cannon Hill Art School – MAC Birmingham 2015
Staffordshire Open Art Exhibition Summer 2015
Gainsborough Artworks Studio Open Day 2015
Ancient High House Art Exhibition Jan 2017
Collaborations
‘Yarning’ a play – MAC Birmingham 2016
Resident Textiles Artist – Staffordshire Library Services 2015-2016