Shantel Elessie, LCPAT

Art Therapist for Adults, Children, Teens, and Families

You’re racing out the door to face another busy day, and it hits you. You can’t do this anymore. The flood of daily emotions is too much. But the stress just keeps coming. The struggle is real. And it isn’t going to stop.  You’d like to just drop to the floor and cry.  Or scream.

The worst part is that no one seems to understand. Especially not your family. They just keep asking you to do more. Or do better. But you keep making mistakes. You blow up at the people you love. Forget to do something important. Let yourself and others down. And it feels terrible.

There’s a reason this keeps happening. Sometimes ADHD or anxiety is getting in the way of you being your best self.  Sometimes it truly is too much work and too little free time.  Or maybe you have a long history of being hurt, making every new pain point more intense.  

Stress adds to family conflict, and family conflict adds to the stress. When parents and kids/teens (or parenting partners) aren’t understanding each other, everything is harder. You wish you could just relax and have fun together. Without so many fights.

Going through this day after day would wear anyone out. It makes sense that you’re running on empty. But you CAN refill your tank. And I can help.

I use art therapy, CBT, and DBT skills to help kids, teens, tweens, and adults discover their ability to heal, to grow, and to self regulate.

You don’t have to be an artist. You just have to be yourself.

And not your perfect self, either. Your real self. That real self has the courage to reach out for help. And strength that comes from all that you’ve already lived through. I’ll help you find that strength.

You’ll get back in touch with what matters most to you. You’ll feel whole and capable again.  And you’ll discover that you can focus.  You can get things done.  You can feel safe, in your family and your life.

If you’re a parent, you’ll start to understand your child(ren) better.  You’ll develop a parenting style that works for you. And when your kids are struggling, you’ll know what to do. 

If it’s your children who are coming to therapy, they’ll find their secret superpowers. They’ll get better at handling big feelings. And collaborating with you. That fight-free family fun will start to happen more often. You might even create art together!

Can you imagine it? Paint a picture in your mind of the life you want to have, and of the person you want to be. When you’re ready to make that picture come to life, I’m ready to help.

Click the service of your choice below to get started.

Wisdom from Art Therapist Shantel Elessie

What is Art Therapy?

From the American Art Therapy Association:

•Art Therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

•Art Therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist…is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.