Leanne's Story
Musings about what has led me to this work.....
..... About twelve years ago I made the decision to begin the process that would allow me to leave an established career, and begin the journey towards completing a masters in counselling and training as an art therapist.
I had reached a point where I listened to my inner voice, and I began the journey of learning how to engage in a helping profession that aligned with my personal values of supporting others.
My life experiences have formed who I am as an individual, which in turn, have also influenced who I am as a counsellor and art therapist.
Adverse experiences in my formative years have given me the lived understanding of what unhealthy relationships look like, how deep profound grief can take us, the understanding of solo-parenting and the process of negotiating co-parenting can entail. I have worked numerous jobs to pay the bills, and remember all to well trying to budget for necessities and the physical, emotional, mental exhaustion and toll that this places upon a person.
Within these experiences I began to discover my inner strengths, uncovered what my core beliefs and values were, and gained an understanding that I could bring positive change into my life. I began to realize who and what were the stabilizing forces within my life and actively sought ways to invite more of this into my daily existence.
I have been an artist all of my life, and I can say confidently that it has been, and continues to be, the steadfast constant in my world.
My work history consists of a diverse range of experiences, from early years working at jobs in the customer service industry, (food & beverage, bartending, sales, and delivering mail) to a short time living and working on a farm, and a brief time working in an office setting. Wanting stability and realizing that I love sharing how to unlock creativity, I completed a 5th year of university so that I could become an art teacher in the Province of British Columbia. Teaching secondary school students (grades 9-12) fine art and sculpture for 20 years turned out to be a lovely career, filled with witnessing young people learning ways to express themselves. (A fun disclosure on this long list of work related experiences, (and on the note of creativity) I have also owned and operated a tattoo studio! Yes, I was a tattoo artist!)
One of the interesting aspects of having diverse career and work experiences is my appreciation for the many ways the connective threads of transferable skills have enriched how I approach my work as an art therapist and as a counsellor. First, (and foremost) I would say my deep appreciation towards individuality and diversity brings appreciation for all those that I meet along my life journey. The ongoing practice and development of active listening and communication skills is an area in my life that supports me in the process of developing relationships with others. I am keenly interested to learn about other's lives and feel very humble when someone engages me as a counsellor and invites me into their world for a portion of time as they seek ways to heal or to grow personally.
Life is unpredictable, and we as humans can experience in our lifespan continuous ongoing learning, healing, adapting, transformation, growth and change. I am grateful for my lived experiences, both the challenges and the successes. I have gained an understanding of how I experience the depths of grief and loss, how I process traumatic events and the many challenges that can unfold during the healing and processing trauma; I understand the joy that genuine connection with others can bring and the commitment to self that is needed to maintain and nurture health and wellness. Yes, I believe in hope. I also believe that human's capacity for resiliency and resourcefulness cannot be measured nor defined by others.
This next part is written from my heart as I share why I believe we are all "works in progress".
Many years ago, I found myself able to release the belief that I needed to be "polished", as I found quite frankly that this was exhausting to maintain. This false presentation made me feel like I was being untrue to myself. It was during this time, I let go of the energy of trying to be something that I was not, and took stock of who I was, and where I wanted to be as an individual in the future. This felt liberating! This marked a pivotal moment in my life! I let go of unrealistic expectations, shame and self-criticism. I began the journey of learning how to embrace my very human, very real, "messy" moments with humor, compassion and love.
Learning how to invite nourishing self care practices into my life and giving myself permission to do so is an ever evolving practice. I write the word practice as self-care isn't just the simple small acts of care, it also involves boundaries, communication and developing an ongoing myriad of ways to check in with oneself. I check to ensure I am inviting balance into my world by giving myself opportunities to live life beyond my work life. I nurture my connections with others and fill moments with enjoyable activities that nourish who I am as an individual, (creative time in my studio, being outdoors and experiencing nature, connecting with other creative beings, and the simple daily pleasure of enjoying the liveliness of those who are close to me)! Perhaps this, (along with) my lived experiences are part of why I am told that I have a grounded presence and that I am easy to talk with.
I love spontaneity!
There is something magical and liberating about shaking up the routine of day to day by adding an occasional element of spontaneity. This is an element that feeds my creativity as an artist. It's also a healthy measure of my challenging myself to cast my vision beyond my never ending "to do" list! Curiosity, a passion for learning and discovering music that makes me want to dance (and sing!) are ways that I connect with my spontaneous spirit. Oh! (And any form of comedy that that makes me belly laugh!)
Taking time to enjoy a good cup of tea is but one of the many ways that I sprinkle peaceful moments throughout my day. I enjoy inviting moments of calm into my life and am quite delighted to share these moments with others. (I have the kettle on and teapot ready when clients arrive)!
To learn more about my counselling practice and specialty areas, please use the portal below to reach those pages, or return to the navigation section on the home page.
..... About twelve years ago I made the decision to begin the process that would allow me to leave an established career, and begin the journey towards completing a masters in counselling and training as an art therapist.
I had reached a point where I listened to my inner voice, and I began the journey of learning how to engage in a helping profession that aligned with my personal values of supporting others.
My life experiences have formed who I am as an individual, which in turn, have also influenced who I am as a counsellor and art therapist.
Adverse experiences in my formative years have given me the lived understanding of what unhealthy relationships look like, how deep profound grief can take us, the understanding of solo-parenting and the process of negotiating co-parenting can entail. I have worked numerous jobs to pay the bills, and remember all to well trying to budget for necessities and the physical, emotional, mental exhaustion and toll that this places upon a person.
Within these experiences I began to discover my inner strengths, uncovered what my core beliefs and values were, and gained an understanding that I could bring positive change into my life. I began to realize who and what were the stabilizing forces within my life and actively sought ways to invite more of this into my daily existence.
I have been an artist all of my life, and I can say confidently that it has been, and continues to be, the steadfast constant in my world.
My work history consists of a diverse range of experiences, from early years working at jobs in the customer service industry, (food & beverage, bartending, sales, and delivering mail) to a short time living and working on a farm, and a brief time working in an office setting. Wanting stability and realizing that I love sharing how to unlock creativity, I completed a 5th year of university so that I could become an art teacher in the Province of British Columbia. Teaching secondary school students (grades 9-12) fine art and sculpture for 20 years turned out to be a lovely career, filled with witnessing young people learning ways to express themselves. (A fun disclosure on this long list of work related experiences, (and on the note of creativity) I have also owned and operated a tattoo studio! Yes, I was a tattoo artist!)
One of the interesting aspects of having diverse career and work experiences is my appreciation for the many ways the connective threads of transferable skills have enriched how I approach my work as an art therapist and as a counsellor. First, (and foremost) I would say my deep appreciation towards individuality and diversity brings appreciation for all those that I meet along my life journey. The ongoing practice and development of active listening and communication skills is an area in my life that supports me in the process of developing relationships with others. I am keenly interested to learn about other's lives and feel very humble when someone engages me as a counsellor and invites me into their world for a portion of time as they seek ways to heal or to grow personally.
Life is unpredictable, and we as humans can experience in our lifespan continuous ongoing learning, healing, adapting, transformation, growth and change. I am grateful for my lived experiences, both the challenges and the successes. I have gained an understanding of how I experience the depths of grief and loss, how I process traumatic events and the many challenges that can unfold during the healing and processing trauma; I understand the joy that genuine connection with others can bring and the commitment to self that is needed to maintain and nurture health and wellness. Yes, I believe in hope. I also believe that human's capacity for resiliency and resourcefulness cannot be measured nor defined by others.
This next part is written from my heart as I share why I believe we are all "works in progress".
Many years ago, I found myself able to release the belief that I needed to be "polished", as I found quite frankly that this was exhausting to maintain. This false presentation made me feel like I was being untrue to myself. It was during this time, I let go of the energy of trying to be something that I was not, and took stock of who I was, and where I wanted to be as an individual in the future. This felt liberating! This marked a pivotal moment in my life! I let go of unrealistic expectations, shame and self-criticism. I began the journey of learning how to embrace my very human, very real, "messy" moments with humor, compassion and love.
Learning how to invite nourishing self care practices into my life and giving myself permission to do so is an ever evolving practice. I write the word practice as self-care isn't just the simple small acts of care, it also involves boundaries, communication and developing an ongoing myriad of ways to check in with oneself. I check to ensure I am inviting balance into my world by giving myself opportunities to live life beyond my work life. I nurture my connections with others and fill moments with enjoyable activities that nourish who I am as an individual, (creative time in my studio, being outdoors and experiencing nature, connecting with other creative beings, and the simple daily pleasure of enjoying the liveliness of those who are close to me)! Perhaps this, (along with) my lived experiences are part of why I am told that I have a grounded presence and that I am easy to talk with.
I love spontaneity!
There is something magical and liberating about shaking up the routine of day to day by adding an occasional element of spontaneity. This is an element that feeds my creativity as an artist. It's also a healthy measure of my challenging myself to cast my vision beyond my never ending "to do" list! Curiosity, a passion for learning and discovering music that makes me want to dance (and sing!) are ways that I connect with my spontaneous spirit. Oh! (And any form of comedy that that makes me belly laugh!)
Taking time to enjoy a good cup of tea is but one of the many ways that I sprinkle peaceful moments throughout my day. I enjoy inviting moments of calm into my life and am quite delighted to share these moments with others. (I have the kettle on and teapot ready when clients arrive)!
To learn more about my counselling practice and specialty areas, please use the portal below to reach those pages, or return to the navigation section on the home page.
