The Art of Healing

Anyone remember when we were little and we could just play without abandon? There was nothing that was unimaginable. And we could just go to our friends’ houses, ring the doorbell, and ask if our friend could play. Or, build snow forts in the cul-de-sac until all of a sudden it’s dark out and we can’t see anymore, realizing we’ve lost all track of time. At least this was all a part of my childhood.Where along the way do we lose this curiosity, this unadulterated longing to just play and imagine and create and lose time in our activities? Someone once said to me, “Courtney, your laughter and your play will be your healing.” There was a time in my life I forgot that play is for adults, too.

If there is one thing I’ve learned about healing and mental health, it’s that at some point, we are all going to need to step outside our comfort zones and embrace curiosity if we are to move forward. If we are to heal the relationship. Or, in some cases, walk away from the relationship. I am a firm believer that healing requires curiosity. And creativity. And discomfort. My go-to quotation that I apply to the healing process is by poet Robert Frost, “The only way out is through.” Dare I say, we have to hold the discomfort with the curiosity in order to imagine a different reality.Some of the most powerful healing experiences I have been a part of have existed in outside-the-box scenarios. I once sat with one young woman while she had a seemingly devastating visceral reaction during a dance movement therapy group. When in reality she was connecting to and listening to her body for possibly the first time in her life.

Furthermore, I once led a humor/improv group for a group of 30+ women, all with complex trauma backgrounds, in a residential treatment facility, and within just five minutes, there was such an uproar of laughter that site security rushed over to ensure everyone was okay.

Finally, I once worked with an art therapist who so attentively invited clients into creative healing prompts that everyone in the room felt like an artist, even if they didn’t qualify themselves as “artistic.”

There are countless transformational examples I could muster to share of people stepping outside their comfort zones in the name of healing and growth.

And so I wonder, what’s your outside-the-box invitation this week? This month? This year? This holiday season? What is one thing you can commit to trying, even if that something is as simple as validating your own feelings for 2 minutes per day. Or, asking to have the hard conversation. Or, coloring a picture of your emotions next time you feel overwhelmed. I wonder how different our lives, even our world would be, if we all practiced more curiosity and wonder, and less (self-)judgment.

Courtney AndersonCourtney Anderson.

We all struggle at times, and being a human in this life can feel lonely and like no one understands. Reaching out for help can be terrifying and may feel risky. I aspire to provide a safe, judgment-free environment for clients to come as you are, with whatever is going on in your lives. I see my role as a therapist as someone to apply my expertise to walking alongside you in your healing process and goals. I work with individuals & couples, including children age 4 & up, as well as adolescents & adults. My scope of practice includes, but is not limited to trauma, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, relational concerns, and life adjustments, though I welcome any presenting concerns regardless of how big or small it feels. I utilize a variety of techniques, most commonly focusing on mind-body connection. I collaborate with each client to apply techniques that make the most sense to each individual. Some other examples of modalities I use include, play therapy techniques, “parts” techniques, expressive therapy interventions, and cognitive behavioral therapy. I believe everyone has within them the answers to make desired changes, and to ultimately heal from conflicts and past wounds. It takes courage to ask for help. And I would love to walk with you as you explore what a life of healing and desired change can look like. When you are ready.

Get to know Courtney a little better.