Lydia Henderson

ME AS A PERSON

Hi there! I’m Lydia and my pronouns are she/her. As a queer, neurodivergent woman, my lived experiences propel me towards advocacy for LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent communities. As an art therapist, my goal is to create a judgement-free space where you feel supported in your journey towards your most authentic self. It’s not uncommon for folks to feel unsure of or intimidated by the thought of art therapy, but my favorite thing about it is that you don’t have to be an artist or “good” at making art to benefit from the experience! Art making creates a unique opportunity for a different kind of dialogue where words or traditional talk therapy might fall short. There are many different mediums we can explore together such as collage, painting, altered books, photography, sculpture, zines, comics, and more! I believe deeply in the power of art as a tool for healing and I feel passionate about utilizing the sacred therapeutic space that art therapy provides for collective and community liberation. When I’m not geeking out about art, you can find me geeking out about sci-fi franchises like Star Trek, The Expanse, and Mass Effect as well as video and tabletop games. My wife and I are proud moms to our cat and dog fur-sons, Ash and Lincoln. We love to collect Pokemon cards, binge Bob’s Burgers, and fall asleep to our favorite comfort movies. I can’t wait to work with you! Let’s make art about it!

MY THERAPEUTIC APPROACH IS:

Collaborative

Creative

Existential

Experiential

Culturally Sensitive

Intersectional

Inclusive

Empathic

Person-centered

Queer

Non-pathologizing

So, what can you expect to experience while working with me as an art therapist? Our sessions together will foster a sacred space to experience the transformative process of witnessing and being witnessed. By opening up to me, allowing me to hold space for you and hear your truth, you will experience transformation. By witnessing your vulnerability and humanity, I will be transformed. This is a powerful tool for healing that can only be achieved with trust and authenticity which means we’ll laugh together, cry together, and make art together while forging a genuine therapeutic alliance. Therapy will push you. It will be challenging but rewarding, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.

To begin, we will spend sessions (however many necessary!) going over your personal history, identifying emerging themes and areas of focus, and incorporating artmaking when appropriate. Sessions will typically be a combination of talking and art making, though the balance of this will change depending on what you need that day. It might take a few sessions for us to learn whether you would prefer specific art therapy directives (evidence-based art therapy experientials with instructions), to be able to make art freely, or if this may ebb and flow. Each client I work with will receive a small sketchbook and pack of colored pencils for you to use between sessions to journal and make art in. You are not limited to what mediums you can use inside this book, it’s yours! You are encouraged to bring this sketchbook with you to sessions and we can look at your entries together and dialogue.

I tailor my approach to each client from a trauma-informed, intersectional, feminist, existential, Jungian lens and draw from various theoretical orientations including elements from Person-Centered Expressive Arts Therapy, the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), Cognitive Behavioral Art Therapy (CBAT), and secular spirituality. As a new practitioner to the field, I am still building my toolkit and refining my approach. It would be an honor to have you as my client because the work we do together will help develop my skillset and shape me as a practitioner. My skillset will continue to evolve as I incorporate different techniques and training to my repertoire as opportunities arise.

MY TRAINING

I received my Bachelor of Fine Art in photography from Watkins College of Art & Design (now WCAD at Belmont) and over ten years later I received my Master of Art in art therapy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. I am a masters-level art therapy clinician which means I have completed all required training to graduate and practice as an art therapist and now have to accrue a number of hours working directly with clients to qualify for licensure. I completed my telehealth practicum with Advocate Aurora Healthcare in Wisconsin. My internship was with a Nashville nonprofit called Family & Children’s Service (FCS) which provides a number of services (including therapy) to families and children facing social and economic hardships. I worked with the Permanency Counseling team providing therapeutic services to families and children with a history of familial instability or caught up in the court systems, with the goal of helping them to reach stability and process and cope with their experiences. During my time with FCS, I received training in Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and had the opportunity to observe and facilitate various therapeutic approaches including art therapy, play therapy and sand tray.

 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

American Art Therapy Association (AATA)

Tennessee Art Therapy Association (TATA)