Art therapist
My name is Karla Middelburg; Visual Therapist since 2012.
In my working years within the mental health sector, I have focused my attention particularly on people experiencing problems in the areas of emotion regulation and attachment, relationships and eating problems and trauma. In my work, I use techniques from Schema Therapy, Mentalising enhancing therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
In addition to my training as a visual therapist, I have received training and followed courses, giving me variable tools to work with in practice.
However, the focus in visual therapy is on experiencing; there is methodical work with targeted interventions using visual materials, tools and techniques, e.g. painting, drawing, textiles, stone, wood and digital means. During the work process, physical, sensory, emotional and cognitive experiences come up. What is special about visual therapy is that the piece of work is concrete. The experience gained and the concrete image can be used to better know and understand meaning and or function of patterns, emotions, feelings and thoughts that come up during this process. Experiments can be made with holding work, putting it at a distance put away, looking at it and handling it differently. Visual therapy is often experienced as a direct route to deeper layers of feeling. It confronts people with patterns in thinking, feeling and acting within a safe situation.
My working method is characterised by professional involvement, where people feel comfortable enough to open up and dare to explore themselves with me.
Qualities that characterise my working method are; honest, careful, sincere, curious and playful.