The Cocoon Approach - Paradigms and practices
Cocoon individual sessions incorporate practices and techniques from person-centred counseling, spiritual care practice, transpersonal art therapy, and the MIECAT form of inquiry, within a humanistic and phenomenological approach to therapy. In this approach, you are at the center of the process, with the therapist following and responding to your own naturally unfolding process toward integration and wholeness. The therapist acts as companion and witness in the journey, inviting you to deepen your relationship with yourself via engagement with the arts, questioning and reflection.
Cocoon Creative Arts Therapies also deeply values the wisdom of somatic (body)-based and nature-based approaches and incorporates Focusing (Gendlin) techniques, Soulcraft and Wild Mind processes, meditation, ritual, myth, dream-work alongside art-making.
Cocoon Creative Arts Therapies also deeply values the wisdom of somatic (body)-based and nature-based approaches and incorporates Focusing (Gendlin) techniques, Soulcraft and Wild Mind processes, meditation, ritual, myth, dream-work alongside art-making.
Your experience of cocoon individual sessions
In Cocoon sessions, you will experience a safe and supportive space for reflection and inquiry. Michelle brings a deep listening presence to you in your experience, inviting exploration of your feelings, thoughts, and body through skilled and curious questions, and responding to what emerges.
You will be invited to move beyond the everyday mind, using meditation and mindfulness practices, noticing body sensations, or paying attention to your relationship with arts materials or process. If you choose to make art, your artistic representations may also offer a door to new knowing, helping you to inquire, reflect and find meaning.
Cocoon sessions can be particularly helpful if you are experiencing:
Or, if you've been longing to explore or cultivate:
Through Cocoon Creative Arts Therapies Sessions, you may experience:
You will be invited to move beyond the everyday mind, using meditation and mindfulness practices, noticing body sensations, or paying attention to your relationship with arts materials or process. If you choose to make art, your artistic representations may also offer a door to new knowing, helping you to inquire, reflect and find meaning.
Cocoon sessions can be particularly helpful if you are experiencing:
- difficulty with strong emotions and feelings
- challenging life transitions
- crisis of meaning or identity
- depression
- anxiety
- loss & grief
- stress or overwhelm
- menstrual difficulties (PMS/PMT/PMDD/Endometriosis)...
Or, if you've been longing to explore or cultivate:
- personal development
- spirituality and soul-full living
- creative expression
- your identity as artist
- life purpose and direction...
Through Cocoon Creative Arts Therapies Sessions, you may experience:
- Deeper connection to self, insight and wisdom
- Greater self acceptance and self compassion
- Resolution of inner conflict
- Clarity in life direction
- Integration of challenging experiences
- Freer creative expression
- Acceptance and expression of difficult feelings
- Recognition of patterns in life and exploration of new ways of being
- Exploration of life story and meaning making
FAQs
"But what if I can't draw?"
You don't need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. It's about the process of making, more than the outcome
"Will you interpret my art?"
Your companion in art making will not interpret your art, but instead will ask open questions to assist you in finding your own meaning
"What if I do it wrong?"
There is no right or wrong way to make art, and no right or wrong way to respond to it
"What will I be doing?"
Art therapy may engage a range of modalities including visual art, clay work, sculpture, collage, dream work, installation, sound, or movement.
"Do I have to use paint?"
You can choose the materials that resonate with you. These may include pencils, soft pastels, oil pastels, clay, collage, paint, natural materials, textiles, found objects...
"What are the benefits?"
Art therapy research has shown many benefits across physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual domains. Art therapy may help you to manage anxiety and depression, or to navigate challenging life experiences such as serious illness or bereavement. It may also help you to find new perspective and insight, to process and regulate emotions, and to cultivate qualities such as mindfulness, awareness, trust, openness, or curiosity.
You don't need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. It's about the process of making, more than the outcome
"Will you interpret my art?"
Your companion in art making will not interpret your art, but instead will ask open questions to assist you in finding your own meaning
"What if I do it wrong?"
There is no right or wrong way to make art, and no right or wrong way to respond to it
"What will I be doing?"
Art therapy may engage a range of modalities including visual art, clay work, sculpture, collage, dream work, installation, sound, or movement.
"Do I have to use paint?"
You can choose the materials that resonate with you. These may include pencils, soft pastels, oil pastels, clay, collage, paint, natural materials, textiles, found objects...
"What are the benefits?"
Art therapy research has shown many benefits across physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual domains. Art therapy may help you to manage anxiety and depression, or to navigate challenging life experiences such as serious illness or bereavement. It may also help you to find new perspective and insight, to process and regulate emotions, and to cultivate qualities such as mindfulness, awareness, trust, openness, or curiosity.
What participants say about cocoon individual Sessions...
"What is unique and highly valuable for me about Michelle’s overall approach is how she weaves together the many modalities she works with – be it counselling, bodywork, creative arts, sound/voice… – that give me an expanded capacity to view my situation from varied perspectives" Stacia Beazley of The Art of Relating
"I had not created original inspired painted art since I was very young. I had a very personal idea that I wanted to express over a number of canvases and had been procrastinating for years not knowing when and how to start. I approached Michelle to help guide me through a creative process and to kick start my dream. I am so appreciative of the way Michelle facilitated the sessions. She was gentle in her approach and helped me unblock all of the fears and apprehensions I had throughout the process. I have not experienced this much joy and flow for a long time and enjoyed the space that Michelle held in order for me to express my creative dream" (Carlo).
"I’ve been blessed to be in the healing presence of Michelle several times. Each time is a little different as Michelle has the capacity to tune in to what is wanting to be heard and or held within me in any given moment. What is unique and highly valuable for me about Michelle’s overall approach is how she weaves together the many modalities she works with – be it counselling, bodywork, creative arts, sound/voice… – that give me an expanded capacity to view my situation from varied perspectives. I don’t know many people who do this.
I appreciate Michelle’s capacity to deeply listen and reflect things back to me that I don’t even notice I’m saying, but are coming through my communication none-the-less. This insight is so valuable for me to be able to come into contact with and understand even more of myself so I can make decisions from a place of deeper self-awareness.
On a physical level I’ve have received bodywork from Michelle and again her capacity to place a hand on exactly the part that is feeling pain often amazes me. It’s like she know exactly where go and stands beside me, holding something with me that feels too big to hold myself. In doing so I can relax more into listening to this part of my body that is harbouring discomfort and bring about ease through physical touch as well as gentle invitations to feel and voice what needs to be felt, heard and expressed.
If you want a safe cocoon to delve into for a journey of self-inquiry I really recommend creating some time to spend with Michelle" (Stacia Beazley).
"I’ve been blessed to be in the healing presence of Michelle several times. Each time is a little different as Michelle has the capacity to tune in to what is wanting to be heard and or held within me in any given moment. What is unique and highly valuable for me about Michelle’s overall approach is how she weaves together the many modalities she works with – be it counselling, bodywork, creative arts, sound/voice… – that give me an expanded capacity to view my situation from varied perspectives. I don’t know many people who do this.
I appreciate Michelle’s capacity to deeply listen and reflect things back to me that I don’t even notice I’m saying, but are coming through my communication none-the-less. This insight is so valuable for me to be able to come into contact with and understand even more of myself so I can make decisions from a place of deeper self-awareness.
On a physical level I’ve have received bodywork from Michelle and again her capacity to place a hand on exactly the part that is feeling pain often amazes me. It’s like she know exactly where go and stands beside me, holding something with me that feels too big to hold myself. In doing so I can relax more into listening to this part of my body that is harbouring discomfort and bring about ease through physical touch as well as gentle invitations to feel and voice what needs to be felt, heard and expressed.
If you want a safe cocoon to delve into for a journey of self-inquiry I really recommend creating some time to spend with Michelle" (Stacia Beazley).
Ethics Guidelines
Cocoon Creative Arts Therapies adheres to Ethics and confidentiality guidelines offered by ANZACATA.