Expressive Arts Therapy Case Sharing: Learning to Believe in Oneself
Expressive Arts Therapist: Liz Tong
Service User: Kit
"I hope that everyone will be happy with this wedding." This was how Kit described her expectations for her own wedding.
Through our conversations, I came to understand that the person she most wanted to please—and found the hardest to satisfy—was her mother. She recalled how, throughout her youth, she deferred to her mother's wishes in everything, acting as though she didn't need to have opinions of her own. Because of this, it is clear why she felt so profoundly lost after her mother fell ill. Although life has since shaped her into a strong, independent person, a shadow of that past still lingers within her, and that habitual self-distrust remains embedded in her body.
Movement Exploration: Feeling Your Inner Balance
I invited Kit to move freely, following her inner impulses, and to pay attention to how she found balance while transitioning between different movements—specifically, how she grounded herself and stood steadily on the floor.
After that, I asked her to choose one movement to represent her younger self and another to represent her present self. I then invited her to add a series of movements between the two, repeating the entire sequence while turning her awareness inward.
Kit: "It’s like before I even had time to think, my body had already acted to protect me. I feel a much greater sense of safety now."
Liz: "If you connect that back to your life situation, what comes to mind?"
Kit: "I think I can trust myself more. And things don't have to be perfect. I can just try, and adjust along the way."
When she noticed tears in my eyes, she asked, "Are you deeply moved?"
Liz: "Yes, I am."
***Client has given consent to share photos of artwork and the therapy process.
Further Reading:
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More Trauma Therapy Case Sharing
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What is Expressive Arts Therapy?
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The Therapist
