Gemma Kelly

Art Psychotherapist, MA | HCPC-Registered Art Psychotherapist | BAAT Full Member
I am a fully qualified Art Psychotherapist with extensive experience working with adults, young people and children. I offer both creative and talking therapy, with a flexible approach shaped around your individual needs, preferences and ways of communicating. I specialise in supporting autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent individuals, with an understanding of diverse sensory, communication and processing styles. If you are neurodivergent, my approach recognises this as part of your identity and way of experiencing the world, rather than something that needs to be changed or “fixed”. Art Psychotherapy is an established and professionally regulated form of psychological therapy, informed by psychological theory, clinical practice and a growing body of research. It combines the therapeutic relationship with creative processes to support emotional expression, reflection and psychological understanding. No artistic ability or previous experience with art is needed.
My background
The creative process can offer you a way of accessing and expressing feelings that are not always easy to put into words. Creative work can provide a different way of exploring your inner world, allowing thoughts, feelings and associations to emerge in their own time within a supportive and reflective therapeutic space. Using art therapeutically can also provide a non-verbal outlet for experiences that may feel difficult, overwhelming or complex. It can support emotional regulation, help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and offer you a way of exploring and processing traumatic experiences within a safe, contained and non-judgmental relationship. My work is trauma-informed, neuro-affirming and informed by a psychodynamic approach. I am sensitive to the ways in which your past and present experiences can shape how you feel, relate and cope. I draw on established psychotherapeutic principles and use both the therapeutic relationship and creative process to support greater insight into unconscious patterns, internal conflicts and emotional experiences, helping you develop a deeper understanding of yourself.
I am trained to work with both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. This can be particularly valuable if experiences are difficult to put into words, if emotions feel overwhelming, or if thinking and communicating through images, materials, metaphor or sensory experience feels more accessible than talking alone. You may be seeking support with a wide range of needs and experiences, including: – Neurodivergence, including being autistic, ADHD or dyslexic – with support around self-understanding, identity, strengths, sensory needs, communication preferences, regulation and self-advocacy – Anxiety – Stress, overwhelm and burnout – Depression and low mood – Trauma and the impact of difficult or overwhelming experiences – Grief, bereavement and loss – Self-esteem, self-worth and confidence – Relationships, connection and interpersonal difficulties – Learning disabilities – Change, transitions and periods of uncertainty – Adoption, including experiences connected with identity, attachment and belonging – Addiction – Emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties – Infertility and fertility-related experiences My approach is grounded in safety, trust, choice, collaboration and respect for your individual experience. I work at a pace that feels manageable for you, recognising that everyone differs in how they communicate, process emotions, build trust and make sense of their experiences. No problem is too small. If it matters to you, it matters. Getting in touch can be the first step towards greater understanding, meaningful change and a different way of relating to yourself and your experiences.
  • Abuse
  • ADHD
  • Adjustment Disorder
  • Adoption Issues
  • Aging Concerns
  • Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependence
  • Alzheimers
  • Anger Management Therapy
  • Anxiety
  • Art Therapy
  • Aspergers
  • Attachment Theory
  • Autism
  • Bipolar
  • Boarding School Syndrome
  • Body Image Issues
  • Burnout
  • Cancer
  • Child or Adolescent Issues
  • Chronic Pain or Illness
  • Coaching
  • Codependency
  • Contemplative
  • Depression
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Drug Dependence / Abuse / Addiction
  • Eating Disorder
  • Family Caregiving
  • Family Conflict
  • Feminist
  • Gambling Addiction
  • Historical Trauma
  • Infertility
  • Insomnia
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Internet Addiction
  • Interpersonal
  • Intervention
  • Learning Disorder
  • Life Coaching
  • Loss or Grief
  • Mindfulness-based
  • Obesity
  • OCD
  • ODD
  • Panic
  • Parenting
  • Personal Growth
  • Personality Disorders
  • Postpartum
  • Pregnancy (Prenatal Mental Health)
  • Psychodynamic
  • PTSD
  • Relational
  • Relationship / Marriage Issues
  • Self-Esteem
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Social Phobia
  • Spirituality
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Trauma
  • Veterans / Military Service
  • Women’s Issues
  • Addiction Therapy
  • Anger Management
  • Art Therapy / Psychotherapy
  • Coach
  • Emotionally Focused
  • Experiential
  • Expressive Art Therapy
  • Holistic
  • Integrative
  • Jungian Therapy
  • Mindfulness
  • Narrative
  • Person Centered Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Somatic Experiencing
  • Children
  • Individuals
  • Teens
  • Fixed Term
  • Long Term (Face to Face)
  • Online Therapy
  • Short Term (Face to Face)
  • Telephone

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