Kensington Art Therapy provides primary and adjunctive mental health services. Bridget works with clients and fellow providers to coordinate care.

Some clients come for long-term individual therapy services while others see Bridget short-term or as needed for expressive arts therapy sessions, trauma work, or a combination of the two. For clients who already have a primary therapist, Bridget provides specialized care to address a treatment goal that requires somatic, experiential, and non-verbal modalities that attune to and support emotional and traumatic reprocessing. These address symptoms related to brain stem based survival instincts and limbic system based emotional regulation and functioning.

Kensington Art Therapy offers Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, a somatic (body-based) talk therapy that tends to the unique needs of clients who have experienced trauma by engaging the innate wisdom of the body and nervous system.

Bridget is trained in Level I for the treatment of trauma and Level II for the treatment of adverse childhood experiences, developmental injuries including attachment disruption, and relational trauma. This modality blends cognitive and emotional verbal approaches with physical interventions and mindfulness to address the implicit memories and neurobiological effects of trauma.

The process is phase oriented and prioritizes safety and stabilization throughout. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy was created by world-renowned expert Dr. Pat Ogden. Incorporating the wisdom of the body into the therapeutic process facilitates growth grounded in present moment experiences to restore a somatic sense of self.

Art Therapy is an integrative, creative, and sensory modality that uses a variety of expressive interventions to facilitate exploring emotions, identity, processing experiences, and tending to both implicit and explicit memories.

Research has shown Art Therapy can reduce trauma symptoms, relieve stress, and reduce depression.

No skills are required and Art Therapy is for all ages. The focus is on the process of authentic expression not the skill level or end product. Techniques include drawing, painting (acrylic and watercolor), collage, mix media, and clay. Interventions include prompts related to specific goals, writing, and dialogue with art work created to promote insight.

Art making can involved structured prompts and open art-making opportunities for exploring and discovering what emerges. The level of structure is determined by the clients style, preferences, and needs.