As a business owner, I've come to realize that it is important for me to celebrate milestones.
In the past years, I didn't make a point of highlighting Helix Art Therapy's birthdays because I didn't want people to get confused and think I was fresh out of school. Yes, Helix is turning 3, but I am actually well into year 7 of officially being an art therapist. (This doesn't include the projects I was a part of that related to the creative arts therapy world during my undergraduate studies, nor my practicum placements during my training at the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute.)
CONNECTIONS
Looking back over the past three years, I’m happy to see the progress I’ve made in launching and sustaining my business. I am grateful for the connections I’ve made with various establishments in the community and beyond. I’ve had the chance to lead therapeutic arts workshops (such as oracle-making, vision boards, creative journaling, drawing, and painting classes) and art therapy groups (for both youth and adults) with the following:
Nanaimo Art Gallery
Nanaimo Ceramic Arts Studio
Aura Arcana and The Space
White Rabbit and Black Rabbit
Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society
Diverse Futures (Nanaimo Youth Service Association)
The Buzz Coffee co.
Vancouver Island Sculpting Studio
L'association des francophones de Nanaimo
Ladysmith Arts Gallery
La Boussole
École Océanne
Réso-Santé C.B.
As I write this list, I feel so lucky to have found such an amazing community in Nanaimo. This is not only because of the partnerships I have been able to create over the years, but also from the support I have been feeling from the other therapists and artists who are a part of of my circle of support. If you are curious to hear about it, you can have a listen to one of the radio interviews I've had the pleasure to join, over the past year, to speak about the benefits of art therapy.
THE JOURNEY
In 2021, when I officially launched my private practice, I had already been approved as a Registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT), which means I had completed over 1,000 hours of direct client work, along with a number of supervision sessions and professional development trainings. Having three years of experience in the field was beneficial because I felt confident in my skills, approaches, and interventions as an art therapist.
Navigating the behind-the-scenes aspects of owning a business has its own challenges and learning curves. Over the years, I have learned about marketing strategies, accounting, bookkeeping, time management, branding, social media, taxes, budgeting, and more. I’ve had my ups and downs, but overall, I’m happy to report that I am fulfilled by the flexibility I now have through my private practice. I have the freedom to choose which clients I work with, to offer supervision sessions for other art therapists, to select the projects I want to dedicate my time to, and most importantly, I have the pleasure of being involved in the community. I am able to balance my art therapy practice with my work as an artist!
PS: If you are curious to know more about how I became an art therapist, you are in luck! There is another blog post exclusively about that:
WHAT'S NEXT?
As I enter my fourth year with Helix Art Therapy, I plan to continue growing my client base, offering therapeutic arts workshops, reaching more Francophones, and developing online content. Lastly, as Helix continues to grow, there are a few art projects on the horizon. Here’s a hint… they’ll appear in the online shop! Currently, there are collage kits and worry stones available, so if you haven’t already, go take a look:
CLOSING
Thank you for taking the time to explore the importance of celebrating milestones in business with me. I hope you feel inspired to reflect on your journey and celebrate your own achievements. What milestones are you most proud of? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! Don’t forget to visit my website for more information on booking an art therapy or supervision session, upcoming workshops and the new online shop. 😉😉
Until next time!
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