ANNIE DURANOWSKI - LICENSED CLINICAL PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR & ART THERAPIST

Art can be about the process, not just about the final product. I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as bad art. Creativity is a way to explore, relax, and express emotions that can be hard to verbalize or at times feel. I graduated from Adler University with my Master of Arts in Counseling and Art Therapy, during that time I worked with sexually problematic teens. Since then, I have been working in first episode psychosis, supporting adolescents and young adults to process and understand their mental health symptoms and needs. Art has allowed for these clients to develop visual coping skills and tangible connections to reality when symptoms impact cognition and thought. It has also supported the growth of community, artistic expression and resiliency in these spaces.

As a practicing artist I often find myself exploring mediums, textures, ideas, or emotions. I tend to limit the planning of a piece to focus on the creative flow, the physical connection to the materials, and emotions represented by colors, shapes and form. As an art therapist I embrace this process for my clients to allow for full exploration of self. Encouraging growth and development within the art studio space and in daily life.