Creative Expression That Overcomes the Limitation of Language
The Principles of Expressive Art Therapy
All people have an innate ability to be creative.
The creativity is transformative and healing.
Personal growth and higher statues of consciousness are achieved through self- awareness, self-understanding, and insight.
Self- awareness, understanding and insight are achieved by delivery into our feeling of grief, anger, pain, fear, joy and ecstasy.
Our feelings and emotions are an energy source that can be channeled into the expressive arts to be released and transformed.
The expressive arts lead us into unconscious, there by enable us to express previously.
One art form stimulates and nurtures the other, bringing us to an inner core or essence that is our life energy.
A connection exist between our life force our inner core or soul and the essence of all being.
As we journey inward to discover our essence or wholeness, we discover our relatedness to the outer world and the inner and outer become one.
Who Are We
Xpress Yourself has been established since April 2018 in Volusia county. Natalie Rogers was the pioneer of expressing art through person center therapy approach. Xpress yourself uses Natalie Rogers expanded therapy approach to enhance personal growth for individuals and groups.
Biography
Christine LaPila, mental health counselor for Volusia County, began Xpress Yourself in April of 2018 as an active member in the community while networking with various agencies she felt there was a need for a service that a community based therapeutic art program that it not specific to 1 age group. After visiting various community centers who have limited resources with the young adult population, she noticed that there were no programs available or out of reach for that demographic population who are not interested in sports and looking to express themselves without judgement and counseling.
Thus, Christine found a need for art program in the counties of Volusia and West Volusia. Through this, the young adults are free to express themselves through art in a safe zone. Our art program is based on fun activities, being social, and expressing one’s individuality. After the success of this program, we ventured out to the vision of the blind and retirement communities to have one to one experience with creative art of expression.