My Philosophy & Inspiration
What is the Creative Garden?
“Happen she’s been in the garden an’ happen it was HER set us to work, an’ told us to bring him here.”
– The Secret Garden
The Creative Garden Art Therapy was originally inspired by my mother. Reading The Secret Garden together as a child left a lasting impression on me, prompting me to revisit it as an adult and ultimately develop the Creative Garden Art Therapy. Like “Mester Colin’s” mother, my own mother guided me to this “garden” which I now hope we can nurture and grow together.
One of the most meaningful lessons I took from The Secret Garden is that it’s never too late to restore and tend to our own internal gardens. In the story, both children and adults undergo transformative change through the magic of the garden. I believe this magic embodies the hope needed to become the versions of ourselves we may have never thought possible.
Much like The Secret Garden, the Creative Garden is a space to nurture your internal landscape, build resilience, create a life worth living, and cultivate hope.
My therapeutic philosophy begins with recognizing that the brain is adaptable. Because of this adaptability, I believe there is always hope for change, and I’m here to support and guide you through that journey. I lead with a belief in self-actualization— the idea that everyone has an innate capacity to heal and reach their full potential. You are the expert of your own internal and external gardens. I hope we can, like Mary, Colin, and Dickon, sit in the field together, put in the work, and watch the garden come to life.