Andrea Russell

My name is Andrea and I'm an art therapist and clinical counselor. I started my career as a nurse in 2012, but quickly realized my favorite part of the job was getting to know my patients and talking to them on some of the hardest days of their lives. This started my journey toward a career as an art therapist where I now combine my knowledge as a nurse with my passion for therapy and the healing power of art. Generally, my clients include anyone interested in using art to explore and express their emotions, those coping with a medical condition or event (including caregivers and those grieving the death of a loved one), and women navigating pregnancy, motherhood, or infertility. My style includes highlighting client strengths, a focus on client autonomy and independence, and providing practical interventions to help clients feel empowered to take control of their own lives. I also have training in lifestyle or integrative medicine (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.) and have seen these changes be just as transformative as therapy. This has lead me to believe that supporting someone means considering all aspects of a person including mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual because they are all connected.

About Art Therapy: Art is for everyone! You don't have to be "good at art" in order to find tremendous growth from it. In fact, some of the most life-changing art comes from stick figures. This is because when you're not trying to make your art "look good" you are more focused on the emotions behind the art. Art therapy is a way to literally (physically) "get your emotions out." In creating even the simplest piece of art about your emotions, you have externalized the emotions. From here it is much easier to talk about the emotions as an experience and how to manage them rather than the emotions being seen as a permanent part of you or as something wrong with you.

After our sessions you can expect to feel heard, have new insight into your emotional experience, as well as feel equipped with coping skills or strategies to honor the past but also move forward.