ANITA R

DIAGNOSED ADHD & DYSLEXIA
ADULT CHILDREN ADHD

ART PSYCHOTHERAPY CHILDREN 5+ & ADULTS
ART & CREATIVE COACH
PARENTING THERAPIST
RACE & RACISM THERAPIST
BEREAVEMENT SPECIALIST

Anita sees clients face-to-face in Bournville Birmingham, B30. She also sees clients online

Anita is a practising artist and qualified HCPC registered Art Psychotherapist who is passionate about helping clients reach their true potential.  Anita’s therapeutic approach is client led which means she will tailor your therapy in a unique way, that fits with you.
 
Anita left school with no qualifications and felt like a failure, even though she attended regularly, she was unable to concentrate and achieve what she was capable of.  Starting on life’s journey, dreaming of being a fashion designer but never able to start on a path to make this happen.

Anita had various jobs which led her to study for the NNEB in child development.  Her love of creativity was used to encourage attachments through play.  At the time, Anita knew instinctively the importance of creativity; having turned to it throughout her childhood, but she didn’t understand the true potential of its healing properties.  That was to follow, many years later.

Anita met her husband, had 3 children and became a stay-at-home mum.  At the time this seemed like a great choice, here was something she could be good at!  However the role of a stay-at-home mum was not as great as she thought; the noise, the mess and the organisation needed took its toll.  Anita struggled with her mental health and ended up with clinical depression.  Her treatment proceeded with medication and therapy.  It was after Art Psychodynamic therapy that Anita felt able to pursue a life and career that was right for her.

Anita studied for her first GCSE in Psychology at night school and attended an art group in the day.  This led to a Foundation in Art & Design followed by achieving a First Class Fine Art degree in 2014.
 
It was during this period that Anita was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD aged 52.  These diagnoses enabled her to seek help and pursue an MA in Art Psychotherapy.  Accessing support in educational institutions was not easy but eventually the diagnoses enabled Anita to source the support she needed to finish the course.  This included a note taker for lectures, a mentor for her dyslexia, a support worker for her ADHD and visits to the wellbeing team, where she would vent her frustrations about systems where she felt unseen and unheard.

Some of these feelings were explored during her three years of therapy at university (a requirement of the course).  Experiencing trauma as a child, being a woman of colour and brought up in an impoverished background could explain why she constantly felt this way.  When Anita brought up ADHD during her therapy, she felt the therapist did not believe it existed.  The counsellor would not say anything or dismiss her by saying “I want to see YOU”.  Anita understood what her therapist was trying to do but by not recognising it from a wider perspective meant that the therapist could not see her struggles within systems that needed to change.  Although her counsellor helped her to finish the course, Anita felt unseen and unheard again.  Anita firmly believes we should stay curious if we are to help people.

Anitas has experience in working with children from the age of 5 to adults.  She also specialises in clients who have been bereaved, have mental health issues and complex trauma.  She uses a wide range of approaches to aid recovery.  Empowering neurodivergent children, young people and adults to build a stronger sense of self.  Anita is also passionate about helping women during the perinatal stage – the period of pregnancy to birth as building strong attachments and a stronger sense of identity can help the mother and child relationship.

Anita is a member of The British Association of Black, African, Asian, Therapists Networks (BAATN) and The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT). A member of the soft expressive art group who are a group of neurodivergent adults who meet regularly to make art and share stories.  This includes Anita contributing to a film called ‘Delving into Art, Masking Autism/ADHD in Women’.  Anita gains knowledge and a deeper understanding from these shared stories and experiences.  It also gives her a sense of community with like-minded people who just ‘get her’ without explanation. 

Art Psychotherapy is a form of Psychodynamic therapy but uses art creation as a form of communication.  This can work particularly well for people who find it difficult to express feelings.  Being ‘good’ at art is not a requirement as the artwork is not judged for its aesthetic quality.  Anita has extensive knowledge of art materials and is happy to teach a process if required.  She uses art materials to calm a dysregulated nervous system.  If working online then Anita will advise you in advance of the inexpensive and easily purchased art materials  you will need to begin. More information regarding Art Psychotherapy/therapy can be found on the BAAT website.

Qualifications

• MA Art Psychotherapy 2021
  
• Foundation Art and Design 2011
  
• Fine Art BA (Hons)First Class 2014
  
• The National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) Child Development 1992
  
• Carolyn Spring Trauma Training 2023
  
• Safeguarding Children 2024
  
• Bilateral Guided Drawing -Sensorimotor Art Therapy 2023
  
• Seed Talks: Women and ADHD 2022
  
• The Science of Trauma and The Body  2024

ANITA R

DIAGNOSED ADHD & DYSLEXIA
ADULT CHILDREN ADHD

ART PSYCHOTHERAPY CHILDREN 5+ & ADULTS

ART & CREATIVE COACH

PARENTING THERAPIST

RACE & RACISM THERAPIST

BEREAVEMENT SPECIALIST

Anita sees clients face-to-face in Bournville Birmingham, B30. She also sees clients online

Anita is a practising artist and qualified HCPC registered Art Psychotherapist who is passionate about helping clients reach their true potential.  Anita’s therapeutic approach is client led which means she will tailor your therapy in a unique way, that fits with you.

Anita left school with no qualifications and felt like a failure, even though she attended regularly, she was unable to concentrate and achieve what she was capable of.  Starting on life’s journey, dreaming of being a fashion designer but never able to start on a path to make this happen.

Anita had various jobs which led her to study for the NNEB in child development.  Her love of creativity was used to encourage attachments through play.  At the time, Anita knew instinctively the importance of creativity; having turned to it throughout her childhood, but she didn’t understand the true potential of its healing properties.  That was to follow, many years later.

Anita met her husband, had 3 children and became a stay-at-home mum.  At the time this seemed like a great choice, here was something she could be good at!  However the role of a stay-at-home mum was not as great as she thought; the noise, the mess and the organisation needed took its toll.  Anita struggled with her mental health and ended up with clinical depression.  Her treatment proceeded with medication and therapy.  It was after Art Psychodynamic therapy that Anita felt able to pursue a life and career that was right for her.

Anita studied for her first GCSE in Psychology at night school and attended an art group in the day.  This led to a Foundation in Art & Design followed by achieving a First Class Fine Art degree in 2014.

It was during this period that Anita was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD aged 52.  These diagnoses enabled her to seek help and pursue an MA in Art Psychotherapy.  Accessing support in educational institutions was not easy but eventually the diagnoses enabled Anita to source the support she needed to finish the course.  This included a note taker for lectures, a mentor for her dyslexia, a support worker for her ADHD and visits to the wellbeing team, where she would vent her frustrations about systems where she felt unseen and unheard.

Some of these feelings were explored during her three years of therapy at university (a requirement of the course).  Experiencing trauma as a child, being a woman of colour and brought up in an impoverished background could explain why she constantly felt this way.  When Anita brought up ADHD during her therapy, she felt the therapist did not believe it existed.  The counsellor would not say anything or dismiss her by saying “I want to see YOU”.  Anita understood what her therapist was trying to do but by not recognising it from a wider perspective meant that the therapist could not see her struggles within systems that needed to change.  Although her counsellor helped her to finish the course, Anita felt unseen and unheard again.  Anita firmly believes we should stay curious if we are to help people.

Anitas has experience in working with children from the age of 5 to adults.  She also specialises in clients who have been bereaved, have mental health issues and complex trauma.  She uses a wide range of approaches to aid recovery.  Empowering neurodivergent children, young people and adults to build a stronger sense of self.  Anita is also passionate about helping women during the perinatal stage – the period of pregnancy to birth as building strong attachments and a stronger sense of identity can help the mother and child relationship.

Anita is a member of The British Association of Black, African, Asian, Therapists Networks (BAATN) and The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT). A member of the soft expressive art group who are a group of neurodivergent adults who meet regularly to make art and share stories.  This includes Anita contributing to a film called ‘Delving into Art, Masking Autism/ADHD in Women’.  Anita gains knowledge and a deeper understanding from these shared stories and experiences.  It also gives her a sense of community with like-minded people who just ‘get her’ without explanation.

Art Psychotherapy is a form of Psychodynamic therapy but uses art creation as a form of communication.  This can work particularly well for people who find it difficult to express feelings.  Being ‘good’ at art is not a requirement as the artwork is not judged for its aesthetic quality.  Anita has extensive knowledge of art materials and is happy to teach a process if required.  She uses art materials to calm a dysregulated nervous system.  If working online then Anita will advise you in advance of the inexpensive and easily purchased art materials  you will need to begin.  More information regarding Art Psychotherapy/therapy can be found on the BAAT website.

Qualifications

• MA Art Psychotherapy 2021
• Foundation Art and Design 2011
• Fine Art BA (Hons)First Class 2014
• The National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) Child Development 1992
• Carolyn Spring Trauma Training 2023
• Safeguarding Children 2024
• Bilateral Guided Drawing -Sensorimotor Art Therapy 2023
• Seed Talks: Women and ADHD 2022
• The Science of Trauma and The Body  2024