Welcome to The Centre For Expressive Therapy, a place of retreat for those seeking healing and personal growth, a place of learning and rejuvenating for health care professionals.
The Centre for Expressive
Therapy was founded in 1990 by Marie-José Dhaese to provide
counselling and psychotherapy for
children, youth and
adults as well as
training for
health care professionals in a setting that reflects and supports her
approach to healing (Holistic Expressive Therapy) and the methods she has developed as a result.
Just as every seed has within it
a germ that holds the capacity
and drive to grow toward the
light and to become whatever
plant is coded within its genes,
it is my view that all human
beings are born with the
possibility and drive to not
only survive, but to grow,
flourish, and be whole.
Holistic Expressive Therapy is an
integrative approach that takes into
consideration the
physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual needs of the client.
It was developed by Marie-José Dhaese to help individuals of all ages to cope with their challenges and to also learn and grow from them. In a warm, nurturing atmosphere that speaks to all the senses, Marie-José creatively integrates:
• verbal counselling
• imagery and visualization
• art therapy
• play therapy
• sand play therapy
• story telling
• writing
• music
• movement
• photography
• sewing
• fibre arts
• family of origin work
Marie-José's initial emphasis is on
helping clients connect to their own
inner strengths and resources, before
engaging in a deeper exploration of the
issues that bring them to therapy. The
therapeutic methods used during the
course of therapy are carefully chosen
according to age, natural inclination
and life circumstances to meet the
unique needs of each client. The result
is an increase in confidence, strength,
creativity and energy to meet life's
challenges.
The Benefits Of Holistic Expressive Therapy
Holistic Expressive Therapy has
proven to be particularly
helpful to children and adults
experiencing the consequences of
a variety of stresses and
difficult experiences including:
• Abuse (emotional, physical,
sexual)
• Accidents, illness and
hospitalization
• Attachment issues, foster care,
adoption
• Autism spectrum
• Chronic pain
• Grief, loss, bereavement
• Life transitions (moves,
employment change,
menopause,
retirement etc…)
• Physical or mental challenges
• Separation and divorce
• Spiritual crisis
• Stress in the workplace
• Traumas of all types
• Withdrawn, overactive,
controlling or
aggressive
behaviour
Expressive Therapy can address a variety of symptoms such as:
Marie-José's co-therapist animal companion Dauphin assists both in the teaching and the therapy whenever
his presence is thought to be helpful. Since 1980, Marie-José has had standard poodles co-therapists and has witnessed over and again, how they have brought soothing, comfort, reassurance and eased the distress of adults and children alike.
This holistic and integrative approach to psychotherapy / counselling is highly effective in promoting healing for those experiencing:
The Centre for Expressive Therapy is an accredited facility offering unique learning opportunities that may earn professionals credit toward their educational goals (registration as a play therapist with
BCPTA, certification as a child and play therapist with CAPT). The small size of the workshops (8 participants maximum) allows for safe, intensive and individualized learning.
Workshops, consultation and personal/professional development are available for those in the helping professions, including:
Adult and Child Therapists
Counsellors
Family doctors & specialists
Foster parents
