Season 2. Ep.11 Louise Weston - Art Therapist (Australia)
Louise Weston had an urge to change directions in her Autumn years, after her children were diagnosed Autistic. This period of time proved to be particularly traumatic for both herself and her children in navigating a somewhat deficit, ableist- based, clinical and educational system, not particularly supportive or even aware of neuro-affirming practice.
After a long career in design, Louise decided to pivot and focus on working with people rather than products and found that art therapy provided an opportunity for self-healing, reflection, growth and meaning making as well as using her lived experience to pay it forward.
Louise has experience in a range of environments including her private practice Creating Insights Art Therapy, as well as EACH Community Health, Austin Health (SECU), Box Hill CHYMS, CATA (Creative Art Therapy Australia), Very Special Kids, Primary Schools, and Aged Care. Louise loves working with all ages, needs, and presentations. My experience range is in disability (and associated co-morbidities), aged care, family violence, acute and chronic mental health, pain management, LGBTQI+, eating disorders, children, youth, and adult mental health, and palliative care.
Louise also developed an 8–10-week School Mental Health and Wellbeing Art Therapy Program in response to the Victorian Schools Mental Health Menu, which has been piloted successfully through ‘The Song Room’ and hopes to continue offering. The program is a strengths-based, person-centred approach designed to create awareness and support mental health and wellbeing in school-aged children.
Art Therapy gives Louise the capacity to work with a range of clients to help them gain insight into improving their daily life to manage their emotions and psychosocial needs as well as social and sensory challenges or anxiety. This in turn helps them gain the ability to assist with self-awareness, self-efficacy, or self-regulation. Louise truly believes that finding a modality to suit everyone gives them the opportunity to learn and grow at their own pace to set them up for success. Louise followed this fulfilling path to support her own family’s neurodivergent needs and in turn, support others’.
Louise has been able to provide insight into possible challenges with regard to avoiding or seeking certain sensory needs as well as increasing mentalization in a neuro-affirming way. Using her own lived experience, to establish connections, helps build upon their strengths as well as advocate for their needs where necessary. Louise believes strongly in radical acceptance, unconditional positive regard, and working within a safe, person-centred, and neuro-affirming way. Working collaboratively with clients with a strengths-based approach, together they build on their interests to create tools and techniques to help them navigate their day, make connections, manage emotions, celebrate successes, and nurture pride and identity.
Louise works from her studio space as well a clinical day in the somewhat leafy outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne and can be contacted at:
