If you’ve got as far as this webpage, you may be searching for ways to help your son, daughter or yourself. Alternatively you may be a professional or trainee therapist seeking support for your clinical work or looking for personal therapy.

I’m Karen Sawyer, the founder and Principal Art Psychotherapist at Karen Sawyer Art Therapy Services. I specialise in working with children, young people and with concerned parents and carers. The range of issues I work with is wide, covering problems of mood, behaviour, self-image, historical traumas, transitions and changes in life circumstances

Have you ever known your child to struggle with worries, concerns, sadness or anger? Their first response to stress is usually to act on their feelings. They may not be able to put into words what is troubling them or even say why.

You may notice warning signs e.g. a change in behaviour or personality, often leading to challenges that make family life, school or socialising difficult. Stress can result in feeling uncertain, lost or stuck.

In Art Therapy we focus on experiences and feelings, expressed through art making within a consistent therapeutic relationship, with the aim of making sense of it together. Through our work you will begin to see improvements in many areas including behaviour, reduction in impulsivity, increased focus and concentration and reduction in anxiety. Art Therapy can have a positive impact, not only on the young person, but on their families, friendships and educational attainment. With parents and carers, sessions also offer a space to reflect, to consider how to support your children’s emotional development and become confident parents.

I have extensive experience and training in child development and mental health. I work with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, with those on the autistic spectrum or with subtle neuro-developmental difficulties.