Anna Atkinson
Anna has been working as a Transpersonal Arts Counsellor for 8 years, having trained at the alternative Tobias School of Art and Therapy whose training program places an emphasis on healing through a more holistic and gentle approach to creativity.
She originally obtained a degree in Illustration at the University of the Arts, at Camberwell college of Art, which led to an interest in using the creative impulse as a way to illustrate stories and ideas.
Anna has worked extensively in Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form schools in London and Sussex, helping to facilitate creative educational interventions for individuals and groups, particularly in relation to challenging behavioural needs in financially and culturally deprived areas where often theraputic provisions are scarce
Much of the current curriculum in education has an emphasis on measured results and outcome and Annas work seeks to meet the needs of young people seeking pleasure in creative process and not having to get it right, so that the work is part of a personal journey rather than anything that has to meet the expectations of others.
Anna has worked as a crisis counsellor and arts in mental health practitioner and also runs seasonal workshops and groups based on different themes and works of literature such as Kafka, Grimms fairytales and the poetry of Rumi, Hafiz and David Whyte.
Anna’s practice incorporates art, sound, words, movement, texture, creative writing, installations, film, voice, colour and body work, with an emphasis on the intuitive voice and the power of being witnessed.
She has recently started a Feminist theatre group, written the forward to a art Therapy Volume on working with Tweens and Teens and had had 4 articles published in Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy magazine this year.
Last year she was nominated for a Sussex Teacher of the year Award.She continues to run projects and workshops in Brighton, East Grinstead and Hastings, with specialist knowledge on using creativity to heal trauma.She has also delivered arts for wellbeing workshops at The Jerwood, The De La Warr and the arts organisation Cultureshift.
