Sometimes it is hard to find the words for our emotions. Art therapy provides a creative alternative to verbal communication and counselling. Through art therapy I work with children and adults to connect them with their creative expression. Together we can work through anxiety, depression, behavioural or social issues, loss, grief, personal or family relationship problems, career changes and life’s challenges to build your strength, resilience, confidence and clarity.

Justine Henderson, Registered Art Therapist

How I work

With tertiary qualifications in art therapy, communications and teaching I work with private clients one-on-one, as well as with family members and in larger groups and organisations. Based in Sydney's northern beaches my work takes me into people's homes, workplaces, on campus and into wellbeing and yoga studios. I work with my clients to promote their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing and to encourage a connection with creativity. Watching someone rediscover the joy of their creativity, especially during difficult times, is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
Art therapy helps with:
  • Building confidence
  • Clarifying goals and objectives
  • Processing difficult emotions
  • Developing resilience and coping skills
  • Boosting creative expression
  • Sharing ideas and improving communication.

  • No previous experience with art making is required before starting art therapy.

  • When I am not working with clients I enjoy painting, anything vintage, swimming in the rain, avoiding housework and jumping in muddy puddles with my two daughters. I also volunteer with Bear Cottage a children's hospice at Manly.
Let​​'s talk:
Finding the right therapist is an important decision and I would love to hear from you however, I am currently fully booked and unable to accept any new clients at this time.​Please visit the ANZACATA website https://www.anzacata.org/ which features a list of therapists.For more information email me at justine@creativeyou.com.au
Qualifications:BA Communications, University of Technology SydneyATCL – Speech and DramaMasters Art Therapy, Western Sydney UniversityRegistered Art Therapist, ANZACATA.
Experience:Art therapy work with children:School holiday workshops, children dealing with: the death of a family member, divorcing parents, bullying at school, anxiety, difficult family relationships, domestic violence and abuse.
Art therapy work with adults:Adults dealing with: divorce, separation, betrayal, loss, anxiety, stress, depression, career changes and relationship challenges.

What other people say:


"Justine Henderson has been a volunteer with Bear Cottage since 2014 and during that time she has helped deliver art making workshops for many of our corporate volunteers. Our corporate partners are interested in finding out more about what we do and how they can make a difference. The groups make use of artwork made by our visiting children and their families and Justine is able to guide them through the experience with ease and a sense of joy. We receive great feedback on the art making sessions Justine hosts for our Bear Cottage’s corporate clients. Justine facilitates activities that are both informative and fun and many of the participants leave us with a renewed interest in their creativity as well as a better understanding of Bear Cottage. Justine has also worked closely with our Marketing and Fundraising staff to create a series of ‘grateful hearts’ artworks to present to our major sponsors and supporters. The artworks are unique, handcrafted messages of gratitude that are gratefully received by the businesses and individuals who join us in making a difference in the lives of our Bear Cottage children and their families. Justine’s creativity, attention to detail and passion for what she does is evident in all the workshops that she runs at Bear Cottage and we are incredibly grateful to her for the effort and expertise that she puts in to each event."
Bronwen Simmons, Community Relations ManagerBear Cottage, Manly. "Justine worked with our family in particular my husband and daughter as they worked through some big milestones with my daughter's medical needs and the need to build trust. Art was a great commonality between the two of them and a great building block in reinforcing the bond and building the trust around this emotionally tricky time. We loved Justine's approach from the very first phone call - her sensitivity and in the time that she took to truly understand what made them tick and reflect this in the art therapy classes. Both my husband and daughter really enjoyed this time together and it certainly made a big impact in achieving the milestone."
Giovanna LeverOpportunity Creator, Problem Solver SPARROWLY GROUP
"Justine, thank you so very much for sharing your creativity with our volunteers in your workshop. It is greatly appreciated by our volunteers and all of us."
NSW Network of Managers of Palliative Care Volunteers,2017 Annual Conference, 'Expressions of Care' Maitland.
"Justine’s work stimulates and challenges in the nicest most non-threatening way it challenges us to take a leap of faith and believe in ourselves as inherently positive creative individuals.
Justine’s work gently gives permission for us to release the creative potential that lies hidden in us all."
James DaleyClinical Nurse Consultant Palliative CareWestern NSW LHD (Eastern and Southern Sectors)Bathurst Health Service.
"Justine's empathy and skills have been a great asset to our play therapy program. We have had great feedback from our clients and would highly recommend Justine as an Art Therapist."
Marisa ChilcottExecutive DirectorBe Centre https://www.becentre.org.au/
Media:
Presenting to a group of palliative care volunteers, Duntry League Hotel, Orange 2016. Read all about it in the Palliative Care NSW volunteer newsletter.http://volunteerhub.com.au/volunteers-and-the-therapy-of-creative-art​
Frequently Asked Questions:
How long is an art therapy session?Sessions are usually 60 minutes in duration, including set-up. An initial consultation with one or more parents/guardians prior to a child commencing art therapy is recommended and the duration of this consultations is up to 1 hour. These consultations can be done in person, by phone or via teleconferencing.
Do I need to have any art experience or skills before starting art therapy?No previous art making experience is required. The focus of our session will be on individual or group creative expression, rather than producing a work of art.
Do I need to bring anything to the session?All art materials will be provided, unless sessions are online.
What are the fees?The fee for an individual session is $90. The fee for an initial parent consultation is $120. The price for group work is subject to group size and the nature of the planned activity.
What happens if I need to cancel a session?Cancellation requires 24 hours notice.
Are sessions confidential?Safety, trust and confidentiality are all integral to the way I work. I will only share the content of a session with a client’s permission or if I believe a client is at risk of harm or self harm, or in the event of a court order.
​More information:
​ANZACATA  - The professional association for art and creative therapists in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Their website https://www.anzacata.org/ features a list of therapists.
IMPORTANT: We are currently fully booked and are unable to accept any new client requests at this time. We will update this site as places become available. Thank you.