Meet The Team
Charles Chan
Meet Charles, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist and member of our Make It Better team since 2021. Read a bit more about Charles and his journey with art therapy below.
Meet Charles, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist and member of our Make It Better team since 2021. Read a bit more about Charles and his journey with art therapy below.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Explorer, Chill, Open-Minded.
How did your journey with Expressive Arts Therapy begin?
During my studies in Fine Art. I found myself really enjoying creating art for learning, imagining, exploring, checking, and healing myself rather than creating an amazing or beautiful art piece. Having discovered the existence of Expressive Arts Therapy, I found this is the way for introducing a much more grounded, less judgmental, and more meaningful form of art for different people. And this is how I started my journey to becoming a good guy!
What is your favourite thing about being an Expressive Arts Therapist?
Besides clients being able to gain insights from the process, I myself as a therapist can also gain valuable insights and learn from clients’ imagination and creativity. It also allows for fun, exciting, and challenging moments while we are going through a journey together with supportive and trusted relationships.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Other than visual art, I have been learning electric bass guitar during my spare time in recent years. I like the feeling of being a supportive foundational role in the band, but not taking over other instruments at the same time. Apart from that, I will spend a few weeks bikepacking at least once a year as a chance for me to relax and regain my inner resource. This helps me to maintain my passion for starting each new academic year.
What do you wish more people knew about Expressive Arts Therapy?
As I have mentioned above, art can be a grounded, less judgmental, and more meaningful method to understanding the self. With this setting, art can be our self-mirror, which reflects our inner needs, strengths, thoughts, or even the messages that we have forgotten, ignored, or did not notice before. It is worth the time to engage in selfcare – especially for those who have not done this for a long time. Last but not least, art can be fun and easy, whether it’s visual art, music, drama, dance, or even writing. Just try it out and find something that could become one of your interests!
