Nili Sigal

Art Therapist

HPC registered art therapist
BAAT registered private practitioner

I qualified as an art therapist from Goldsmiths College having previously studied both fine art and psychology. My decision to train came about after several years of working in adult mental health, including work in a secure psychiatric hospital. My experience convinced me of the importance of providing psychotherapy for people who are in a state of emotional distress, as well as an outlet for creative, nonverbal expression.

Since qualifying, I have set up and coordinated a project which provided art therapy for children from minority ethnic communities and facilitated art therapy sessions – individually and in groups – in schools, mental health and community settings. In addition to my private practice at the London Art Therapy Centre, I also work as an art psychotherapist in adult mental health services for the NHS and with children and families in the voluntary sector.

As a clinician, I have worked with children and adolescents of all ages, including clients with autism and other developmental disorders, and with adults facing a difficult or overwhelming time in their lives. When working with children I use a non-directive approach, incorporating art and play to enable clients to explore their feelings and inner world. In my work with adults I focus on the symbolic and personal meaning of image-making with an emphasis on talking through, and thinking together, about the issues that emerge in the session. I aim to work collaboratively, flexibly and in a non-prescriptive way – and to provide clients with the space to explore personal difficulties and engage in dialogue through which they can arrive at their own solutions.

I have a particular interest in working with marginalised communities and in understanding diversity and areas of difference in society; this interest informs a research project I am currently involved with. In addition to my art therapy client work, I coordinate the monthly clinical meetings at the London Art Therapy Centre. The clinical meetings are an exciting platform for our practitioner team to discuss ideas and dilemmas arising in the therapeutic work, and to share practices across a multi-disciplinary forum. So far, themes have included mentalisation-based therapy, compassionate approaches to eating disorders and Jungian sandplay; my regular blog about the meetings can be found here.

Art therapy offered in English and Hebrew | Sessions offered on: Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays