Creativity is a powerful tool, a  tool for accessing wellbeing and agency in life. Accessing our creativity can take us from a place of feeling powerless, lost or depressed to a place of inspiration and hope.

 

I work with clients on a 1:1 basis so we can find your own individual and unique form of expression. This might mean learning new art skills or exploring different mediums. It might include creative mentoring to help you bring a creative dream in to reality. I design workshops and art processes that assist self exploration, self regulation and  self expression. 

 

I  have witnessed many clients find more meaning, purpose and flourish in life through the power of creativity and art.  Creativity is not reserved for a select few, it is something we all have but many have lost access too. Re-discovering our own creativity is a life giving resource, helping us to live more creative and connected lives.

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''Find where you are creative...That can take you in to your own creation.''
- Marion Woodman

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My Professional Experience :

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I spent over three years as the Art Therapist in the Eating Disorders Unit at Wesley Hospital Ashfield, bringing art therapy and mindfulness to a hospital setting to support a more embodied approach to treatment — work I feel deeply passionate about.

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I regularly collaborate with the wonderful artists at Studio A in Sydney, supporting artists with intellectual disability to design and produce work sold in Australian design stores. You can see the Live Softly x Studio A collection at livesoftly.co/studioA.

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I facilitate the Changing Bodies, Changing Minds program at Randwick Women's Hospital founded by Jo Rockendorfer— an innovative art therapy program for pre-teens navigating puberty, self-esteem and emotional resilience. Previously I assisted at Kidslink Australia using art therapy to develop emotional literacy and social skills for children and teens with anxiety, ADHD, autism and other learning difficulties.

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I have also designed and delivered creative workshops for The Butterfly Foundation, the MCA, Studio A, Your Side, LinkedIn, Montessori China and EO Sydney.

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Live Softly Nepal is my other business supporting marginalised craftswomen in Nepal, with products sold through design stores in Australia and overseas. Learn more at www.livesoftly.co

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Before moving into art therapy I had a twenty-year career in design, trend forecasting, sustainable design and creative direction across Australia and London. While in London I worked at WGSN as a trend forecaster and was a founding member of AnyBody UK with Prof Susie Orbach. Back in Sydney I have lectured in Sustainable Design, Social Enterprise and Design thinking at Bachelor level and worked as a Creative Manager for a team of designers. My full CV can be viewed here: Linkedin Elise Slater

 

Qualifications :
 

I hold a Bachelor of Design (Hons) from UTS, and  an Advanced Diploma of Transpersonal Art Therapy. I am registered with ANZACATA and work under regular supervision with a registered PACFA supervisor.

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I am continually deepening my practice through further study, including eco-therapy, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Sandplay Therapy, Buddhist Psychotherapy, Eastern Mindfulness and RO-DBT,. More recently I have been expanding my own creative practice through oil-painting.

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Podcasts with Elise:

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Art Glider - The Lightbulb Moment with Elise Slater

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Body Matters - Art Therapu in Eating Disorder Recovery with Elise Slater

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BBC Women's Hour​

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