Renne Venderstelt brings art therapy to Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative community to improve mental health care for teens

TOWSON, MARYLAND, USA, January 15, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Building on the success of its traditional counseling programs and Nature Informed Therapy, Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative (CMHC) is adding Integrative Art Therapy to help clients manage anxiety, grief & loss, trauma, and other mental health changes. CMHC will use Art Therapy to enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active artmaking, creative processing, applied psychological theory, and the human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

The new service will be led by Renee Vanderstelt, a licensed art therapist who recently joined CMHC. “We are thrilled that Ms. Vanderstelt decided to join CMHC,” said Shannon Wilson, Clinical Director of CMHC. “Her empathy, excellent knowledge of artistic media, and unique ability to understand the non-verbal response during art therapy sessions greatly enhances our ability to help improve mental wellbeing.”

Many people, especially adolescents and teens today have difficulties using verbal communication to express their feelings during therapy sessions. Renee welcomes non-verbal responses in therapy with people of all ages and does not need to talk about issues to hear and validate them. Art-making as therapy is highly valued as a complex and effective healing process. “When in therapy, it’s not about whether the art is good enough. It’s about discoveries that arise through the creative process of artmaking. Art as therapy often reveals unseen or closed parts of who we are - the parts that language centers of the brain have not accessed. Art as therapy is a powerful tool because it creatively and playfully reveals truths important to finding the courage to heal,” said Renee Vanderstelt. “Art therapists hold a Masters level education with supervised training to prepare them for culturally proficient work with diverse clients; this includes those with debility, delay, and dependency. Art therapists are trauma-informed and adhere to a code of ethics that honors clients’ values and beliefs when helping them through medical or mental health problems. Art-making in therapy encourages emotional, creative, and spiritual growth.”

About Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative
Founded on the principles of clinical excellence, diversity, and equal access, CMHC has been delivering best-in-class mental health care since 2014. With some of the highest-rated experts in the field for anxiety, trauma, and grief, CMHC offers services including therapy, psychiatric evaluation, coaching, workshops, and public events. For more information about Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative, visit its website at www.cmhcweb.com.

About Renee Venderstelt
As CMHC’s art therapist, Renee also offers nature-informed art therapy. This includes the use of art materials as well as ethically sourced natural materials. When in therapy, varied settings are offered for people such as working either inside or outdoors. Renee offers empathic support for each person, to enable an ethical practice of equity around their cultural identity. She has experience working with a wide range of mental health diagnoses. Her strengths include genuine warmth and curiosity toward a client's experience. She focuses on dialogue that is honest while identifying and growing strengths. Renee recognizes art making is uniquely one’s own. Renee is practical and pragmatic about taking realistic steps with clear treatment plans to help clients progress toward healthy change in therapy.

Jess Wedarczyk
Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative
+1 410-567-1117
Wodarczyk@cmhcweb.com
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