"Anniek is an inspirational artist, therapist and leader. She is both open minded and clear minded. She is constantly looking for innovative methods and ideas, and thus transforms the lives of her students, motivating each in the way that brings out the best in them" Professor Ilana C.
"Anniek has a special knack of opening up your creative channels in a supporting and caring environment. As each class progresses I learn new things about myself and what I am capable of and come aware with a sense of contentment and ease." Irene K, London
About Anniek
A thoughtful, creative approach to emotional wellbeing
I've always been curious about people, how we experience the world so differently, what shapes us, and what helps us feel more connected to ourselves. That curiosity has run through both my therapeutic work and my life as an artist for more than 25 years. What I value most in my work is creating a space where someone can slow down, feel genuinely listened to and begin to understand themselves with a little more clarity and kindness.
I'm a therapeutic arts practitioner, artist and educator. I work with adults and children online and in Central London, bringing together therapeutic conversation and creative approaches in a way that is shaped around the individual rather than a fixed method.
People come to me for many different reasons.
You may be feeling anxious or overwhelmed, going through a period of change, struggling with confidence or relationships, or simply feeling that something in your life isn't quite working anymore. Some of the people I work with are managing demanding professional or creative lives. Others are navigating loss, loneliness, neurodivergence, changing relationships or questions about who they are and what they want next.
You don't need to have a diagnosis or a neatly defined problem. Sometimes the starting point is simply knowing that you would like to feel differently - calmer, clearer, more connected to yourself, or better able to understand what is going on.
My approach
I believe that greater awareness can give us greater choice. We can understand something intellectually and still find ourselves repeating the same patterns, becoming overwhelmed by the same feelings or wondering why change feels so difficult.
My role isn't to give you a formula for how you should feel or live. I work alongside you, paying attention to what is happening and helping you become curious about the thoughts, feelings and patterns underneath it. Sometimes that happens through conversation. Sometimes an image, colour, metaphor or simple creative process can help us reach something that words haven't quite touched. And sometimes what is most useful is simply having enough space to think.
Why creativity?
I originally trained in Art Therapy and have worked with therapeutic arts throughout my professional life. I later completed an MA in Art & Design (Glass sculpture) and developed a parallel career as a contemporary artist and educator. For me, creativity isn't primarily about being artistic. It is another way of thinking, noticing and making meaning.
Over the years, I have seen people who struggle to explain something in words suddenly recognise an aspect of their experience through an image, a colour, a metaphor or something they have made. This is why creative approaches can be useful within therapeutic work. They offer another language, but they are never compulsory.
You don't need to consider yourself creative or have any experience of art to work with me.
Experience and professional development
I bring more than 25 years of experience in therapeutic arts practice, working with adults and young people across private practice, education and community settings. Alongside my therapeutic work, I have many years of experience teaching and facilitating creative groups and workshops.
My contemporary art practice has also led to collaboration with researchers at the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science. This has developed my longstanding interest in perception, consciousness and the very individual ways in which we experience ourselves and the world around us.
I am currently training in Clinical Hypnotherapy, which will become an additional part of my practice once I qualify. The training is also deepening my understanding of attention, imagination and the ways conscious and unconscious processes can influence change.
The person behind the practice
After nearly three decades of therapeutic work, I don't think experience means believing you have all the answers.
If anything, it has made me more curious. I'm still fascinated by how differently we each experience the world, what helps us feel connected to ourselves and other people, and our capacity to change throughout our lives.
My own creative practice is an important part of my life and another expression of that curiosity. I keep my work as an artist and my therapeutic practice professionally distinct, but the qualities I value - attention, openness, sensitivity and curiosity - naturally belong to both.
When you work with me, you can expect professionalism and experience, but also warmth, humour when appropriate, curiosity and a genuine interest in getting to know you as an individual.
Working together
Every person is different, so I don't expect you to fit a particular technique or way of working. Sessions may involve conversation, drawing, painting, colour, imagery or guided reflection. At other times, we may simply talk.
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what is wrong, what you want to change or even what you want to say. We can start with what feels most present and work from there.
I offer one-to-one therapeutic arts sessions online and face to face in Central London.
If you're considering working with me, you're welcome to get in touch for a short introductory conversation to see whether working together feels right.