During Painting Therapy with Maja, I started to notice more, listen but also feel my own emotions, I started to get out of my head, out of logical thinking and planning. It was a very interesting journey through laughter, discomfort, sometimes sadness, to the inside of myself. Maja gave me a lot of space to express myself, while at the same time checking in every now and then to see how I was doing during this journey. Her calmness, proper approach and sensitivity helped me to open up myself, create, externalize what was sitting inside me. In moments of doubt, Maja was also able to explain certain aspects of the process and what was happening with patience, and give me the courage at the right moment to make a decision and take action. It was a wonderful experience to be able to explore myself in such a creative way under Maja’s guidance.

Aldona

What was the problem you came to the sessions with?

I was confronting a period of self-doubt related to my willingness to move out of the city where I lived and the feeling of hopelessness and inability to take action.

How do you see the problem as of today?

I realised during the sessions that it is not the matter of place but my own connection to my needs and the ability to address them. I was acting from a place of a little child I was, the memory of my experience with kindergarten came across the session. It was clear to me that I was dealing with an unprocessed emotion that got stuck in my body and had not much to do with my current situation.

What is the biggest change you see in your life that has happened during our work together?

I feel more spaciousness in my body, and I see more options. I don’t feel the inner pressure anymore, or urgency to make a decision. It gave my the power to express my vision and also find a way to initiate dialogue with people that matter the most to me.

What do you do differently today, in your daily life?

I think the biggest change is in my inner interaction with myself. I don’t feel sad or hopeless when a problem arrives, or at least this feeling is not predominant. I am more stable inside so I can articulate my point without hesitation or doubt. I am less reactive and I can choose my way to respond with more freedom than before.

What will help you in your daily functioning?

That my reactions are rooted in my childhood emotions or taumas and that i need to get back to them in order to become an adult in my responses and the way I position myself towards others.

What would you say to someone who is currently thinking about changing their own life through art therapy?

That it’s surprisingly soft and profound therapy all at once.

What you liked the most in the sessions?

Your attitude as an involved observer who doesn’t judge me but helps me to ask important questions. You have a beautiful way to animate those sessions with a lot of suntility and grace. I like the peacefulness of each session and the disconnection with the time passing. I also liked the time I could spend with myself thanks to those sessions.

Marianna S.

In the summer of 2022 I took my first course with Maja Kathriner. Motivation was a desire for something new and so I started without any expectations. Surprisingly for me, the therapeutic approach was noticeable from the beginning. The colors are intoxicating and the consistency somehow sensual. While painting by hand without brushes I feel liberating, I am completely with me and forget time and space. Painting with Maja feels so good that I keep coming back to this day.

Rita W.