Frequently Asked Questions
What issues can you address, and what kind of people do you work with?
We can work with anything from anger to sadness, grief to stuckness, confusion to addiction, rage to business issues, family problems to difficult relationships, fulfilling dreams to moving forward. Generally, if you have issues that are not improving with talk therapy, self-help, or confiding with friends or family, my services can bring movement toward healing.
I work primarily with adults in individual or group situations, but am also available to work with couples, children, and families if needed.
I do not treat mental illness. As I describe elsewhere on this site, I believe that all symptoms and “disease” are ailments of the soul. They are the soul’s way of asking for your attention and help, if you will, and are very valuable resources that tend to disappear once the soul is satisfied.
Are you able to work with couples, children, and families?
Yes. Although my work focuses on individuals and small groups, I have experience working with couples, children, and families. Since they are rooted in movement, the arts, and the unconscious, the tools I use happen to be effective with most every age group and combination of people you may have in your life.
In fact, using something other than “talk therapy” can help couples gain affection and empathy for one another, can help children “talk” about things that bother them in a language they’re comfortable with, and can help families see their issues from a safe distance (and new point of view) that gives insight and untangles disorder.
What’s the best way to begin working with you?
Contact me and we will set up a time to chat. Usually within about 15 minutes we’ll know if we are a good match for each other. This first conversation is always complementary. If you’d like to experience work in a Group or Lecture setting first, please visit my Work With Me page for more information on those offerings.
How many sessions will it take to meet my goals?
Any sort of work occurs over time, in its own time. Needless to say, it’s unpredictable and impossible to guarantee. With the toolset I offer, I prefer to work with clients on a short-term basis, typically 3-6 months. The goal of working together is never to create a dependence upon me; instead, it is to discover the inner resources that every person possesses, also described as “the solution held within the symptom.” Since the tools of expressive arts and shadow work each distance you from your problems, it becomes easier to effectively work with them. Since the answers lie within you already, and these methods provide a direct (and grounded) link to those answers, it is usually a quicker process than talk therapy or self-help. Also, giving the psyche a deadline works wonders in getting down to business! If you would like to work longer than 3-6 months, that is also possible if it seems necessary.
How often should we meet?
To establish a good rhythm with our work, I encourage meeting just once per week. Should you wish to work more often, this can be arranged. (Psychoanalyst C.G. Jung used to meet with his clients for 3 hours a day for as many days in a row as it took!) If you need to meet less often, although I do not recommend it, it is definitely possible.
When are you available to provide your individual services?
I am specifically available during the hours of 8am-12pm, Monday through Friday, to see individuals. If I do not have appointments available during those times, it is possible to schedule your sessions during a different time or day. Contact me to discuss.
Do I need to have art or dance experience to work with you?
No, absolutely not. It may even be easier if you haven’t! But seriously, every human being is capable of creation and expression. I guide the process in a way that makes the process itself the focal point, not the end product of any particular exercise. Come as you are.
Do you work with business owners?
Yes. I have done a lot of what I call “business therapy” in my day. My undergraduate degree is in Entrepreneurship and Strategy, and I have held positions at large companies like Toyota and small companies of my own creation. The tools of shadow work and expressive arts therapy are actually quite effective with business owners in easing stress, reducing overwhelm, gaining much-needed clarity, and helping to refocus themselves and their businesses. I would be happy to speak with you in this way if you are an Asheville business owner (or residing elsewhere) who needs some extra support.
Can I work with you and continue with my regular therapist?
Yes. I enjoy collaborating with other therapists and healers. You will need to sign a release waiver if you wish to put me in touch with your existing therapist, or you can keep your therapist and the information he/she has about your work with him/her private and anonymous. This work is in alignment with most every therapy, bodywork, and even AA.
Where are you located?
My expressive arts studio is located in the River Arts District in Asheville, North Carolina. Please see my Contact & Location page for a map and specific instructions for finding me.
How do I RSVP for one of your events?
If the event you wish to attend requires an RSVP, its listing in my events calendar will provide a form. Please visit the Events page here, find the event, and fill out the form found there.
What are your fees?
As a Minister and steward of our branch of a non-profit religious corporation, I do not charge fees for my services, nor does Soulistic Healing of AIWP collect fees for services given to the community. Instead, I have listed the recommended donation for each service I offer. Individual work is $60 per 60 minute hour, and $80 per 90 minute hour & a half. Group dance process workshops are $70 each or $300 for a 6 workshop series donated in advance, or different as noted on the events page, and include lunch. Weekly support groups are generally $30 per group session but may vary upon the offer I extend. The Lecture Series sessions have no recommended donation amount, and attendees may choose to donate or attend for free.
Do you offer a sliding scale for those in need?
All of our services are rendered without set fees; each instead has a recommended donation. Therefore, if you are in need of a sliding scale, that is already built into the spirit of the donation process. Please contact me to discuss in more depth.
Are you licensed?
No, I am not a licensed therapist, counselor, or mental health professional. I am an Ordained Minister with my Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology, my certificate in Movement-based Expressive Arts Therapy, and years of experiencing helping people with my toolset.
You see, therapists, counselors, and mental health professionals diagnose “patients” with an affliction and then attempt to “cure” the patient of the symptoms and disease.
I don’t do that; I do not provide “therapy” or “counseling.” I offer empathic listening, witnessing, and guidance in addressing your biggest issues. All of your problems and symptoms are not disease or affliction; they are your soul’s way of asking for growth and transformation. Thus, these are spiritual endeavors by their very nature, and most appropriately addressed with an Ordained Minister.
If the things you’ve tried haven’t been working, it might be time to work with a Minister…and to work on a different level of awareness, with different, more effective tools.
Please see my About Andrea page for more information.
Do you accept insurance?
No, I do not. However, when you make your donation to Soulistic Healing of AIWP you will receive a receipt that you may use to deduct the donation on your taxes.