Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jeanette Bullock. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jeanette thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?

When I was younger, I was very interested in art making and the creative world. I also felt called to helping others in whatever form I could, both of these interests lead me into the world of Art Therapy. As I began my educational journey at the University of Florida and later continued on with my Masters at Florida State, I gained an even deeper appreciation of these two interests. While I attended UF, I volunteered with the Alachua County Crisis Center. I was trained thoroughly by a wonderful team and tasked with answering the crisis center calls during my chosen shifts. I employed the humanistic techniques we were taught to offer empathy and support to the callers as well as provided resources when able. If a call needed further support, I would delegate that to a trained mental health professional on standby. During that time I fell in love with the work I was doing, while it came with stress and uncertainty, I also felt purposeful and inspired by the people I connected with on these calls. I knew I had chosen the correct path as often times it felt like second nature to be in these settings, learning, listening and supporting. Later, during my time at FSU, I was fortunate enough to gain experience at several practicums which truly expanded my understanding of the benefits of art therapy. I started out working predominantly with younger children in a medical facility, then transitioned to a school style facility, eventually branching into bringing art therapy to youth in all settings through the art museum. I also was able to work with several veterans and adults in recovery during that time. After school ended, I continued my path of learning and exploring the field, I was particularly drawn to working with adolescents as I felt a strong connection to this population. All of this experience lead me to working in many different facilities which included: Tampa at a Rehabilitation facility for youths struggling with addiction, Tallahassee with a private practice focused on treating clients struggling with Eating Disorders, Colorado providing in person school based therapy through a local Crisis center and now to Jacksonville where I work in an Art Therapy private practice providing outpatient mental health services. I have also been able to provide workshops about art therapy in school settings, work settings and medical settings to help those around me in the helping profession understand the amazing ability art therapy has to help support clients wellbeing and their development.

Jeanette , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Jeanette Bullock, I am a Board Certified Art therapist. I also teach art skills to adolescents looking to expand their creative abilities and am a practicing artist myself. I have always been an artist and slowly began looking into the world of psychology in high-school. As I developed and learned about my options, I came upon the field of Art Therapy. I knew this was my calling as it combined all of the things I was passionate about into one career. For those that do not know, Art Therapy is very similar to other mental health fields. Art therapists are highly trained mental health professionals that use art making as a tool to assist in clients treatment goals. Some examples of treatment goals can include improving overall well-being, increasing positive coping skills, increasing self-esteem/confidence and improving social connection.

I specifically specialize in providing trauma informed care to adolescents struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self harming behaviors, body image concerns and low self-esteem. I have worked in many different settings including hospitals, Veteran housing facilities, schools, rehabilitation centers, crisis centers, non-profits and private practices.

As an Artist, I have always been able to see the benefit creativity brings to ones mental health. The confidence a person can gain from completing a project or learning a new skill is wonderful. The physical aspect of art is a way for us to give form and shape to our feelings/needs/stressors.
However, as an Art Therapist I have learned how to specifically use Art directives to target goals with a client and to work through trauma in a safe space. I think it’s so important to know the difference between using art as a coping skill (also known as “art as therapy”) and attending a full art therapy session with a trained professional. Art has this amazing ability to tap into parts of our brain that we may not even understand, such as trauma that we may have stored in our unconscious as a way to survive it. I think that is what I love most about my career- I know that it can benefit anybody walking through the door, I know the client can use those fun creative skills at their own pace at home to cope and I also know that we can target their goals specifically in session safely. It feels really great to be able to provide a safe place for self discovery.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

When I was first starting out still in my Masters program at FSU, I knew I wanted to work with adolescents predominantly, but I did not fully understand what that would look like for me. My younger self saw these clients as a singular being and treated them as such. At the time I thought, Why would I not? They are the client and that was my focus- treating the client. This perspective significantly shifted after working with many different teams and learning from many different supervisors. I no longer see any of my clients as a singular being, I see them as a person connected to many others. They are connected through their community, their religion, their identity, their race, their ethnicity, their family, their friends, their school, their work, the list could go on. This perspective helped me also understand that while goals in session may feel complete, outside of session that may not be the reality. There are many supports for clients as well as many barriers that can help them succeed or act against their success. In order for me to perform my job as an Art Therapist, I had to start examining the client and their treatment goals from a wider lens and look at the whole. In my current practice, if the client feels safe to do so I always involve a safe parent, safe partner or safe person. It doesn’t have to be somebody that sits in session, but rather somebody that is aware of the clients needs and can support their success in whatever way the client and I decide is best. I am also much more aware of how each person walking in my door has lived a different life in a different environment and I work with where they are not where I assume they are. While this may seem obvious to some, many facilities in the western setting forget to examine a person on a wider lens. I am fortune enough that I was able to learn that skill and make that switch early on as it has only benefited my practice and my clients as a result.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When COVID struck the US, it was difficult for all of us. Being a mental health provider, I saw a huge shift in the overall wellness of my clients and the community I lived in at that time. The number of clients I was serving initially lowered as we were all isolated. I offered virtual therapy, but many of the teens didn’t have the ability or privacy to engage in that service. I was working with a non-profit at the time that did not charge for the therapy and even then the barriers existed. When we began going back to the school setting after 6 months of isolation, it was very challenging. To give an idea, I had an office as an outside mental health provider in two schools and saw students that needed “higher level care” meaning school counseling could not address the struggles/stressors they were experiencing. The adolescents I was seeing before COVID were not doing well and the need for mental health services was much higher when we got back. The list of clients wanting to have services expanded rapidly. Initially I was ready to jump right in and do what I could, as the months passed I felt myself burning out, I sometimes saw up to 20 clients in a school day. I questioned whether I wanted to continue being an art therapist during that year as watching others struggle to that degree and also being so physically/mentally drained myself was challenging. The symptoms in students did not necessarily reduce as time went on, in fact it seemed like 2021 and 2022 brought about more need for mental health providers. However, as a provider was able to shift my perspective and my boundaries, I learned how to say “No” when my caseload was too full as I had to be able to provide for the clients I already was seeing. I learned how to leave work at work and implement my own healthy coping skills outside of work. I also found a renewed passion for what I did through the clients I was seeing as they were very engaged and present during our sessions. While I could see they had stress, I was so inspired by them and their stories. I was inspired by their resiliency and ability to adapt. I still think a lot about the clients I met during that time and while I no longer work with that facility as I moved to a new state, I am so very grateful I was able to be apart of their lives in that difficult moment. I am also very grateful for the skills I learned during that time.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.authenticartspace.com
• Instagram: Authentic_arttherapy