About us
Creative Care Therapy operates on Walbunja Country of the Yuin Nation, based in the town of Braidwood, NSW and providing services through parts of Ngunnawal Country, Queanbeyan & Canberra, ACT.
We are currently in the process of acquiring a new studio location for in-person therapy sessions ~ and will be updating this space as soon as we have the space set up!
Until then, Julian will come to you for in-person sessions & also offers sessions through video online & phone-based.
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Professional counselling, psychotherapy & art therapy are safe and confidential processes of collaboration between qualified therapists and clients. This collaborative process strives to increase client wellbeing, enhance self-understanding, resolve concerns, celebrate strengths, strengthen relationships, and empower growth.
Creative Care Therapy considers the therapeutic relationship established between the client and therapist as central to effective therapy ~ seeking to provide clients an atmosphere that is welcoming, respectful and non-judgemental, where each client feels understood and valued.
We utilise a person-centred and trauma-informed approach, drawing on a range of theory to understand how to facilitate positive processes of change and enhanced wellbeing.
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Julian believes creativity can find it’s way into all styles of therapy. Whether a client considers themselves artistic or not, Julian sees their unique creativity. When encouraged, client creativity can expand their scope of expression, give access to important therapeutic exploration, and allow for the therapeutic process to be something deeply meaningful, engaging, enjoyable, and sometimes even exciting!
It is important to note that there is no pressure on clients to ‘be creative’, as Julian sees individual creativity in all forms ~ whether through curious conversation, art & music making, playful banter, poetic insights, storytelling & imaginative descriptions, dark humour & light laughter, sharing music, artists & playlists, and anything else that may naturally arise from a client through the therapeutic process…
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Counselling & Psychotherapy are talk-based therapies that strive to increase client wellbeing, enhance self-understanding, resolve concerns, celebrate strengths, and empower. Clients are active participants at every stage of the therapeutic process, and as mentioned above, creativity is a welcome addition to any of our therapy services.
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Art Therapy combines talk psychotherapy with creative & artistic processes. In art therapy sessions, creative processes give another tool to explore, express, and connect to a meaningful therapeutic process.
Julian can facilitate many creative processes for his clients ~ painting, sculpture, sound-art, music, photography, creative writing, video & more! You do not need any art experience to access art therapy, as the creative process is a tool for exploration, communication & expression, rather than something to be judged & critiqued.
It is not the role of the art therapist to critique or judge artistic ability, or to analyse art works and dictate specific meaning in images ~ it is their job to facilitate an expressive process for clients, indulging in wordless expression when words may get in the way, allowing for meditative movement when needed, giving space for abstract expression & unfixed exploration of things that ‘talk’ may be inadequate to fully express, and being a collaborative ally that explored powerful meaning alongside their clients. Art therapy often gives clients more power in the therapy process, allowing them to share through creative expression, without needing to be explicit about things they may not be willing to share explicitly with words ~ clients can control the pace, withholding whatever they choose while still sharing and expressing through creativity.
About Julian
Creative Care Therapy is founded and run by Julian Rouch ~ a registered Art Psychotherapist & Counsellor. Julian’s practice is guided by diverse experience & continual learning, energised by his passion & curious empathy, and sustained through his deep respect for those he works with.
Julian holds professional registration as an Art Psychotherapist with the Australian, New Zealand, & Asian, Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA) alongside professional registration with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
In his free time, Julian enjoys exploring the bush with his baby and partner, playing around with making music, and chatting over a coffee with friends & family.
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Julian holds professional registration as an Art Psychotherapist with the Australian, New Zealand, & Asian, Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA) alongside professional registration with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).
Julian has a depth of experience providing therapeutic support for people of all genders, ages, and abilities ~ giving the same level of care and curious respect to anyone he supports. In his most recent role Julian worked in the amazingly inspiring role as a high school Student Counsellor.
Julian’s past work in various other care-based professions ~ as Therapeutic Behaviour Support Practitioner, after school care Educator, Specialised Disability Support person & School Learning Support ~ saw him working with adults, children, teenagers, parents, families, care teams, and people with varying abilities and disabilities. These roles involved successful collaboration with fellow professionals in the mental health, medical, education & disability sectors. Although not traditional therapy, these impactful experiences are not lost in his work as a Therapist, with the invaluable learning that has bolstered his capacity to connect to, and deeply appreciate, the lived experience of a diverse population of people, carers, and communities.
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Julian was born and raised on the Moruya river, Yuin Country. Having since lived all over NSW, the ACT, and WA, Julian recently returned to the area ~ moving to Mongarlowe, NSW.
At the early age of 18 Julian began his first care-based role as a primary school Learning Support Assistant. This difficult and rewarding role soon sparked a passion for work that centred around human connection, honest care, and curious empathy. Julian’s passion and support skills grew and evolved through his early twenties where he continued to work in various care-based roles ~ working with young people, people living with disabilities, and the neurodivergent community.
Alongside this work, Julian was completing a degree in Visual Arts and exploring his passion for creative expression.
Eventually, Julian found his calling in Psychotherapy and Art Therapy ~ completing a Master’s degree in Art Psychotherapy, and graduating with Distinction.
Since, Julian has provided therapeutic support for people of all ages, has worked as Therapeutic Behaviour Support Practitioner with NDIS participants and their care teams, and has worked as Student Counsellor at a High School.
Julian's lives in the bush with his partner and little baby, Joni. Outside of his work, Julian’s time is filled to the brim with family, friends, and musical projects.
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Underpinning Julian’s therapeutic support is a person-centred approach that respects the unique perspectives and lived experiences of those he works with. He meets each client where they are at, facilitating a safe, engaging, and personalised therapy process. A key role for Julian, is to see, highlight, and empower each client’s unique strengths ~ especially when they are hard to see in themselves.
Whether a child, a teenager, or an adult, Julian works with his clients as a collaborator, guiding personalised therapeutic processes that aim to engage and empower. Julian is highly confident in his capacity to support those experiencing intense stress, relationship difficulties, heightened anxiety, depression, & many other identified difficulties & mental health issues. Yet, his therapeutic approach aims to explore beyond specific diagnosis, difficulties & ‘deficits’, welcoming the whole human into the therapy space ~ the intense stresses & draining difficulties, the curious reflections & interesting insights, the tired bodies & dissociated minds, the sensory system & bodily feelings, the creative expressions & passionate obsessions, the laughs & humour, the wins, the in-betweens, & the whole spectrum of experience & expression.
Julian appreciates the necessity of building trusting therapeutic relationships with his clients. He endeavours to earn trust through his continual kindness, honesty, accessibility & transparency. Honouring the brave vulnerability of those seeking out therapy, Julian empowers clients to feel comfy and in control of their therapy, encouraging continual questions, feedback & reflections. Often feeling frustrated by the monotonous calm shown by some his therapist peers, Julian strives to connect & angage with those he works with as a therapist & as a fellow human.
Personally, and professionally, Julian is neurodiversity affirming and strives to be actively aware and engaged in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, and of all marginalised cultures and communities. Yet, acknowledging his blind spots, he continually seeks connection and learning that shines light on these.
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Julian draws from a range relevant literature, processes, & evidence based practices, including ~ Art Therapy, Relational Psychotherapy, Sensory Systems & Processing, Neurobiology & Polyvagal Theory, Attachment Theory & Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Felt-Sense & Body-based therapies, & more. Julian seeks the through-line of these ideas and approaches, only bringing in specific approaches when they feel applicable to a situation or client. Knowing the above may look like a jumble of similar-sounding words, Julian happily discusses his process and influences with clients.