Purity of Play
Purity of Play (P.O.P.) is a hub for the Creative Process and exploration of the mind, body and soul. The name "purity of play" is inspired by my children. When they are engaged in play, it is pure, because they are fully present and not encumbered by what is right or wrong. A child's spirit around play demonstrates how to slow down, let go, take in the moment, quiet the mind and jump in. These elements are needed in the therapeutic process of healing, exploration, discovery and awareness.
P.O.P. is more than therapy; it is a realm that promotes awareness through art, writing, movement, nature and metaphor. Connecting to something larger than the individual opens and expands perspectives and is essential to overall wellbeing.
The Creative Process at P.O.P. is not about the product, rather it is the art of slowing down and allowing your own creative and healing process to unfold. Creativity is often overlooked or perceived as frivolous. However, it is an essential piece to life’s puzzle and whole-hearted living.
inspiration:
I am continually amazed by the richness and depth that emerges when utilizing the creative process in therapuetic partnerships. I like to think of myself as an agent of play, meaning that I am willing to be vulnerable, take chances, make mistakes and discover the beautiful oops, ah-ha's and flow that emerges when I open to creativity in all forms. When establishing a relationship with a client, my intention is to offer a space where words, images, stories, ideas, dreams, hurts, trauma, sadness, anxiety and all our complexities as humans can arise, transform and teach.
experience:
As an art therapist and counselor, I utilize the expressive arts to assist clients in their personal and/or professional journey toward healing, growth, awareness and/or creative spirit. I draw upon my diverse background which includes being an athlete for the US Freestyle Ski Team, a birth/postpartum doula and women's rights advocate, hospice/palliative grief and loss counselor, spiritual ceremonies/rites of passage facilitator, outdoor enthusiast, world traveler and writer. My experience informs and influences my practice.
My therapeutic background includes work in various settings: schools, community art studios, a residential treatment center, a psychiatric facility, private homes, hospitals, businesses and community centers. I work in a holistic fashion, offering a combination of expressive therapies with traditional talk therapy, creative exploration, outdoor and narrative therapies. My ongoing goal is to provide a safe space to explore and assist clientele in discovering their own voice and expressive nature.
Schooling, Training & Such:
I earned a Masters degree in Art Therapy at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I have a BS in Women's Studies and a BS in Communications (pre-law), both earned from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. I studied Narrative Therapy at the Evanston Family Therapy Center in Evanston, Illinois and utilize the tenets in my practice. Currently, I own The Paint Mixer in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, and work closely with Survivors of Sexual Assault at Art Access, PTSD & MST with the Wounded Warrior Project and Hill Air-force Base.
Jill Johnson
M.A.A.T./ACMHC
Welcome
“Poetry and Art… One of the biggest detriments to it is that we have cast it in society as entertainment when it’s air to breathe. We need art and poetry to help us express who we are and stay in relationship to what matters.”
-- Mark Nepo
“Creative Source: The life energy that is the birthright of every person. It is a vast unending, incomprehensible source of potential. It is called the Void, chi, ki, inner wisdom, the One, or God depending on the tradition. Art and writing are a means to tap into Source.”
– Pat Allen
