Lou Lim (LMHC, REAT) is a licensed mental health counselor and registered expressive arts therapist wanting to provide free mental health therapy to individuals impacted by the earthquakes in February 2023. He has worked as an expressive arts therapist since 2006 utilizing art, music, dance/movement, creative writing, acting, and performance of all ages to manage and improve their mental health.

Lou wishes to help individuals process the trauma of the recent earthquakes in southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. Themes to be explored in the group will include understanding feelings of life before the 2023 earthquakes, how the earthquakes that impacted self/others/community, the role of cultural/spiritual identity in processing trauma, and coping skills to help move forward from the trauma. Ways we will explore these topics will include the use of art therapy, music therapy, dance/movement therapy, poetry therapy, drama therapy, and journaling to work towards creating a body of work consisting of individual contributions into individual processing and group processing of the recent earthquakes.

Ways people can work with Lou are either through
1) in-person group therapy consisting of 6-8 people attending group therapy sessions for 7 weeks or
2) in-person, one-on-one therapy exploring these same themes for 7 weeks. Participants in either setting will navigate these topics using expressive arts therapy and create a body of work that represents their experience followed by an art reception celebrating the installation of the work created.

Supplies for the sessions will be provided by Lou Lim and ArtHereIstanbul and participants are welcome to bring in their own supplies, as interested. To participate in the group or individual therapy, applicants will need to fill out a short application which will be available from May 1st-May 31st with groups starting the week of June 17th, will conclude the week of July 29th, and have an opening art reception the week of August 5th. Artwork created will be returned the week of August 19th.

Questions for screening:

First and Last Name
Age
Gender/Pronouns
Language(s) Spoken (**sessions will be facilitated in English, interpreters can be acquired with notice upon request)
How were you impacted by the earthquakes in Turkey?
If interested in group therapy, choose which time(s) work well for you from the following:
-Monday 6-8pm
-Tuesday 6-8pm
-Wednesday 6-8pm
-Thursday 6-8pm
-Friday 6-8pm
If interested in individual therapy (1 hr/wk increments), choose which time-frame(s) work well for you from the following:
-Monday between 9am-12pm
-Monday between 12-3pm
-Tuesday between 9am-12pm
-Tuesday between 12-3pm
-Wednesday between 9am-12pm
-Wednesday between 12-3pm
-Thursday between 9am-12pm
-Thursday between 12-3pm
-Friday between 9am-12pm
-Friday between 12-3pm
Which location would you prefer: A) an office near Kanyon Mall near Levent Station, B) ArtHereIstanbul in Kadikoy

Please send all above requested info to info@arthereistanbul.com to reserve your spot