Our Mission

To end the stigma surrounding mental health one conversation at a time, one action at a time.

Our Story

When I was in university, I went through a breakup that took a toll on my mental health. I was having a tough time, and even the simplest of activities were difficult for me to do. It was a lonely experience because I could not speak about it as openly as I wanted. For about a month, I remained silent, and as a result, the hurt and pain I was feeling continued to consume me inside out. I found a safe space in one of my lecturers during that time. He noticed that I was not doing well and invited me to his office to talk. I would go to his office every afternoon for about three months, and on some days, I would cry. On some other days, we would chat and laugh, or he would make a pot of coffee that we would have with the njugu (groundnuts) that I would bring for us to share. Sometimes, we would sit in silence. Not once did he turn me away. Every day, he would welcome and embrace me as I was. Those daily chats gave me the courage to open up to my friends and family. They also helped me find healing and peace of mind. That semester taught me important lessons that have stayed with me ever since. Firstly, that healing happens in spaces where someone can show up exactly as they are. Spaces where one knows that no matter the state they are in, they are welcomed, seen, and embraced. I also learned that hurt and pain, whether ours or someone else’s, should neither be rushed nor dismissed but honoured and met with patience and compassion. From this experience and these lessons, The Artistic Psychologist was born.  

Initially, The Artistic Psychologist was solely a blog where I would post articles and creative pieces on mental health, specifically on my journey through my breakup. Over time, the blog posts evolved, covering different issues on mental health that were again primarily personal. The platform now has several branches in addition to the blog, including: 

– A podcast I founded in the year 2020 called Safe Space which aims to demystify mental health matters through conversation and storytelling.
– Therapy services through Safe Space Counselling Centre, which aims to make mental health services as affordable and accessible as possible, most especially to the younger generation.
– And, through Instagram and Facebook, we are demystifying mental health matters through the use of visual content as well as regular interaction with the online community.

This platform is steadily growing and evolving. While navigating this growth and evolution, I do my best to maintain at its core patience, compassion and kindness, the gifts I received from my lecturer. I also strive to create safe spaces where people feel welcome to show up as they are and know that their journey will not only be honoured but also embraced. 

So, that is my story up until this point. Thank you for stopping by! Please stay and join me as we learn to meet each other with patience and compassion. And, as we learn to honour each other’s journeys and tackle mental health matters one conversation at a time.