KAREN HARTER, PhD
I am a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in the Santa Clarita Valley. My private practice of over 30 years includes supervisory work at two different child guidance agencies. In my therapeutic work, which attempts to engage the deeper layers of the self of adults and children, I employ the use of Sandplay, art and play therapy to access these deeper parts when words alone cannot express the true nature of one’s experience.
I also encourage my clients to develop a meaningful relationship with nature in order to deepen their sense of self and to enhance their feelings of belongingness and connection. This encouragement is born out of my own deep connection to nature which is expressed in my sculpture and photography over the last 35 years. It has been delightful to witness my client’s pursuit of self-care through restorative and healing experiences in nature during the pandemic and these highly uncertain times.
Ancestor
(Found natural objects, jewelry and wood,
28" High x 12" Wide x 8" Deep)
This is my ANCESTOR, a sacred goddess that arose from the depths of my psyche. She is a goddess that dwelled in my underworld until the time came for her to rise and be seen by me, you or anyone wishing to remember the magic that lives in our relationship with the natural world. She teaches us that all living things are equal and important parts of an interconnected whole. A big lesson for modern times.