Coaching/Therapy

Attaching a positive spin is always a priority

Susan is a gifted art therapist and personal coach who enjoys motivating others, individuals as well as groups of all sizes, adults or children. En groupe or one-to-one, her style is mindful, truthful, practical, playful, and purposeful. The intention: to help assuage life’s challenges with consistent, persistent, and heart-felt messages and suggestions.

Consultations

Susan works in ways that are both holistic and realistic. She considers and connects all aspects of what clients wish to achieve with pacing and goals that are appropriate and timely. Once negatives become positives—“no-thinking” turns into “yes-doing”—satisfaction, opportunities, energy, and successes can increase, personally and/or professionally. Step by step processes are tailored to meet individual needs, lifting practical, creative, or idealistic blocks while making space for fresh possibilities.

Susan's way: "We work together: you do the work for me, and I do the work for you. Those who are open to being counseled can make a lot of progress. It’s not what happens at a session, it’s what you do beyond it and in between. When prompts given activate instincts and effort, magic—and positive transformation— can surprise and delight."

Susan is happy to consult in person, on the phone, or on-line.

Public Speaking and Presentations

Susan is an inspirational and charismatic public speaker in corporate, as well as more personal, settings. Presentations and workshops draw on diverse and evolving experience and expertise. Her published books are a testimony to her contributions in the field of expressive arts therapies. Upcoming publications and on-going art-making projects show her ever-growing range of skills, interests, and sympathies.

Susan is available to give presentations and workshops, both in the Toronto area and internationally, on a variety of topics. These include, but are not limited to:

• Expressive arts therapies and creativity
• Food's pleasures and pains
• Practical tips and necessities
• Single, solo, and relationships
• Travel and relocation
• Writing for personal and professional development

Self-Help/Inspirational Doodles

Susan is a big fan of doodle-making for stress relief and reflection. We doodle not only when we're bored, but also when we're frustrated, lonely, or confused. No particular skill or talent is required for doodling. Maybe, the less the better. Susan has some recommendations and details:

1. The doodle is (usually) for the doodler's eyes only. But you never know what might emerge and who might be interested in seeing it. When there's no pressure to perform, produce, or complete something, we're often more relaxed. What develops might surprise us, as well as those with whom we choose to share it.
2. It's easy to make a personal doodle kit. It should be small and light enough to accompany you most anywhere. Contents: doodle paper or notebook that can be as tiny as 3 inches square, pencil or pen, small packet of markers, pastels, or pencil crayons. Small kits don't draw unnecessary attention when used during a lecture, beside the phone, at your desk, under the table, on the bus, or elsewhere.
3. Doodling can become a personal healer and friend. You're not stuck for company or entertainment. Also, no batteries, fees, or cables are required. Doodling is a low-tech, cost-effective way to play, grow, unwind, simplify, and more.
4. Doodling as a well-kept secret or survival strategy/life-line? This depends who you are. Sometimes, the more you doodle, the more you'll want to. Other times, you don't even think about doing it. Even when doodling infrequently, it's easy to get back into—like riding a bicycle, but without storage or maintenance problems. You can stick doodling materials in your pocket, and they won't rust!
5. Similar doodle symbols, styles, shapes, and forms are produced over and again, by certain individuals. and often for no particular reason. Most people realize, eventually, that they have their own identifiable repertoire. Regardless, the beauty of doodling is realizing no matter what you end up creating, you can't be graded or analyzed for it (unless you seek to be). Should you become hooked on doodling, you might wish to share your doodles, or turn them into something else.
6. Notice what's pleasing, beneficial, or original in your doodles. It can be a true gift and "aha" moment. Susan believes that the best gifts come from unexpected sources, like this one.

Viewing Susan's Doodles

Sometimes, Susan gives her doodles names. Other times, a statement, reflection, or poem is attached. What she writes can depend on a variety of factors: the medium used (ink, watercolor, or pastel), the size and form of the doodle, the time the doodle takes to complete, or the time spent contemplating. Some words might be inspirational. Others might say things plainly—point out truths, realities, or assumptions that can be hard to hear or accept. Certain images may speak for themselves, like many of the hearts. No matter how, why, or when words are chosen that accompanying the doodles, they offer viewers, as well as creators, opportunities to vent, celebrate, stress, accept, or record moments in time and what they represent.

By sharing her own doodles, Susan hopes viewers will feel encouraged to try doodling for their own self-help, and see where it may lead.

To see the doodles, please choose from selections given below. Click any image to enlarge. After, a slide show will display more images of the same kind. Please be patient while they load. Click an image’s top right for NEXT, or top left for PREVious. CLOSE is at the bottom of the image box. Enjoy!

• Ink and Poetry
• Pastel and Poetry
• Watercolor and Ink Reflections
• Hearts and Words: Ink, Watercolor, Pastel
• No Words: Hearts
• No Words: Ink, Watercolor, Pastel

Commentaries

"Dr. Makin is a leader and a role model and she stands out among so many other professionals because she is an independent thinker and a free spirit. She is profoundly sincere and compassionate. When Dr. Makin commits to a client, she goes the extra mile." (teacher/care-giver)

"Dr. Makin exhibits extreme dedication to her clients' well being. In her work she is constantly taking into consideration the many variables that may add to or detract from her clients' progress. Her expertise and empathetic nature instill a high level of confidence in her clients knowing that they are working with an accomplished professional who cares!" (CEO/volunteer fundraiser)

"Dr. Makin has an innate gift that can untie what keeps one from moving on. She is an enabler." (social worker/single mother)

"Dr. Makin has consistently provided me with sound advice in a variety of important situations. She is considerate, determined, insightful, kind and dedicated. Her down-to-earth wisdom—based on sound judgement and an intuitive understanding of my circumstances and personality—has greatly helped me." (scientist/mature student)

"Dr. Makin is an exceptional listener. I get the sense that she really understands my journey. And from that position, her advice emanates empathy and hope." (entrepreneur/single father)

"Dr. Makin is an exceptional advisor—brilliant, insightful, a great listener. Always able to help brainstorm a creative solution to a tough problem. She really cares about her clients and is always available." (business developer/event planner)

Are you aware? "Art Therapy" has been added to the National Institutes of Health's professional career database. Also, CareerBuilders.com, a leading US job recruitment service, named "art therapist" as one of the "ten hot jobs for 2007." Both the American Art Therapy Association and the Canadian Art Therapy Association offer more detailed information and resources.

The American Art Therapy Association put Susan in their International Spotlight. Spring 2010 Newsletter, available here.

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