Meet Janis Wille | Expressive Arts Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janis Wille and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janis, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Since I was a child, the expressive arts have been a saving grace for my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. When I was three years old my father left my mom and I. When I was seven my mom passed away from lung cancer. I became a ward of the state and was assigned guardian parents that were friends of my mom. My guardian parents began to notice how these early childhood challenges impacted my development, academics and social skills. To offer support, they enrolled me in a camp called Camp Amanda. This camp was designed for children who were grieving the loss of a loved one. This is where I was first introduced to the expressive arts as a healing tool. We explored visual arts, writing/poetry, art in nature, dance, drama, music and connective games. This is where my passion began. As I grew up I continued to connect with the arts as a self soothing tool. During family gatherings at my Aunt’s house we would paint with Bob Ross and make crafts. In Highschool I turned to Photography. In college I studied art abroad in Italy. I graduated with a degree in Sociology, a minor in Art and a minor in Psychology. Then I became a social worker where I realized that in order to really help individuals and families in the way that I desired I needed more tools in my tool box. So in 2013 I went on to graduate school at Naropa where I studied Transpersonal Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy. Now, I love being an Expressive Arts Therapist!

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is called “Creative Conscious Connections”. We are a holistic based expressive arts therapy practice located in Louisville, CO. We are passionate about supporting women, young adults and teens who may be experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, low self-confidence, self-harm, suicidal ideation, trauma, relationship issues, attachment issues, autism/Asperger’s, ADHD, Grief, Loss, LGBTQIA challenges, sexual identity issues, life transitions, or creativity blocks.

What’s sets us apart is our training in Art Therapy, Somatic-Based therapies, Sound Healing, Expressive Arts, Yoga, Mindfulness & Meditation. Each session is co-created with the client so they feel like they are getting the most out of their experience.

We are most excited about our current offerings. We offer a Teen Support Group for Female Identifying Teens. This group meets weekly and explores Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills and Art Process to improve overall health and wellness. Our other offering is called “Release and Restore: An Expressive Arts Sound Bath for Reducing Stress and Cultivating Inner Peace.” This group meets for three week series throughout the year.

Our mission is to support others in living more Creative, Conscious and Connected lives so they experience more joy and love on a daily basis.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First I would introduce them to all the beautiful hikes in the area such as Shanahan Ridge Trail or Boulder Falls. I would want them to experience what it feels like when you reach the top and look out over the lands. During the summer, Eldorado Springs Pool is a great place for some family fun. For coffee and confections I would recommend Bittersweet Cafe (Louisville). Some of the best restaurants include: Via Toscana (Louisville), Sushi Zanmai (Boulder), and The 9th Door (Denver). For comedy on Fridays go to The Louisville Underground. For ecstatic dancing go to Boulder Dance Jam at Vali Soul Sanctuary or Rhythm Sanctuary in Rhythm Village at Sons of Italy. For contact improv dancing go to Contact Improv on Sundays at the Boulder Circus Center. For movies, Flatirons Mall in Superior has awesome reclining seats that vibrate in their Dolby Theatre. Waneka Lake in Lafayette is great for walking with family and dogs.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My guardian parents, Theresa & John, deserve credit for enrolling me in an expressive arts based camp as a child and for encouraging me to explore a career in modeling as a teen. I would like to recognize my Aunt Dawn for always having art projects at our family gatherings. I give special recognition to my sisters, Niki, Mya, and Sarah, for always believing in me and my strengths. There is one author and book that really put everything into motion. I had dropped out of college and moved to California to “find myself”. I came across the book “Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A plan for procrastinators, perfectionists, busy people, and people who would really rather sleep all day” by SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy). Without this book, I don’t think I would have found my dream career as an Expressive Arts Therapist. I also want to thank the professors at Naropa. I really appreciate the masters level education that I received. I have gratitude towards my friends for always supporting my vision, especially when I developed a women’s program called WEWILDE: Women Empowering Women via Intuition, Love, Dance & Expression. Since starting my private practice I have received support from so many including Lisi Kempton (soultreeops.com), Vanessa Tavernetti (earthmagicacademy.com), Jessie May (thedaringfemprenuer.com) and my networking group GEMM. Lastly, I would love to recognize my husband Cody Wille. Since 2016 he has been a rock in my life and has continued to empower me during the most challenging times of owning a business. Love you!

Website: boulderheARTtherapy.com

Instagram: @creativeconsciousconnections

Linkedin: @janiswille

Facebook: @creativeconsciousconnections

Youtube: @creativeconsciousconnections

Other: Email: janis@boulderheARTtherapy.com

Image Credits
Jennifer MacNiven