Véronique Cottier

My professional background
I first started working as a social assistant at the Paraplegic center of Geneva, then as a trainer and teacher at the Geneva School of Social Work for 14 years. Then, I trained at the Inper to become a certified art therapist. After these three years of formation, I put my first workshop in art therapy at the Crisis Unit for Suicidal Adolescents (U.C.A. within the H.U.G.). I led groups and individuals for seven years with these workshops. In 2000, I started working for the Geneva League against Cancer as an external consultant, leading groups of bereaved children with two colleagues (a nurse and a psychometrician).

In 2000, I decided to open my place where I received children, adolescents, and adults.

Currently, I lead different art therapy or self-expression groups, in connection with various associations or independently.

I continue to receive children, teenagers, and adults in my art therapy workshop. As my background shows, I have a long practice with young people, and I also have an individual follow-up with adults. As evidenced by my different professional anchors, I am mainly interested in transition experiences, passing from one stage of life or event to another, with all the journey and inner journey that this requires.

In addition to my practice in private workshops and institutions, I also regularly teach in various courses: Art therapy training at the Créavie school in Morges, School of psychomotricity in Geneva (HETS, psychomotricity course), the EESP in Lausanne and the art therapy school: l’Atelier in Geneva.

My artistic career
For more than 25 years I have been pursuing artistic research, notably through a regular practice of painting with different techniques and I have participated in several collective exhibitions: Artgeneva, Galerie du Tir, etc.