My name is Åsa Viklund and I am a psychotherapist and social worker. I have further education in visual art therapy, family therapy, expressive arts therapy, and symbolic work. I meet clients individually and also lead group workshops. At times, I give presentations, arrange workshops or offer professional development. I have a private practice in Gothenburg, Sweden, and I also work with child, youth and family therapy within a primary health care unit.
Part of my work takes place online, using video and digital tools. I am happy to offer psychotherapy or arts-based therapy on the internet for those interested in trying this format. Much meaningful work can be done, even through the small lens of a camera.
My therapeutic approach is eclectic – I draw on different methods and adapt them to the individual needs of each client. You can read more about my methods below.
Contact: asa@artspsychotherapy.se
Method
Among other things, I offer arts in psychotherapy, where different forms of artistic expression are used on a symbolic and non-verbal level. Sessions may include painting, dream work, visualization, storytelling, clay, collage, photo, body expression, or drama. These tools are often combined in an intermodal way, for instance, a part of oneself – such as the angry or the sad me – may first be expressed through painting and then translated into writing in the shape of a poem, letter or story. Through this process, feelings can take shape, color, sound, or movemnet. This is known as externalization – parts of the self are brought into the external world, explored, and then re-integrated in a transformed way. In the final phase, verbal reflection is often used to deepen self-understanding and make insights more conscious.
I integrate arts therapy with a range of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), cognitive therapy, affect focused therapy, salutogenic and systemic approaches. In CBT we explore alternative behaviors and practical coping strategies. In cognitive therapy we work on identifying and challenging thoughts that cause distress. Our interpretations of reality may be transformed. Affect-focused therapy helps us become more aware of our emotions and use them adaptively. The salutogenic perspective highlights health-promoting factors and supports problem-solving. Systemic work focuses on communication and relationships. Content and process are identified. I also use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness exercises to help clients gain perspective and reduce identification with painful thoughts and feelings. Research has shown that mindfulness can enhance resilience, focus and emotional balance.
In symbolic work, I draw on psychodynamic and Jungian perspectives. The psychodynamic approach helps us understand how the past influences the present and highlights the importance of mentalization – the ability to see oneself from the outside and others from the inside, a kind of ”play with reality”. The Jungian approach emphasizes the richness of the unconsious, the coexistence of contradictions, and the movement toward individuation, the Self, and wholeness.
I believe that the therapeutic relationship is as important as the methods used – it is the foundation for genuine connection and healing. This belief aligns closely with humanistic therapy, where the focus is on authentic encounter and exploring one´s existence in a safe and supportive space.
Welcome to book a session with me!
Publications
Viklund, Å. (2025). Puppets in therapy assessment and diagnosis. The European Society of Medicine, Medical Research Archives, Vol 13, issue 2. https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v13i2.6200
Viklund, Å. (2022). Puppets in Psychotherapy – an International Web-based Study among Clinicians in L. Kroflin & M. Amsden. (Eds.), ”Applied Puppetry in Education, Development, and Therapy: Theory and Practice” (p.141-152). Education, Development, Therapy Commission, UNIMA International & Academy of Arts and Culture, Osijek.
Carlsson, I-M., Arvidsson, S., Svedberg. P., Nygren, J.M., Viklund, Å., Birkeland, A-L., & Larsson, I. (2020). Making children’s voice heard, by creating a communication space: Outcomes of Sisom, an interactive assessment and communication tool, in the healthcare context. ”Journal of Child Health Care”, 2020:1.
I will also share some favorite quotes of mine.
”I regard people as miracles, and the life within them as sacred.”
In ”Peoplemaking” by Virgina Satir (1972, p.40).
Finally, a quote from the psychoanalyst and pediatrician Donald W Winnicott (1896-1971):
”It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in becoming creative that the individual discovers the self”.
Contact: asa@artspsychotherapy.se
