I am Marianna, but most of you call me Maja.
Switzerland enchanted me for the first time when I was a volunteer in a work camp. Without electricity and hot water, in wild Ticino, I helped the residents of Cooperativa Pianta Monta to sustain and develop their community. I didn’t want to leave that place…
However, rational thinking made me return to Poland to study Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan.
After graduating, fate took me again to Switzerland. This time to the French-speaking Vallis, where I fulfilled my dream of working in the Alps as a ski instructor. While working on the ski slope I met the person who brought me to Lucerne.
After few years of working in an architectural office, I felt, that despite the interesting job and great people who helped me feel good in Switzerland, I wasn’t able to meet my needs. Not in this place, not in this profession. It was time to change something.
I packed the sketchbook in my backpack (https://refrescos.tumblr.com/tagged/travel/chrono) and I set off on a journey during which I had the opportunity to help at Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a childhome in Guatemala, where I conducted drawing classes for boys and met an art therapist. She totally fascinated me with art therapy profession and revealed its secrets.
In that moment my missin in this world became clear.
Seven years later, I am a certified painting therapist of the Institut Humanistische Kunsttherapie in Zürich.
I have done my internships and, in the meantime, become a mother of two wonderful, tireless kids, with whom I practice mindful painting every day.
One year ago I got the key to the atelier where I work two days a week. Since then great things have been happening. I began painting with children, which was followed by painting therapy for adults, online painting therapy with neo color crayons, and as well as the opportunity to lead several workshops. The adventure has just started…
Person-oriented painting therapy is the application of thick paint by hand on paper within some rules. This helps one get in the process that calms thoughts, allows one to understand emotions, releases blockages and inhibitions in self expression.
On my website www.maltherapie-kathriner.ch or on instagram @maltherapie you can find out more about me and the method Personenorientierte Maltherapie, that I work with. The website is available in three languages: german, polish, and english. Guidance in french is also available in the atelier.
If you are interested to know more about Painting Therapy, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Sign up for one of our Friday sessions, held every second Friday in a small group of five people, you won’t regret it!
I would be very happy to accompany you on your journey.
Warmly,
Maya
