Meet Kateryna Sokolova | Art therapist/ Educator

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

Hi Kateryna, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is something I had to learn a hard way. There is so much on the plate at times that procrastination comes naturally from not knowing what to start with. However, now, I feel like I’m doing better juggling all the things that are my main priority and letting go of things that do not serve me any longer. My views have changed on what is important. For example, I used to value socializing on the weekends and spending hours on the phone with people “who care”. Today my weekends are busy at the job that gives me an experience I need for my career as well as fantastic socialization with purpose.
I spend two week days working on my business that feeds me, and I learn a lot about team work and leadership.
Three other days I spend on my career as an art therapist. I feel that serving art to people is my true purpose and I want to achieve great heights in developing this field that stands on the intersection of psychology, art and education.
There is only one day left, and it is always a family day. Time with family is the greatest self care I’m lucky to have in abundance of. I was raised with this value engraved in my core and I treasure it still. Always will!
It’s a given that every day I find time for a nature run or yoga. I do it religiously because body work aligns the mind with the spirit. I listen to audio books while driving and it made me love LA traffic (haha). And I cook at home for me and my loved ones because I find intimacy in the daily table discussions .
Hoping that my story will inspire the reader to invite some self discipline into their life to boost their level of awesomeness even higher! It surely is helping me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was creating art for as long as I remember myself. I always thought that art is a true language of communication with one self. As we know, our thoughts don’t always come to us in words. Sometimes, even our feelings are hard to describe. However, art is a universal reflection of the interior of the humanity. In the museums we can see how we have developed our perception of things, and therefore, the world around us.

I came to California study psychology and art education to obtain credentials for my beliefs, and my beliefs became stronger as my studies deepened.
When I was ready to share my knowledge , I started to invite friends to make art with me. Friends invited friends, and more people started reaching out from all over the world sending me the drawings of their dreams and their children’s creations. We opened up a discussion boards where we shared opinionated meanings of what we see , and amongst discussions each person found something very important for themselves. A moment of “awe”, transient feeling that cannot be described but it helped many people to get closer to who they truly are.

I am currently devoted to the study of child development, because we all come from the childhood and I believe that early engagement with one’s development will bring the most results in the adulthood. High quality art education engages both hemispheres of the brain helping to excel cognitive functions and abstract thinking.

My career is a lifetime journey, and I invite all to create art and share your thoughts on the experience. Let’s contribute to the field of Art therapy together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Number one spot to visit if you are in LA is The Getty Center and The Getty Villa. An amazing heritage of the art history combined with outstanding architecture with the best views in California. It’s completely free if you book the time of your entry online, and it’s a great place to spend time with family, have a date or just come solo to appreciate the collection and the effort that made it possible.

I also love to sweat, and my favorite place to do so is “ONE DOWN DOG”. As the name suggests, it’s yoga studio that operates in three locations around the county. The teachers are highly professional and you can find a class that fits your fitness level best, regardless of where you stand.

My favorite yoga studio is conveniently located near my favorite pizza spot in the entire city . “GRA” offers an amazing palette of flavors topped with the best choice of wine and vinyl DJs on the weekends.

I like to have a good book to read and a good book to sit on my coffee table. “A GOOD USED BOOK” shop has the best preloved book collection for those who appreciate a nice read for a friction of the price.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are a lot of women I want to thank for the ability to multitask and be successful as a woman at this place in this time!

However, one stands out for me personally. As a mentor and a leader Pam Rayan showed outstanding traits of mercy , humor and leadership. She was my supervisor as well as a senior manager at the “Canyon Verde” where I held and intern position as an Art therapist. She taught me how have fun at the most difficult situations and how to find a creative solution to resolve them. She let her subordinates feel free at what they came there to do, and we grew and blossomed like well nurtured plants in the garden.
There was a lot to learn from Pamela, and I hope I’ll resemble at least a small part of the vast personality she is!

Website: SolArtgroupInc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withartinlove?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Image Credits
Dariya Buryakova, MVS photography