Costume Therapy

WHAT’S ON RIGHT NOW:

Interested? Contact me for more info & bookings!

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LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO COSTUME THERAPY.

My name is Danielle I. Diamond, and I am an expressionistic artist of English, Irish & Polish heritage, working on the unceeded territories of the Musqueam Squamish and Tsleil-waututh nations. I use she/her pronouns and identify as a femme presenting, dual-spiritied woman. I am English speaking, half-deaf in both ears and a vivacious plant mother. 

Let’s Dive In:

• I believe that #CostumeTherapy is a practice that we, as expressionistic & emotional creatures, have been developing for millennia. Costumes & dramatic storytelling were used to pass along our history to the next generation & to make sense of who we were and what we are doing here. These days our cultural expression has shifted greatly from ancient fire-side rituals.

• Do you notice at costume parties how people seem to be having a whole other level of fun? Costumed events are cultivated spaces where you can connect with a new part of yourself and tell a new story. By inventing an alter-ego, (dressing up & playing a character,) you get to try on a new identity for the night and experience social interactions from a different vantage point.
• What was once a ritualized cultural practice, can now become an intentional self-development method. As a granddaughter of settlers whose religious traditions limited self-expression, I have had to get creative in way-finding on my own journey, and that jounrey has resulted in the design & development of COSTUME THERAPY.

• During my decade long battle with identity anxiety, I found that by playing dress up, attending parties in character, doing photoshoots & expressing myself through performance arts, I was actually retraining my brain to become familiar with personality traits I never developed as a young person. I also got to meet aspects of myself that I wished to face & transform. Like anger & shyness for example.

*If you are curious about my personal story you can READ IT HERE *

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The Practice Unfolds:

• This practice is designed for anyone who is curious to explore new facets of themselves. I specialize in working with folks going through questioning periods or conscious shifts in their gender & sexuality. This was a big part of my original identity crisis & I battled gender dysphoria & sexual identity for most of my 20’s.
• I like to be very clear that I am not a certified ‘therapist’. I am a performer, a director/photographer & a professional costume stylist who has been carefully observing the effects of costumes in my own life and the life of my clients for the past 15 years.
• Anyone who is curious to develop their self-expression tools may unlock some hidden creativity during a costume therapy session. If you have acknowledged personality patterns or habits that are holding you back from being who you’ve always wanted to be, this could be a relevant therapeutic practice for you!  
• This practice is collaborative in nature. You set the pace & I act as your guide, we can’t rush healing as much as we might try! Like all self-development practices, it’s up to you to commit to the work in order to see results. 

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What To Expect:

My Costume Therapy sessions are currently being held at ‘The Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret,’ a small community theatre just off Main Street in Vancouver BC. We will have access to their imaginative space & extensively eclectic costume collection, flush with period costumes, wigs, props and accessories.

My sessions are offered in three parts:

• Pt 1: A zoom meeting to establish your personal growth goals, get to know your aspirations, a bit of your history & your dreams.
• Pt 2: An in-person session at the theatre. I call this part playing with a purpose 😉 You are intuitively guided through expressionistic art forms using dress-up, drama, musical theatre & portrait photography in a combination of your choice
• Pt 3: A follow up phone call one week after our session to discuss what has come up for you, look through any footage we shot together, and make a game-plan if another in-person session is desires.

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““I believe there is deep relief to be found in donning a disguise & giving yourself permission to connect with your imagination.“

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“It is my intention to teach you a practice that you can use on your own time, it becomes a tool that you access yourself when in need of a boost.”

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“Practicing costume therapy is a great way to practice trusting yourself & others.“

Contact me to book a FREE 10 min zoom consult. This is required in advance of booking a costume therapy (3-pt) session.