Every Thursday inside the Counseling Center, University of North Florida students channel their experiences and emotions into creativity.

The Expressive Arts Open Studio is one of the walk-in workshops offered by the UNF Counseling Center this fall. Unlike therapy groups, the center’s workshops do not require an initial assessment or sign-up.

The studio is open to all students and is led by Staff Psychologist Joel Turner and counseling intern Xavier Hill. Dr. Turner said one of the studio’s goals is to offer a space “for students to be able to express themselves artistically and in a therapeutic manner.”  Hill said another goal is to “recognize there are different ways that people process different emotions.”

Every session, Dr. Turner writes a prompt on a whiteboard related to common student experiences. He said the prompts also tend to align with seasons, be it the weather seasons—spring, summer, fall and winter—or the academic seasons—new semester, midterms and finals. Students are free to ignore the prompt completely, and many do. However, Turner said it can help direct students’ creative energy.

Michaiya Cox, a UNF student who regularly attends the expressive arts studio sessions, said the studio gives her a creative outlet.

“[It’s] a space to relieve stress and decompress from classes. Something to look forward to at the end of the week,” Cox said.

The counseling center funds and provides most of the studio’s supplies.  However, Dr. Turner said the art studio always welcomes donations. He and Hill are grateful to former art students who have donated their leftover art supplies.  

The studio supplies range from kinetic sand to origami paper and from yarn to oil pastels. Students are welcome to use any of the various mediums during the studio sessions, but Dr. Turner and Hill ask that students make sure the supplies do not, as Hill phrases it, “walk away on legs” out of the studio. 

Dr. Turner said that one of the studio’s main benefits is its consistency for the students who attend.

“Knowing this is here is good [for students]; knowing there is a place where they belong,” Dr. Turner said.

Hill said he has heard of students specifically scheduling their classes around the studio’s schedule. He said observing the studio’s impact on the university has been interesting.  

Both Dr. Turner and Hill said they value student feedback and try to do everything in their power to implement suggestions so every student can feel comfortable in the art studio. 

During the fall 2024 semester, the Expressive Arts Open Studio workshop takes place every Thursday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Building 2, Room 2300.

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