Welcome to HEARTH
A hearth is a central grounding space that provides warmth, connection, and reflection. Historically, it has been the heart of a home, where meals were prepared and shared, bringing people together for communal gatherings and sustenance. The hearth also serves as a place for individual introspection and contemplation, offering safety and comfort within its warm embrace.
At HEARTH Therapy Studios, we embody the essence of the hearth by creating a welcoming and safe environment where creativity nurtures self-expression, insight, and personal transformation. The creative process becomes a means to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences, fostering growth, understanding, and meaningful connections with oneself and others.
Through creative arts psychotherapy, experiential practices, and a person-centred approach, HEARTH Therapy Studios honours your story, encourages your creativity, and warmly supports you, much like a hearth at the heart of a home.
Please feel welcome to explore this site to learn more about art psychotherapy, clinical supervision, or resources and insights.
"The Embodied Image is one that is formative in a psychological sense. In its making, it changes something in the psyche of the artist. It articulates states for which there are no words. Therefore, words cannot substitute such an image."
Schaverien, J. (1991). The Revealing Image: Analytical Art Psychotherapy in Theory and Practice. London & New York: Routledge.
Hello!
I am Sam Gummer. I am a Creative Arts Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor based at Barefoot Therapists in the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. I am passionate about providing creative arts therapy in a supportive space where individuals can explore their emotions, process experiences, and navigate life’s challenges.
My practice is built on respect, curiosity, and inclusivity, ensuring that every person I work with feels heard and valued. I support individuals in ways that honour their unique perspectives, needs, and communication styles. Art becomes more than a tool in this process—it becomes a language for self-exploration, growth, and healing.
Clinical Supervision & Professional Support
In addition to therapeutic work, I provide clinical supervision online or in person. I offer a reflective space for professionals to strengthen their practice, navigate challenges, and deepen their capacity for support. My approach to supervision integrates creativity, self-reflection, and professional insight, fostering ethical and sustainable practice for therapists, social workers, and educators.
A Space for Creativity & Growth
Above all, my work is about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued—where creative expression bridges insight, connection, and change. Creativity helps us understand what words alone cannot express, making art therapy a transformative process for emotional well-being.
About Sam
Sam was born in the UK and moved to the Mornington Peninsula, Australia, as an infant. Her upbringing involved many moves, living in different parts of Australia and Brasil, before studying in San Fransciso and then returning to the UK at the age of 21. These diverse experiences shaped her appreciation and respect for cultural diversity and community connection.
Sam pursued a Fine Arts degree in Coventry and then trained as an Art and Specialist Education teacher in Birmingham, beginning her career working with young people excluded from mainstream education. She later progressed to senior roles in special education, advocating for inclusive and person-centred approaches.
Inspired to deepen her therapeutic practice, Sam completed a Master’s in Art Psychotherapy at the university of Hertfordshire. She worked within CAMHS before establishing an art psychotherapy service for the Warwickshire Youth Justice Department, supporting young offenders, sexually exploited and at-risk youth.
In 2015, Sam returned to Australia, working in a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory at an Aboriginal owned Art Centre and supporting the Aussie Desert Dogs program.
Now based on the Mornington Peninsula, Sam provides creative, trauma-informed, and neurodivergent-affirming arts psychotherapy for children and young people at Barefoot Therapists.
Qualifications & Registrations
MA Art Psychotherapy (Dist), PGCE, BFA (Hons)
Creative Arts Psychotherapist
Specialist Teacher
Clinical Supervisor
Photographer and Artist
ANZACATA - Registered Professional Arts Therapist 47284237
PACFA - PACFA Reg.Registered Clinical 31695
Specialist Teacher: UK & Vic, Aus Registered
I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first Australians and recognise their unique relationship with the land and water. I also recognise that the Mornington Peninsula is home to the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong members of the Kulin Nation, who have lived here for thousands of years and have traditional connections and responsibilities for the land we walk on.
I pay our respects to all Elders, past & present.
Always Was Always Will Be
