Colour Psychotherapy and Me!

As I am now 5months into owning a small crystal shop and as I start to attend gem shows or 'Mind Body Spirit shows' I am often asked,  why I am so passionate about crystals.  What was it that brought me to this path and why do I connect with crystals.   The answer lies in a journey that began long before Radiant Crystals was created.

My fascination with colour.  I loved art and crafts from a very early age and I was fortunate to have a mother who encouraged this as she also had a passion for creating things.  In school, Art was my passion, I went on to study a degree in Textile Design (Galashiels - Herriot Watt University Campus), where I spent 4years studying how colour interacts with texture, pattern, light, and space. As any textile designer will tell you, colour is never just colour. It can transform an object, create a mood, evoke a memory, or completely change the way we experience a room, a piece of art, or even a garment.  My final year project was title 'Time a Stone' based on a George Mackay Brown poem.  My dissertation focused on colour and the mood it evokes and memory.  So this thinking and love of colour and also of stones and minerals was already deeply embedded in me.

During my studies, I became increasingly aware that people respond to colour in deeply personal ways. Some colours energise us, while others soothe us. Certain colour combinations can spark creativity, while others bring feelings of comfort and familiarity. I found myself becoming as interested in the emotional response to colour as I was in the design process itself.

This curiosity eventually led me down a very different path.  I didn't want to become a textile designer, I wanted to explore more how art making  / colour can improve and affect a persons wellbeing.

I went on to study for a Postgraduate Diploma in Art Psychotherapy at Queen Margaret's University in Edinburgh. It was there that my understanding of colour moved beyond aesthetics and into the realm of psychology, emotion, and self-expression.

Art psychotherapy taught me that creative expression can provide a powerful way of exploring thoughts and feelings that are often difficult to put into words. Throughout my training, I witnessed how colour choices within artwork could sometimes reflect emotional states, life experiences, hopes, fears, and personal stories. While there is no universal meaning for every colour, it became clear to me that colour often acts as a bridge between our inner and outer worlds.

What fascinates me most is that colour communicates on many levels at once. We may consciously choose a colour because we like it, but often there is something deeper happening beneath the surface. The colours we are drawn to can change depending on our mood, our circumstances, and what we need at a particular moment in our lives.

This understanding naturally influenced the way I view crystals and how I personally relate to crystals.  I do struggle with metaphysical meanings for crystals that Is often stated, for example that selenite will aid to clear negative energy.  This is just my personal view and I in no means want to dispel others in their beliefs.  However I needed more evidence for it to resonate for me - so linking crystals with my already embed belief in colour therapy was a natural link.  Also linking in cultural and historic that affects our psyche and how we as individuals relate to the world around us.

When people visit Radiant Crystals, they often tell me they are inexplicably drawn to a particular stone. Sometimes they choose a crystal because they have read about its traditional properties, but just as often they choose it simply because they love its colour.

I find that fascinating.

Perhaps someone is drawn to the calming blues of Aquamarine or Blue Lace Agate during a stressful period in their life. Another person may find themselves attracted to the vibrant yellows of Citrine when they need confidence and motivation. Someone else may repeatedly choose green stones that remind them of growth, balance, and nature.

From my perspective, these choices are meaningful. Not because a crystal can magically solve our problems, but because it can become a symbol of what we are seeking, feeling, or hoping to cultivate within ourselves.

My background in both textile design and art psychotherapy has taught me that colour is one of the most powerful visual languages we have. It influences our environments, our emotions, our creativity, and often our sense of wellbeing. Crystals simply offer another beautiful way of engaging with that language.

When I select crystals for my Radiant Crystals shop, I am choosing stones that I also love, that also attract me. I am naturally drawn not only to their beauty but also to their incredible range of colours and the feelings they evoke. Every crystal tells a story through its colour, whether it's the gentle blush of Rose Quartz, the deep spiritual purple of Amethyst, or the grounding richness of Red Jasper.

I believe that choosing a crystal is often a very intuitive process. The stone that catches your eye may be speaking to something within you that you're not yet fully aware of. It may remind you of a cherished memory, represent a quality you'd like to develop, or simply bring a sense of joy every time you look at it.

For me, colour psychotherapy is not about assigning rigid meanings to colours. It is about paying attention. It's about noticing what attracts us, what comforts us, what inspires us, and what helps us feel connected to ourselves.

My journey from textile design to art psychotherapy, and eventually to creating Radiant Crystals, has always been guided by a fascination with colour and its ability to touch our lives in subtle but meaningful ways.  So you could say, that become a crystal shop owner is a journey that was 30+ years in the making!!!

So the next time you find yourself drawn to a particular crystal, take a moment to ask yourself why. You may discover that its colour has something important to tell you.

And sometimes, simply noticing is where the journey begins.

Thankyou for taking the time to read this :)