Inner Work Wear is a little solo company created by me. My name is Laurel and I am an artist who is also a licenced therapist. My love of drawing, therapy, and psychology led me to create these whimsical, often funny, sometimes serious, usually tongue-in-cheek t-shirt designs — and make them available to others who also love therapy.

While I have always been into drawing, it has been sporadic these last few years. When I was recently going through a tough time, I asked myself:

• What activities do I lose track of time doing?

• When do I feel in flow?

• What do I always enjoy?

• What feels grounding and calming to me?

The answer that came was hand-lettering, when drawing with a pencil in my sketchbook, while listening to podcasts. Ideally with a blanket — and a cat purring nearby.

Hand-lettering is something I have been doing since I was a kid. I’d create hand-drawn posters, comics and illustrations all the time and for every occasion. In high-school, I hand-lettered and painted large theatre backdrops for the drama department, and then later, when I was a graphic designer and illustrator. I find that drawing letters and phrases, and puzzling out how the shapes work best together, is a grounding, centring activity for me, and helps me get through my tough times.

You will see throughout my designs that they are not perfect. This is intentional! I like to make things that look like they have been made by a human, with my hands. Which these are! I like to show in process photos so that you can see how much drawing, and redrawing, and erasing, and trying again goes into each of my drawings.

Part of my therapy work with clients is to encourage us all to lean into our beautiful, individual imperfections — they make us our unique selves. It takes courage to be imperfect.

Please enjoy my drawings and wear them with the whimsy and delight they were created with. Please encourage and support everyone in your life to do their own inner work.