What is Art Therapy and how does it work?

Art Therapy can illuminate a dilemma when words fail. Art therapy is a tool to help express, understand and resolve thoughts, feelings and difficult experiences. The process of making art can generally be therapeutic. However, I practice Art Therapy in a direct and practical fashion, in the service of your goals. We will target specific concerns and themes relating to your life. A typical session might go like this. I will offer you some art supplies and provide a suggestion or prompt. There are no ‘right or wrong’ ways to participate in Art Therapy. Nor does Art Therapy require any special skills or art training. In fact, having no training or expectations can be helpful in being open to the process. Art Therapy differs from art in it’s attention to the process over the product. Meaning there’s no judgement about good or bad and it’s entirely for therapeutic purposes. You’ll spend a bit of time making a simple and intuitive image. Your unique choice of gestures, shapes and composition are explored, processed and discussed. Often latent or subconscious themes in the art emerge that offer unexpected insights. We might use those latent parts to identify emotional needs or develop new skills. After several sessions, the Art Therapy process creates a concrete record for your growth and progress, much like reading the pages of an old journal. I attended a specialized dual degree Master’s program in Art Therapy and am a Registered Art Therapist (ATR).

Art Therapy helps you grow and flourish, like this Monkey flower

Watch a video to learn more about Art Therapy here.