What is Art Therapy? 

Art therapy is a healing modality that is intended to bring together all aspects of a person. It offers you a different way of looking at yourself and your life, a new perspective that can bring about a greater understanding, and help you create the life you want.

 

Art therapy is client centred, which means that the processes moves along at a speed that is comfortable, in a safe and secure environment with a trained art therapist.  

 

Art making itself is therapeutic as it transcends words and awakens different parts of the brain and the subconscious, helping the individual reach new depths of understanding themselves and life events. Art therapy is an outlet for feelings and helps to increase self-awareness and self-discovery.  

​

What art therapy is not:

• About making beautiful art 

• Restricted to certain ages or demographics

• Art therapists do not interpret your artwork

• It's not an art class, however I wholeheartedly encourage playful exploration of all the art materials.  

​

What to expect from an art therapy session?

In a typical session you can expect to spend some time talking, some time making art and some time looking at what you have made. Your first session will consist of your talking about what brought you to the studio, and learning what the therapist has to offer.

Together you and the therapist will come up with a plan that involves creating some form of art work. As you create your art work the therapist may observe your process without interference or judgement. When you have finished your art making the therapist may ask you questions about how the process was for you, and what thoughts, emotions and memories came up during your art making. 

 

Who can benefit from Art Therapy?

Just about anyone. People at any age and level of physical ability and those with varying cognitive/functioning levels can benefit from art therapy.  Art therapy can be of great value for those who are healing or seeking deeper understanding of themselves and their personalities.  

 

Art therapy can help with a wide variety of goals and help support individuals working through issues such as:

• Depression and Anxiety

• Self esteem

• Grief and loss

• Life transitions

• Trauma

 

No artistic skills are necessary to benefit from art therapy! 

We focus on what comes up through the art making process, and not the end result. Art  communicates unconscious parts of our experiences and makes it easier to express difficult emotions and memories, helping to resolve deeper issues. 

​

​