What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy//mental health counseling that is sometimes misunderstood or misinterpreted- I commonly explain art therapy as something that truly needs to be experienced to be fully understood. As an art therapist myself who has experienced the benefits of art therapy on a personal and professional level, my goal is to spread the word about art therapy as an approach to mental health counseling that can support you in a variety of ways in achieving your mental health and life goals.
Hi! If you’re new here, I’m Meghan- a registered art therapist (ATR) from Pennsylvania! I strive to empower my clients to unlock their own inner ability to heal through the creative process. I currently am offering in person art therapy sessions in Yardley, PA to adults.
this blog is solely the opinions and perspectives through the lens of my lived experience as an art therapist and human. This post is not intended to be an exhaustive list, or to function as the only way to view art therapy. This post is primarily through the lens of private practice art therapy, and experiences in art therapy will vary depending on clinical setting and the unique art therapist’s approach.
Art therapy is a form of mental health counseling that differs from traditional talk therapies in many ways, but here’s the simplest: art therapy uses art, metaphor, and creativity in session, whereas talk therapy commonly does not have an emphasis on these qualities. And maybe you’ve engaged in art-making in your traditional talk therapy sessions to a certain extent- there’s something super special about working with a trained art therapist specifically: we have been clinically trained specifically in the usage of art as the “tool” in counseling! We know the art materials we provide you like the back of our hand- and we know how to therapeutically discuss artwork without it feeling like a high-school art class critique (because that’s like the total opposite of what art therapy is all about)
Guiding our clients in using art as a form of expression and communication is quite literally our expertise, so engaging in art-making in therapy with an art therapist provides the opportunity to get the most out of art-making in session; whether you’re looking to use art as a form of relaxation/enjoyment, or you’re looking to really dig deep into your own symbolism and connect with different levels of consciousness/different parts of yourself- us art therapists have you covered!
Art therapists are equipped and trained to not only provide the right art materials to set you up for success, but we are trained to guide you through directives and experientials that are directly correlated to your treatment goals! We don’t just “color” or “make pretty art”- we use the art process as a mirror for the human experience, to support you in being the best version of yourself, while overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals.
What happens in an art therapy session?
What happens in a typical art therapy session totally depends on the client’s unique treatment goals and what they are looking to get out of going to therapy. I encourage you to communicate to your art therapist what you would like each session to look like, if you have something specific in mind. For example, some clients do not want to make art every single session! and that is totally okay. I’ll outline what a “common” 50 minute art therapy session may look like, just to give you an idea:
Just like any traditional form of talk therapy, the art therapist provides an inviting and comfortable environment to arrive to, and there’s “typically” some type of “check-in” facilitated. Commonly art therapy sessions will start with a 5-15 minute check in/warm up, which could range from verbally discussing how the client is feeling, to the art therapist engaging the client in a brief art exercise as a way to check-in, welcome in a theme for session, or as a way to promote the client to turn their attention inwards towards themselves for the next 50 minutes. Please note that all exercises provided or encouraged by your art therapist are voluntary, and you can always decline participation and ask for something different! While it’s common for therapy to at times bring discomfort due to exploring difficult emotions and trying out new ways of doing/thinking/being, everything should always be done at your own pace.
After the warm up/check-in, the art therapist will guide client through an art “directive,” also known as an “experiential.” Directives/experientials are the main activity in session that the therapist introduces to the client as a way to address specific treatment goals, express and explore emotions, to assist in gaining insight into something, etc. 15-30 minutes of session tends to be used for the art-making portion of session- give or take. The final 10-20 minutes of session sometimes is spent “processing” and taking a look at the artwork alongside your art therapist. Another option is for the artwork to “speaks for itself”- meaning the process of creating is the primary form of therapy in the session. Art therapy sessions can look so many different ways!
Will my art therapist “interpret” my art? What if I don’t want feedback?
The processing portion of session is where the process of creating is explored/reflected upon, and/or the art created is deeply connected with via the art therapist guiding client in engaging with their own artwork. The art therapist may do this through asking a series of open-ended questions, as a way to encourage the client to look at their own art through different lenses. The art therapists leave room for the client to share anything about their artwork that they may want to. Art therapists stay away from making aesthetic comments about client’s artwork- in session with me, you don’t need to worry about whether I’m “judging” your art or not. As art therapists, we understand that many of our clients haven’t made art since high school art class, or may feel insecure about their artistic capabilities. Art is inherently a vulnerable process and with an art therapist, you are assured your safest, most compassionate space for creation.
Art therapists have been trained to interpret, analyze, and understand art symbolism and iconography and its’ relation to the psyche/emotional experience in a way that goes far beyond the common individual or typical mental health provider- AND that still does not give us the right to interpret your artwork without your consent and come to a bunch of conclusions without consulting the client first. All “ah-ha” moments and insights from a client’s artwork comes from the client. An art therapist may provide insights as a way to support the client in coming to their own conclusions, but an art therapist will not (at least should not) sit there and diagnose you based off one single drawing- which I believe is one of the stereotypes our profession sometimes gets placed onto it. Like any other form of therapy, art therapy is a highly collaborative approach- your art therapist will never be able to look at your art and know more about you than you know. Be sure to communicate with your art therapist about whether the way they are engaging with your artwork alongside you fits for you. And if you’d prefer for your art therapist to say nothing about your art, that is also an option as well.
How can art-making be helpful in mental heal counseling?
Art therapy is a multi-functional form of psychotherapy found in a variety of mental health settings, and it can be supportive to a variety of diagnoses, symptoms, and obstacles that one may be looking to overcome. Below is a list that outlines potential benefits is not exhaustive. Benefits vary from client-to-client. Art therapy is considered a “bottom-up” approach to therapy, which means that it engages the bottom portions of the brain and supports getting to the “root case” of the symptom. Instead of working with the just the “thoughts,” we also work with the body, its’ functions, and its’ feeling/emotional states. Art therapy is an experience
Art therapy can support:
✿ building confidence + self efficacy ✿increase in mood ✿seeing different perspectives ✿mindfulness
✿exploring existential/abstract concepts in a more approachable way ✿ (re)connecting with the body
✿meaning-making of experiences ✿expression of emotion through visual and metaphor ✿re-writing narratives and taking back self-energy
✿re-connecting with parts of Self ✿inner child healing ✿problem-solving ✿improved interpersonal relationships
✿identity exploration ✿Spiritual/religious connection/exploration ✿moving through stuckness
✿increased motor functioning ✿self-awareness ✿sublimation/release of emotions
the list could go on and on!
