Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy which includes image making to express thoughts and feelings. You may already be familiar with some of your feelings, others may emerge through art expressions, artmaking and talking about the images you have made or by speaking with the therapist. Art therapy may also include verbal expression such as writing, words, poetry, and body movement such as stretching, breathing or meditation. You don’t have to be able to draw!
If you are accessing art psychotherapy in person, there will be art materials available for you to use. If you are accessing art therapy online, you can use materials, such as pens, pencils, paper, colours, wool, string, old magazines, glue, scissors or whatever you may have to hand.
How can art therapy help me?
If it is hard to express your feelings verbally, images can help safely contain what might otherwise be unbearable to express. You don’t have to speak about what has happened to you. You can use the space to reflect on confusing emotions. It can help you understand difficulties from your past and how this might be affecting you and your relationships in the present. It can tap into pre-verbal thoughts or feelings that you are not consciously aware of but remain ‘alive’ in your body. Art therapy can help you to let go of things you have been holding on to. Art therapy can help build confidence knowing your feelings can be understood. It may help combat negative symptoms of isolation, anxiety, and depression. It may also help ease worry and offer you hope for the future.
What is an art therapy session like?
Time in the psychotherapy session can be dedicated to making or expressing an art image. Reflecting on the image may bring up feelings that can then be talked about. The therapist may offer their interpretation and understanding of the image if appropriate. The making-time itself can also be therapeutic, meditative, and relaxing.
What can art therapy be used for?
Art therapy is an evidence-base treatment. It can be used for the treatment of stress, anxiety, panic attacks, grief, depression, intrusive thoughts, phobias, sleep problems, self-harming behaviour, symptoms of PTSD including emotional regulation. Art therapy can also be used to treat domestic abuse, sexual abuse, physical pain, self-esteem, confidence, relational, bonding, and attachment issues. It can be used for those who live with a disorder such as (PTSD, ADHD, ASD, EUPD) This list is by no means exhaustive.
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