What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is a mental health profession that combines the process of creative art expression with models of counselling and psychotherapy to enhance emotional, physical, and mental health. It provides the client with an opportunity to explore personal problems and potentials, resolve conflicts, and facilitate self-awareness and understanding, through the use of art materials.
Sometimes words can be limiting in their definitions and expressing through art can expand those boundaries. It can transcend the spoken word and serve as a non-verbal means of expression. I aim to facilitate a non-verbal means for individuals and groups to connect with and express thoughts and emotions that are difficult to communicate.
No previous art experience is necessary! Art therapy is about the process, not perfection.
Materials Needed
For our online sessions, you may use any creative materials that you might already have. You do not need to buy fancy or expensive supplies. Do keep in mind that you will have about 50 minutes or less to complete your piece. Projects that require more time to complete could be completed over multiple sessions, should it fit our plan and the goals we have set.
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Common materials used are:
- paint
- pastels
- pencils, pens, coloured pencils, markers
- clay (whichever type you prefer)
- objects found in nature
- different sizes of paper or canvases
- art utensils (brushes, sculpting tools, etc)
Why Art Therapy?
Potential Benefits
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Psychosocial support
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Assist in coping with physical health conditions
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Decrease loneliness and social isolation
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Increase relaxation
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Reduce anxiety and agitation
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Build interpersonal skills, and increase meaningful and positive interaction with family and friends
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Increase self awareness and self discovery
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Build positive coping skills
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Promote freedom of choice, sense of achievement, and sense of mastery, thus increasing self-esteem
Retrieved from Art Therapy for Children brochure​ by the Canadian Art Therapy Association.
A Shift to Relief and Change
"Art therapy engages all the senses to relax the nervous system. Art making causes a shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous system, which results in improved self-regulation, anxiety reduction, feeling more in control, improved executive functioning, and acceptance and integration within the whole self."
- Canadian Art Therapy Association
