Art therapy is a body-oriented practice that uses creativity as a tool for exploring and transforming internal emotional states. It offers an alternative language —nonverbal, implicit forms of communication— to process complex feelings that might otherwise remain unexpressed, and to reconnect with play.
By reconnecting thinking and feeling, art therapy allows one to imagine restorative narratives (Malchiodi, 2011). This integration of mind and body supports attunement to emotional and physiological states, encouraging emotional regulation.
For those who find it challenging to be present in their lives, art therapy offers an opportunity to access a felt sense of safety — a space to re-imagine, connect, and find presence.
Who Is Art Therapy for?
Art therapy can be for anyone willing to engage in therapy, regardless of age or creative background. No previous art experience is needed!
What Do Different Materials Facilitate?
Different materials offer "a field of possibilities" for identifying and exploring concerns that might be hidden or difficult to articulate with words (Jiménez, 2024). Each art material used in therapy has unique qualities — facilitating different aspects of self-exploration. You might like to bring found objects from your environment and elements of nature into sessions.
Art Therapist, Artist, Activist
1916–2011
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