Find an Art Therapist

Art therapy is the integration of psychotherapy and creative expression. Unlike traditional talk therapy, art therapy allows clients to bypass verbal defenses, giving them a way to express complex emotions visually or through tactile experience.

Through media such as drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, or journaling, clients process emotional material that might otherwise remain trapped beneath conscious awareness. Especially for trauma survivors, art therapy allows emotions stored in implicit memory to surface gently, without being retraumatizing. For many, it becomes a vital component of trauma-informed care or somatic therapies, integrating seamlessly with approaches like EMDR or sensorimotor psychotherapy.

In art therapy, it’s not about artistic skill. Instead, the focus is on externalizing inner experiences and allowing the subconscious to communicate through creative channels, providing emotional release, insight, and healing.

While many assume that art therapy is only for those who love art, this modality is highly effective even for individuals who do not consider themselves "artistic." In fact, many clients are surprised at how freeing art therapy can be precisely because there’s no pressure to perform artistically.

Populations who benefit include:

• Children struggling with emotional regulation, developmental delays, or trauma
• Teens facing anxiety, school pressures, peer conflicts, or identity struggles
• Adults who feel blocked or stuck in verbal therapy
• Trauma survivors (including sexual assault, complex PTSD, or medical trauma)
• Neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, autism spectrum, or sensory processing difficulties)
• Grieving individuals processing loss and complicated bereavement
• Caregivers and healthcare workers experiencing compassion fatigue or burnout
• Medical patients coping with chronic illness, cancer, or recovery after surgery
• Dissociative clients who experience emotional numbing or avoidance
• Highly defended individuals who intellectualize or struggle with verbal emotional expression

For clients who have difficulty expressing emotions in words, art therapy offers a powerful alternative route for emotional healing.

An art therapy session blends clinical expertise with creativity, offering a highly individualized and emotionally attuned experience. A typical session may include:

• Initial assessment: The therapist reviews emotional goals, symptoms, trauma history, and comfort with different art materials.
• Session structure: Clients engage in a mix of guided art-making and verbal processing.
• Materials: Options may include paints, clay, collage, charcoal, sand tray, or journaling.
• Therapist role: The art therapist may use non-directive, client-led approaches or offer gentle prompts based on clinical needs.
• Post-creation reflection: Clients explore the emotional content revealed through their art with the support of the therapist.
• Sensory regulation: The therapist carefully paces sessions to avoid overwhelming dysregulated clients, especially those with trauma histories.
• No artistic judgment: There are no grades, critiques, or expectations for the final product. The focus remains entirely on the emotional process.

In this safe, accepting environment, clients access feelings often hidden beneath the surface, allowing for meaningful therapeutic breakthroughs.

Art therapy is evidence-based for a wide range of emotional, psychological, and trauma-related challenges. Conditions that respond well include:

• PTSD (childhood trauma, abuse, developmental trauma, complex PTSD)
• Anxiety disorders (panic attacks, social anxiety, generalized anxiety)
• Depression
• Grief and complicated bereavement
• Medical trauma (cancer recovery, surgery, chronic illness adjustment)
• Body image issues and eating disorders
• ADHD, autism, and sensory processing challenges
• Self-esteem and identity exploration
• Chronic illness and chronic pain
• Attachment trauma (including adoption and foster care histories)

Whether addressing deep developmental wounds or recent losses, art therapy provides an accessible and gentle pathway for emotional processing.