What is Art Therapy?

Art Therapy, or Art Psychotherapy, uses art making to facilitate emotional healing and personal growth.

Why Art?

Historical Significance: Throughout history, images have been crucial for healing as they communicate directly with our unconscious minds.
Functions of Images: They provide information, enhance self-understanding, express emotions, and influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Horowitz, 1983).
Visual and Concrete Expression: Art offers a tangible way to explore and express deep-seated feelings and ideas (Rubin, 2001).

How Art Therapy Works

Brain Activation: Art Therapy activates both brain hemispheres, aiding in processing memories, visual data, and bodily sensations (Lusebrink, 2004).
Psychomotor Engagement: By involving both mind and body, art helps access and process sensory memories, especially related to trauma (Steele, 2003).
Therapeutic Integration: In therapy, art assists in piecing together fragmented memories and finding meaning in challenging experiences (Collie, Backos, Malchiodi, & Spiegel, 2006).

Incorporates Advanced Insights

Neurobiology: Understanding brain functions related to memory and emotional processing.
Attachment Theory: Exploring how early relationships influence emotional well-being.
Psychodynamic Theory: Exploring how the unconscious mind influences the conscious mind.
Sensorimotor Therapy: Using body awareness to address emotional and psychological issues.
EMDR similarities: Utilising eye and body movement to process and heal from traumatic memories.

Evidence

Art Therapy is an integrative mental health profession that uses active art-making, creative process, psychological theory, and therapeutic relationships to enrich lives.

Who It's For

Art Therapy can be appropriate for any age, gender and support many issues. However, I have special training and experience supporting these clients:

Adults and children with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder): Helping process trauma, manage triggers, and foster emotional resilience.
Children with Situational Mutism: Helping them identify, express and understand feelings of fear and anxiety. Find safe alternative non-verbal ways to communicate and gently build on their skills with a collaborative approach.
Neurodivergent children with ASD and ADHD: Supporting personal and NDIS goals, such as healthy expression, social skills, communication skills and emotional regulation.
Children and Adults needing support in improving confidence and self-esteem: Enhancing self-expression, self-awareness, and personal growth.

What to Expect

It is not an Art Class: Artistic skill is not necessary; we focus is on the process, not the end product.
Client-Centered Approach: Tailored sessions incorporating neuroscience and psychodynamic theories.
Goal: Help clients feel safe, supported, and empowered through art-making.

How It Works

Process Over Product: Focusing on the journey and insights of creating rather than the final artwork
Addressing Emotional Alarms: Unwanted thoughts and feelings can be seen as signals of unresolved experiences we can work with.
Non-Verbal Processing: Art Therapy provides a non-verbal way to identify and integrate issues.
Regulation and Integration: Through art-making, the therapy helps regulate and disable emotional alarms, reducing issues and aiding goal achievement.

Benefits

New Insights and Realizations: Art Therapy fosters new understandings and emotional containment.
Safe Environment: Clients explore and re-engage with past experiences in a supportive setting.

Who does AT?

I work with children (aged 4 and above), teens and adults. Clients are of all genders and various backgrounds.

There is no requirement for a client to have any skills or experience in art making or Art Therapy.

What can it help with?

I specialise in helping clients with:

Trauma and PTSD symptoms
Situation mutism
Stress
Increasing confidence and self-esteem
Emotional Regulation Issues
Improving Relationship to self and others.
Increasing self- awareness

What will I need?

- All art materials are provided (please specify if there is something special you would like to use).*

- Aprons, gloves and cleaning equipment is provided but you may like to wear clothes you wouldn't mind getting art materials on.

- You can bring art materials from home.

* There may be an additional cost if you would like to source a specific material.

Findings

Many studies have been completed on Art Therapy and it’s effectiveness in a wide range of client groups. It has been found proven to:

Reduce symptoms of Depression.
Reduce symptoms of PTSD.
Reduce Anxiety symptoms.
Increase self-awareness
Regulate the Nervous Symptom
Increase Neuroplasticity
Increase self-esteem
Improve relationships