Art therapy is an established form of psychotherapy, delivered by trained art therapists (also known as art psychotherapists).

Art therapy uses creative processes like drawing, painting, or ceramics as the primary mode of expression to help you explore your thoughts and feelings alongside talking with an art therapist.

It aims to reduce distress and improve social, emotional and mental health by promoting insight, self-compassion and a sense of agency and self-worth.

During art therapy, you are supported by an art therapist to use art to express and articulate often complex thoughts and feelings through art making. This may be following difficult or traumatic experiences which may be hard to talk about.

It is about using art as another way to express what’s happening inside, especially when words don’t feel enough.

You don’t need to be “good at art” to work with an Art therapist.

Art psychotherapy can help with:

• understanding and expressing difficult emotions

• reducing stress and anxiety

• building self-awareness and confidence

• supporting neurodivergent ways of processing and communicating

• finding new perspectives through creative exploration