Through art therapy, I strive to create a space where we can utilize the creative process of artmaking to enhance our therapeutic work together. Art making can bypass the verbal means on which we often rely to express and explore deeper topics in therapy. By getting in touch with their own creative process, I encourage my clients to explore their core beliefs, complex emotions, and deeper experiences in a supportive and therapeutic environment.

1. Creative expression: I utilize art therapy to encourage my clients to express themselves creatively through various media including painting, drawing, sculpting, collage-making, and other visual forms of art making. Tapping into our creativity can allow us to access and express emotions that may be difficult to verbalize, facilitating self-awareness and insight into our inner worlds.

2. Processing emotions: Engaging in art-making can be deeply therapeutic, as it allows my clients to externalize and process complex emotions, traumas, and fears. Art serves as a symbolic language through which clients can explore and make sense of their feelings, reducing emotional distress and promoting healing.

3. Exploring identity and self-discovery: Art therapy can provide a safe space for my clients to explore their identity, values, and core beliefs through artistic exploration. Creating art can uncover subconscious thoughts, desires, and aspects of the self that may not be easily accessed through traditional talk therapy alone.

4. Improving mental health: Art therapy is effective in addressing a wide range of mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma and stress-related disorders, and PTSD. Therapeutic benefits can also include relaxation, mindfulness, stress reduction, increased self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment through the creative process.

5. Enhancing communication and relationships: For my clients who find it challenging to express themselves verbally, art therapy offers an alternative mode of communication. Artwork created in therapy can facilitate discussion with the therapist and enhance interpersonal relationships by fostering empathy, understanding, and connection.

6. Tailored approach: As a board certified art therapist, I have received education and advanced training in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools, and outpatient treatment centers. I begin by assessing each client's unique needs and goals, tailoring therapeutic interventions to suit the experience and comfort level of each of my clients. Sessions may involve structured art exercises, free-form expression, or a combination of both, depending on what best supports the client's therapeutic journey.

7. Integration and reflection: Throughout the art therapy process, clients are encouraged to reflect on their artwork and any insights gained. As the art therapist, I guide my clients in exploring any meaning and symbolism to promote deeper self-awareness, understanding, and meaning making for my client. I never offer interpretations or analysis of the art work.

8. Evidence-based practice: Art therapy is recognized as an evidence-based practice within the field of mental health, supported by research demonstrating its effectiveness in improving emotion regulation, reducing symptoms of psychological distress, and enhancing overall well-being.

Art therapy offers a powerful and transformative approach to healing and personal growth, leveraging the creative process to facilitate self-expression, insight, and therapeutic change. If you're interested in exploring art therapy as a means of supporting your mental health and deeper understanding of what brings you to therapy, we can incorporate art therapy into our work together.