Art Therapy: What is it and How Can it Help You?

By Stephanie Oliver, LPC, ATR-P, CADC

What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is about using art to explore emotions, reduce stress and improve your mental health. It is guided by a trained therapist who understands how art can be used to communicate, even when words are hard to find. When people first hear art therapy, they believe they have to be good at drawing or painting. That’s the first myth. The goal is not to create a masterpiece, or be the next Picasso, but to instead use the creative process to understand your own personal feelings and experiences.

As an art therapist, I will often suggest using different art materials, like paint, clay, markers or even collage materials. As we learn to work and use these materials, we spend time exploring thoughts, memories and emotions that come up from the process. Sometimes, the process of creating art itself can bring up feelings or insights that someone may not have been able to express in words.

Busting 3 Myths About Art Therapy

Art therapy is one of the most transformative forms of self-expression and healing that exists. As an art therapist, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of creativity to unlock deep emotions, address personal struggles and foster healing in ways that words often cannot. If you’ve ever wondered whether art therapy can help you, I want to debunk three myths (spoiler, I told you the first one) that you might have about this practice.
1. Fear of not being good enough at art
Many people believe that being in art therapy or trying art therapy is only reserved for those who are “good” at it. You might believe that you have to have artistic talent or that you need to create beautiful polished artwork to be successful in this type of therapy.

In reality, art therapy is about the process of creation, not the outcome. We value the journey and what comes from the process more than we care about what you produce at the end of the session. The focus is on self-expression and emotional exploration, not technical skill. One route that I like to take to address this concern is using and doing things you typically wouldn’t think. So, with art therapy, there also comes a level of trust and willingness to try something new and kind of scary!

2. Non-verbal expression: Does it even matter?
Okay, we get it. Therapy means talking right? And what would we even do if we don’t talk about our problems? Well, art therapy is based on the idea that creativity can help express emotions that might be difficult to verbalize.

You know how there are moments when you can smell something, see something or even taste something and it brings you right back to that moment? That’s you accessing your memory recall and the right side of your brain – the same side that art therapy taps into! Sometimes, hard memories can be stored the same way, so rather than talking through them, using art can be a less traditional way to revisit the past.

3. Effectiveness: Does making art actually help mental health?
With art and creative processing, there might be some skepticism about the benefits of art therapy. You might be questioning whether it’s a legitimate form of therapy or if it can truly help with emotional or psychological concerns. But, a substantial amount of research supports this approach and its effectiveness.

So, What Now?

Now that you have a better understanding of art therapy, you may be curious about trying it for yourself. Here at Thousand Branches Wellness – Chicago Loop, we recognize that your mental health is a unique journey, and we tailor your treatment to meet your specific needs. Using art therapy is very beneficial for clients working through anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns. It might also be the right fit for you.

Call us today to get your intake scheduled, and explore how art therapy can help your mental health. Call 312-586-9223 for a phone assessment.