What is Art Therapy and How Does it Work?

It's been a while since I made a post like this! After moving from a big metropolis where art therapy is common to a small rural town where art therapy is basically unheard of, the question that I get the most is: what is art therapy anyways?

Art therapy is a mental health service that offers an expressive and embodied approach to emotional and psychological well-being. It combines art-making with talk therapy to support insight, healing, and self-understanding—especially when words alone feel limiting.

While creative activities like painting or crafting can be soothing on their own, art therapy goes deeper. When guided by a trained art therapist, the creative process becomes a powerful tool for emotional processing, reflection, and nervous system regulation.

I am a registered Canadian art therapist and supervisor with six years of clinical experience, and I’ve seen firsthand how art therapy creates meaningful, lasting change. Let me tell you more about it.

What Makes Art Therapy Different?

original art by Lizzie Christian @ Rare Press

Art therapy works by engaging both the mind and body. Visual expression is processed in a different area of the brain than verbal language, allowing access to emotions, memories, and insights that may be difficult to articulate.

Art has been part of human communication for nearly 40,000 years. When we make art, we tap into this ancient, intuitive language—opening new pathways for meaning-making and emotional healing.

I was first drawn to art therapy after experiencing its benefits following a traumatic injury. At a time when words fell short, creative expression allowed me to process emotions and feel a noticeable shift in my mood and inner state.

Today, after years of study, practice, and teaching, I understand the science behind art therapy—yet I still return to the same truth that first inspired me: Making art feels like magic.

What Happens in an Art Therapy Session?

Each art therapy session is personalized, but may include: gentle check-ins and intention setting, self-care or grounding rituals, art-making with accessible materials, embodied movement or sensory awareness, reflection and emotional integration.

The focus is not on the final product, but on the process and what it reveals. Through art therapy, you can rediscover your creativity as a source of healing and empowerment.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you come into a session feeling angry or frustrated. Instead of only talking about it, we may create art to express it physically and visually. I might invite you to use large paper and let your body and emotions lead. Make a mess, apply pressure, use bold movements - whatever feels natural to you.

Afterward, we reflect on the colours, marks, and sensations that emerged. Often, this kind of expression brings great relief (such as calmness or laughter) or release (such as crying or sleepiness).

Through this process, intense emotions move from being overwhelming and internal to something that can be seen, understood, and integrated. Shifts like this help clients reconnect with their authentic selves and identify next steps with greater clarity.

My Unique Therapeutic Approach

Alongside art therapy, my work integrates several evidence-based modalities, including somatic therapy, interpersonal neurobiology, narrative therapy, ecopsychology and positive psychology.

I especially enjoy using tactile craft materials such as plasticine, wool, pom poms, and beads. These playful tools support nervous system regulation and open pathways to growth through curiosity and connection.

Who I Support:

I work primarily with adult women and youth (ages 8+) experiencing:

• Chronic stress and anxiety

• Burnout and emotional exhaustion

• Perfectionism and people-pleasing

• High achievement paired with self-doubt

Many of my clients are thoughtful, capable, and deeply self-reflective—yet feel disconnected from their bodies and emotions. Art therapy helps bypass overthinking, inviting self-compassion, intuition, and authenticity through playful, imperfect creative expression.

Is Art Therapy Right for You?

Many people believe art therapy is only for children, older adults, or “artistic” individuals. In truth: art therapy is for all ages, no creative skill is required and there is no “good” or “bad” art. 

Art therapy can be especially beneficial for anxious deep thinkers and those who rely heavily on logic or analysis. When someone has already spent years thinking about their experiences, talk therapy alone may not create change.

Art therapy accesses different parts of the brain—helping you move out of your head and into your body and emotions, where healing often unfolds more naturally.

If you’re open to the process, art therapy may offer a gentle yet powerful way to reconnect with yourself. I offer free initial consultations to get to know me and find out if working together will be the right fit for you. Book Now to begin your art therapy journey - online or in Fisherville, ON.