What is Art Therapy?

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Art therapy is a mental health profession that  enriches the lives of individuals, families and communities through art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a therapeutic relationship. 

Put simply, art therapy is a mental health profession that uses art-making as a way to explore emotions, thoughts, experiences, and interests, supported by a Master’s-trained and registered art therapist. It brings together creativity, psychology, and a safe therapeutic relationship.

You do not need to be artistic to benefit from art therapy. The focus is not on creating artwork to be displayed, but on giving form to what might feel messy, confusing, or difficult inside us. Through the creative process, art therapy can offer distance from problems, support understanding and insight, help regulate emotions, and create space for self-expression.

Art therapy uses simple materials such as pencils, pastels, paint, collage, or clay to support expression and reflection. For many people, making something with their hands can feel easier and safer than talking alone, especially when experiences feel confusing, overwhelming, or hard to put into words.

Art-making can help to:

• express emotions that feel difficult to verbalise
• support emotional regulation and grounding
• notice patterns, needs, and responses with more clarity
• build self-understanding, confidence, and compassion
• create distance from intense experiences so they feel more manageable
   

Some sessions include more art-making, some include more conversation, and many are a blend of both. The pace and focus are shaped around what feels most supportive for you.

Art therapy is not an art class, and there is no expectation to produce a finished or polished artwork.

It is also not about the therapist interpreting or analysing your artwork for you. There is no single “right” meaning in an image. Any meaning that emerges comes from your own reflections, feelings, and insights. The artwork becomes a way to explore what matters to you.

Sessions are designed to feel safe, respectful, and collaborative. A typical session may include:

• a gentle check-in
• a simple creative invitation (or the option to choose what you make)
• time to create without pressure
• shared reflection on what you noticed during the process and/or what you made 
• a calm close so you leave feeling steady and supported
   

You are always in control of what you share. If something feels too much to go into, the focus can stay on grounding, stabilising, and building safety.

Art therapy can support children, young people, adults, and couples experiencing:

• anxiety, stress, or overwhelm
• low mood or emotional numbness
• difficulties with emotional regulation
• grief and loss
• the impacts of trauma
• self-esteem or identity concerns
• relationship and communication challenges

Art therapy can be particularly helpful for people who find traditional talk therapy, such as counselling or psychology, uncomfortable, exhausting, or limiting. 

Creative processes can access parts of experience that sit beneath words. Art-making can slow things down, engage the body and senses, and make space for reflection in a gentler way. For many people, insights gained through making feel more grounded and easier to carry into everyday life.

If you are curious about art therapy, you are welcome to get in touch. An intake interview is an opportunity to ask questions, talk about what you are hoping for, and see whether art therapy feels like a good fit. 

You're welcome to contact us today:

Phone: 0466 207 841

Email: info@sagearttherapy.com