Art therapy is more than just making art...
what is
art therapy?
...it’s a supported process of self expression, meaningFUL reflection, and deep embodied healing through creativity
At its core, art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative techniques to help people explore emotions, reduce stress, process experiences, and connect with themselves on a deeper level. Guided by a professionally trained art therapist, it invites you to express what words sometimes can’t.
art therapy offers a space to
slow down and listen inward.
Creating art can help regulate the nervous system, increase self-awareness, and allow for symbolic insight—sometimes revealing things we weren’t consciously aware of. Neuroscience shows that the act of making art can lower cortisol levels and activate reward pathways in the brain, helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, and more (Kaimal et al., 2016).
In art therapy, you're not just "doing crafts"—you're engaging in deeply self reflective practise that supports wellbeing from the inside out.
Art therapy isn't about being "good" at art.
It's about using creativity to connect, reflect, and process in a way that feels safe and authentic. The focus is on the process, not the product.
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art therapy is not arts and crafts
Art therapy is often misunderstood
It isn’t about being “artistic” or creating a perfect piece to hang on the wall. It’s about using art as a doorway into what’s happening inside—emotionally, mentally, and even physically.
In art therapy, the process matters more than the product. Each mark, colour, or texture is part of the experience, and what you feel while creating is more important than how it looks in the end.
magic materials
Different art materials bring out different feelings.
In art therapy, materials shape the experience. Each medium draws out a different way of processing. Sometimes our hands know what we need before our minds do.
The material becomes part of the message.
on your own
vs with an art therapist
Making art on your own can absolutely be therapeutic!
But working with a trained art therapist brings something different to the table. It’s a safe space where you're supported, guided, and witnessed—without judgment. A therapist can help you go deeper, notice patterns, and hold space for things that might be hard to face alone. You’re still in charge of the process, but you’re not doing it all by yourself.
Therapist designed prompts are also great - check them out in The Studio!
Who Is Art Therapy For?
Short answer?
Pretty much anyone.
You don’t have to be “creative.”
You don’t have to know "how to draw."
& You don't need fancy materials!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, curious, emotional, burnt out—or just want to reconnect with yourself—art therapy can be a way in. It supports people of all ages and backgrounds, and the experience is always shaped around you.
Your pace, your process, your story.Â
making art therapy accessible online
Here at Discover Art Therapy, we’re all about making art therapy accessible in ways that actually work for real life. Whether you’re exploring at-your-own-pace prompts or guides, joining a live therapeutic art workshop, or diving into our creative memberships, there’s space for you here.
Everything we offer is rooted in positive psychology, neuroscience-informed, and designed to support real personal growth—while also making it fun to reconnect with your creativity as a tool for self-expression!
