What It Is, Techniques, Effectiveness

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art making and the creative process to address mental health concerns such as mood disorders, communication and learning disorders, neurological disorders, and neurocognitive disorders like dementia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can help increase self-awareness, improve self-esteem and interpersonal relationships, and build emotional resilience.

This type of therapy is emerging as a beneficial and effective approach to working through trauma, grief, and other situations that affect mental and emotional health. Art therapy can improve your mood, lower stress, boost self-esteem, decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, and empower you.

Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that encourages people to use art-making to express their emotions and improve their mental and emotional health. This type of therapy emerged in the 1940s when Margaret Naumberg, the mother of art therapy, began studying its effectiveness.

That said, art therapy was not a new concept even then. Ancient cultures also used the development of art for therapeutic purposes, such as Navajo sand paintings and African sculptures.

A trained, master-level art therapist will use art therapy to help you interpret and express your thoughts and emotions through art. The idea is that creating art helps you understand your challenges and work toward resolving issues causing you distress.

Art therapy is designed to engage your mind, body, and spirit in different ways than talk therapy alone. Using sensory, symbolic, and kinesthetic (physical touch and movement) techniques, art therapy helps you express yourself, gain insights into your thoughts and behaviors, and develop coping skills during the creative art-making process.

Art therapy might be used to:

• Heal emotional conflicts
• Improve self-awareness
• Develop social skills
• Reduce symptoms of anxiety
• Increase self-esteem
• Manage behavior

Art therapy is different than an art lesson. The focus is on the process, not the end product. Art therapists are trained in both art and therapy. They combine art-making with their knowledge of psychological theories and counseling techniques.

Some things marketed as art therapy are not truly art therapy—for example, adult coloring books. While art therapists do not discourage the use of coloring books, using these books does not constitute art therapy. Likewise, some workshops billed as art therapy are not necessarily art therapy either. In order for something to be considered art therapy, it must be facilitated by a credentialed art therapist.

Research shows that it has the potential to be beneficial and effective, especially in times of crisis. This type of therapy is also particularly valuable during grief and trauma. People feel more in control with this approach, and it can alleviate anxiety, depression, and even pain.

Here is some research that demonstrates the effectiveness of art therapy:

• One review on the effectiveness of art therapy found it beneficial for people with cancer, helping to improve their quality of life and reduce some psychological symptoms.
• Art therapy can be an effective form of mental health treatment for people who have experienced trauma. It can significantly reduce trauma symptoms and alleviate depression.
• Art therapy may help reduce depression symptoms and increase the self-esteem of people in nursing home facilities.
• Using art therapy in prisons can reduce mental health symptoms as well as help manage impulse control. One review found that art therapy can have a significant effect on psychiatric symptoms and addiction and protective factors for criminal behavior and functioning.
• Art therapy may help people with PTSD process their experience and feel more in control of their emotions.

Art therapy is typically used to treat mental health conditions and can be valuable in controlling challenging behaviors, slowing cognitive decline, and enhancing overall quality of life. This type of therapy helps people express themselves, improves their mental and emotional health, and improves interpersonal relationships.

People who undergo art therapy often show improvement in their symptoms and report feeling better overall when they engage in artistic expression. Most people could benefit from art therapy, but here are some conditions and situations where it might be particularly valuable:

• Mood disorders like anxiety or depression
• Schizophrenia or psychosis
• Dementia
• Cancer
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s disease (PD)
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• People experiencing incarceration
• People recovering from long COVID
• People in nursing homes or who are homebound
• People who have experienced trauma or who have PTSD
• People who are nonverbal
• Children

Art therapy aims to use creative expression to tap into your inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This can help you manage your emotions, shift unhelpful behaviors, and better understand your responses to stress and other triggers.

Unlike talk therapy, art therapy can go beyond the limits of language. It uses art, in addition to talking, to explore and understand mental and emotional health challenges. 

During an art therapy session, you can expect to engage in some form of art-making while interacting with your therapist. Though it may seem like not much is happening, researchers have found that this process engages brain functions involved with creativity, from cognition to the sensorimotor system to emotions and intuition. It can also improve communication and promote positive neuroplasticity—the ability of neural networks in the brain to change.

Where Does It Take Place?

Art therapists work with individuals and groups in a variety of different settings. Places where you might find an art therapist include:

• Community clinics
• Crisis centers
• Private practice
• Hospital settings
• Psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities
• Prisons and other forensic institutions
• Senior communities and nursing homes
• School settings
• Veteran’s clinics

What Happens In an Art Therapy Session?

Art-making can take many different forms during an art therapy session. It might include working with clay or sculpting, painting, collage, and drawing. People naturally express themselves when making art, so an art therapist may ask questions about the process, how you feel about your art, or the significance of what you create.

They may ask if any memories arise that you’d like to discuss or explore and help you process the experience, understand your feelings, and identify what you might want to change about the art you created.

The length of the art therapy treatment varies depending on your goals and how quickly you respond to this treatment option. Therapy typically lasts about 10-15 weeks when done weekly. Some people will notice immediate improvement, while others may need more time to work through their thoughts and emotions and learn new coping skills and behavior patterns.

Keep an open dialogue with your therapist as your therapy progresses to help ensure you reach your goals and benefit from the experience.

Art therapy is not as well-studied as other forms of therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and does not have robust evidence to support it. However, it is emerging as a valuable form of therapy for some people, especially if other forms of therapy do not seem to be working.

Some therapists experience better outcomes when combining art therapy with CBT. One review found it can be particularly useful among young people with anxiety disorders. Here are some other considerations:

• You do not need to be a skilled artist to gain value from art therapy. Experts explain that everyone is creative in some way, and exploring different types of art-making can help you tap into self-expression and work through challenges.
• As with other types of therapy, your symptoms may get worse before they get better when you begin therapy. For instance, art therapy may temporarily increase stress and anxiety and bring unresolved emotions or feelings to the surface. However, art therapy is generally a low-risk form of therapy.
• Make sure the therapist you are working with is trained and credentialed to provide more traditional talk therapy and art therapy. Some people claim to offer art therapy but are not trained to do so.
• Check with your insurance company to see if art therapy is covered. While coverage largely depends on the company, some art therapists in private practice may not be covered. In contrast, those in a hospital setting who offer art therapy as part of a rehabilitation program may be covered.

Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy, so it’s important to find a therapist who is trained and credentialed as a therapist and art therapist. Most people will have master’s degrees in social work, psychology, or a similar field. They should be licensed and credentialed to practice art therapy, like ATR (registered art therapist) or ATR-BC (board-certified art therapist).

Several resources can help you locate an art therapist in your area. For instance, you can use the American Art Therapy Association’s directory or the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) search tool to find certified practitioners near you.

Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that combines art-making with therapy in an effort to understand complex feelings and emotions, improve communication, and develop more helpful thought patterns and behaviors.

While research on art therapy is limited, preliminary studies demonstrate that it can be effective and beneficial in helping people improve self-awareness, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, increase self-esteem, and better manage behavior. If you are interested in seeing an art therapist, look for someone who has training in psychotherapy and is licensed and credentialed to practice art therapy.