Art Therapy

“Art is the meeting ground of the world inside and the world outside.”
– Elinor Ulman

Art helped Jack overcome the inability to communicate.

Jack* was struggling in his relationship. His girlfriend threatened to call it quits and complained that he doesn’t express himself to her and lacks a deep connection.

Acknowledging this quality about himself made Jack work on exploring his inability to express his feelings to improve his ability to communicate and connect with his girlfriend and other important people in his life.

Initially hesitant to create any art, Jack expressed concern that he hasn’t drawn or painted since elementary school. But Jack’s desire to grow and change was more significant than his hesitation, so he agreed to try it.

Jack found it fascinating that his artwork’s imagery and symbolism paralleled themes in our discussions. The information expressed in his art caused Jack to consider different perspectives about his feelings and thoughts, which helped him better understand himself and be more present for his loved ones.

There were some sessions where the art-making was the primary focus, which meant there was less talking, but over time, Jack noticed he could open up more about his feelings in his therapy sessions and with his girlfriend.

Estelle’s struggle was with anxiety and depression.

Estelle* was in high school and had experienced things throughout her life that left her feeling depressed and anxious. She struggled with her self-image and was overly self-critical.

She was in talk therapy before and attended arts and crafts groups in her treatment program, but this was her first time working with an art therapist.

Art therapy allowed Estelle to take the “inside” and sort it all out the “outside.” Bringing it outside allowed us to touch on deeper issues from a “safe” distance without overwhelming her. We used the metaphors from Estelle’s artwork throughout her therapy, and she could understand and sort through her feelings.

Estelle learned to express herself in her artwork without feeling judged by others or herself. Her self-confidence and depression improved. She released some of her worries as she gained a sense of control through her art-making.

Through her healing process, Estelle began making decisions based on her self-confidence rather than her need for approval from her peers.

Life changes challenged Frankie.

Frankie* was struggling to adjust to some significant changes in her life. Her parents recognized these changes were a lot for her to deal with on her own. Frankie began to have a hard time with her peers and became frustrated quickly.

By using drawing and fictional storytelling, Frankie learned to share her own story. To empower her, we worked together to construct the characters and elements of her stories. Through these stories, Frankie’s personal experiences and feelings came to life. She could act out her feelings through her characters, which allowed her to show her anger without the consequences of the actual people in her life negatively reacting to her.

Through Frankie’s art therapy sessions, she developed an ability to communicate her feelings verbally. Expressing those feelings helped her parents understand how to support her. Her art helped Frankie release stuck emotions, and as a result, she has fewer mood swings and can adapt to the changes in her life.

*Names changed to protect client confidentiality.

All benefit from art therapy.

Art therapy benefits individuals of all ages – children, teens, and adults.

In our work together, art therapy becomes a powerful tool to facilitate healing because of its kinesthetic approach and by connecting you to your unconscious mind.

Let’s collaborate on how to express outward what you feel internal.

Contact me today! (310) 567-4878