Expressive Arts Therapy Process

I use expressive arts to help a client seek meaning, clarity, and healing. It deepens and goes beyond traditional talk therapy by acknowledging that each client’s process is unique. While one client might like talk therapy, another might prefer to use journaling, movement, art, or a combination of different experiences throughout their therapeutic process.

Just as people have different styles of learning in school; people also have different styles and desires when it comes to their therapy. Although not all of my clients want to do expressive arts therapy, some find it to be valuable for their own therapeutic process.

As humans we have the innate capacity to express ourselves creatively and put our human experience into an artistic form. Expressive art therapy encourages creativity and can enhance your ability to communicate effectively and authentically through both visual and tactile arts such as drama, art, journaling, music, movement, poetry, creative writing, and sand-tray.

Using your imagination and creative expression, you can observe your thoughts and thought process freely, explore your true feelings, and get into your body. It’s about fostering personal growth, development, and healing.

You do not have to be an artist at all to do any form of expressive arts therapy. Unlike traditional arts, expressive arts therapy is not about the final product, but rather the process itself. It’s about the feeling of being free, being able to play, and having a space to express yourself fully.

While you read these remember that I do not use any one therapy for any one client, but an accumulation of therapies to best suit the individual’s needs. I am always expanding my knowledge as well and may incorporate different techniques as well.