Art Therapy
Art therapy is an evidence-informed form of psychotherapy that uses art-making alongside therapeutic reflection and conversation to support emotional expression, psychological wellbeing and personal change. Registered Art Therapists (AThR) undertake Master’s-level professional training, including supervised clinical practice, and meet the professional and ethical standards required for registration with ANZACATA (Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association). No artistic experience or ability is required.
Individual Art Therapy
Sometimes we know that something in our life does not feel right, yet it can be difficult to understand what needs to change. We may feel stuck, uncertain about who we are, disconnected from the person we want to be, or unsure about where our life is heading.
My art therapy practice has a particular focus on personal values, identity and life direction. Art-making can bring thoughts, feelings and experiences into view in ways that conversation alone may not. Together, we can explore what matters to you, what may be holding you back, and the experiences, expectations and beliefs that have shaped how you see yourself and your life.
Sessions may be particularly relevant if you are:
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feeling stuck or dissatisfied with where you are in life
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struggling with the gap between who you are and who you aspire to be
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uncertain about your values, priorities or direction
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experiencing a period of transition or questioning
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wanting to understand yourself more deeply
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seeking a more meaningful and personally aligned way of living
Each session may involve art-making, reflection and conversation, depending on what feels useful at the time. There is no expectation to make something aesthetically pleasing or to have previous art experience.
The work is about creating space to encounter yourself more fully and explore what a meaningful life might look like for you.
Group Art Therapy
Group art therapy brings together two therapeutic processes: art-making and the experience of being with others. Participants can explore emotions and experiences through images and materials while also witnessing how other people express, understand and respond to similar human experiences.
Making visible what can be difficult to say
Art can provide another language for experiences that are difficult to organise or communicate verbally. In group art therapy, an image can become something that can be looked at, reflected upon and shared at a person's own pace. Research on group art therapy has identified symbolic expression, embodiment, relational experience, play and shared ritual as important therapeutic processes particular to working with art in groups.
Discovering that our experiences are shared
One of the established therapeutic processes in group psychotherapy is universality — the recognition that thoughts, feelings and struggles we experience privately are often shared by others. Groups can also provide opportunities for interpersonal learning, mutual support, gaining different perspectives and developing greater self-understanding.
Art adds another dimension to this. Participants do not have to explain everything through conversation. Seeing the different ways people respond creatively to a common theme can reveal both shared experiences and individual differences.
Connection is part of the therapeutic process
The relationships that develop within a group are not simply a backdrop to therapy. Research consistently identifies group cohesion — the sense of connection, trust and belonging within a therapeutic group — as associated with better therapeutic outcomes. A meta-analysis of 55 studies found a significant, moderate relationship between group cohesion and treatment outcomes, while more recent meta-analytic research found that both group cohesion and the therapeutic alliance independently predicted improvement.
For some people, creating alongside others can also make connection feel more natural. Attention can move between the artwork, one's own experience and the group, rather than relying entirely on face-to-face conversation.
Learning through witnessing
A group allows participants to encounter perspectives beyond their own. Someone else's artwork, story or way of approaching a material may prompt recognition, curiosity or a new way of understanding an experience. Group psychotherapy research describes related processes including interpersonal learning, observing others, mutual support and developing hope through witnessing change in other group members.
What does the research say?
Research into art therapy continues to develop. A recent randomised controlled trial of group art therapy found improvements in processes including self-expression and emotional regulation, while broader systematic-review evidence suggests art therapy may benefit psychological wellbeing, depression and anxiety, although outcomes and the strength of evidence vary across populations and study designs.
No art experience is required. Group art therapy is facilitated by a Registered Art Therapist (AThR), with attention to therapeutic boundaries, confidentiality and the needs of each member within the group.