Discover Art Therapy

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Discover Art Therapy

Where creativity meets self discovery! 🎨

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Content here is NOT a replacement for clinical art therapy or mental health treatment

07/06/2026

One of my favourite parts of being an art therapist is seeing someone’s self esteem rise through the art therapy process.

So many folks come into the space wondering what is right or wrong, what they’re allowed to do or make, or what’s appropriate to say.

But the art therapy space isn’t for perfectionism or performance, it’s for authenticity and expression.

And when someone comes to these art therapy spaces consistently, they always change.

Because week after week, they give themselves permission to take up space.

To create.
To reflect.
To listen to themselves with curiosity instead of rushing past what they’re feeling.

Somewhere in that process, they begin to experience themselves differently.

Their story matters.
Their feelings matter.
They matter!

I actually think this is one of the most important things art therapy offers. The repeated experience of being with yourself in a way that reminds you,

“I’m worth this time. I’m worth this care. I’m worth expressing myself. I matter.”

That’s a very different message than most people have been living with, and that self esteem created in the art therapy space ripples out to transform so many aspects of your life!!

07/02/2026

When we give an emotion a place to go through art, we can sit beside it instead of feeling swallowed by it.

We don’t have to rush to change it. We simply make space to see it, be with it, and understand it a little more.

This is one of the reasons I love art therapy so much.
It isn’t about making beautiful art or having artistic talent.
It’s about using the creative process to explore your inner world in a way that words often can’t.

Images, colours, shapes, and symbols can help us notice patterns, express emotions, and discover new perspectives. The art isn’t there to be judged or interpreted.
It’s there to help you build a deeper relationship with yourself, one creative process at a time.

05/09/2026

I think this is my favourite idea yet of how to “play” around with perfectionism, and notice what shows up when we are faced with the blank page and asked to be imperfect, raw and unpredictable.

My little blank page busting cube!
(Imperfection dice? I’m not sure what to name them yet)

A gamified way to help us work through perfectionism in our art, so we can release it in our everyday life too.

The idea is that the dice helps us bust through the overwhelm and decision fatigue that comes with perfectionism in our art, and allows us to actually get started.. and actually play!

When we enter a state of play, we can start to have a more self compassionate inner narrative and acceptance of ourselves while we make imperfect, messy and playful art - then we can start to bring that same self compassion and kinder inner narrative into our daily life too.

Perfectionism in art might be our own fear of getting it wrong, but even more so - the fear of the shame of getting it wrong (whether that’s according to ourselves or being judged by others). We can’t be in a place of expression and freedom when we are plagued by fear, so play is the best way to enter that state where we know that we cannot get it wrong!

Plus, when we use techniques like this to play and warm up, it doesn’t feel so serious! We can then go into a more self reflective creative invitation where we will explore ourselves a bit more deeply - and not have that perfectionism upfront and centre.

Would you call yourself a perfectionist? Would you be open to trying something like art therapy to work with those feelings?

05/02/2026

Whether you identify as an artist or not, we are all inherent creative beings. Everything we do in the world is the act of creating our life.

So why when it comes to making art do we feel like we either “are” or we “aren’t” an artist?

A lot of people think you either need to sell, share, or people to like your art in order to call yourself an artist. Often times our perfectionism is part of the problem telling us that if our art isn’t perfect, how dare we call ourselves an artist?!
But I just genuinely don’t think that’s true.

Because the definition of being an artist is someone who makes art. Simply that.

The art of life, the art of cooking, the art of friendships, the art of decorating, the art of gardening, the art of family, and the traditional art with art supplies too.

I think reclaiming your identity as an artist can heal your life in so many ways. Giving yourself permission to be messy, playful and creative in all aspects of life - reclaiming your artist identity reminds you of your humanity ❤️

So repeat after me:
I am an artist!
Born to create, not to prove.
Free to be messy, curious and play.
I let the process lead me, and I trust myself as I go.

05/01/2026

Why is safety and comfort in the art therapy space so important?

Well, the physical space is the container for everything else that happens there.

When someone feels even a little bit on edge, their nervous system stays in a protective state. That can look like overthinking, rushing, trying to “do it right,” or not wanting to go deeper.

But when the body senses safety and comfort, it naturally moves into a state where curiosity, connection, and creativity are more available.

In a space that feels calm, predictable, and welcoming, we soften. People take more meaningful risks in their art. They might choose a material they’ve never tried, follow a feeling instead of a plan, or stay with an image a little longer. That’s where insight tends to emerge. The creative process support regulation and meaning-making, but that only really happens when the person feels grounded enough to engage.

There’s also the relational side.
The room, the materials, and the therapist all communicate something without words. Art therapy isn’t just about the image, it’s about the relationship around the image.

If the space feels “too clean to make a mess”, rushed, or loud, people tend to stay on the surface.

But if it feels steady and respectful, the art can reflect more.

And then there’s the materials themselves.
Some materials are loose and fluid, some are more controlled and structured. You need to feel safe enough that you’re not going to mess up the space around you (ie: look at the drips on the ground and walls in these studios!)

In simple terms, comfort and safety isn’t just a nice extra.
It’s what allows the art therapy process to actually emerge and be of support to the artist.

04/30/2026

When you stop trying to plan your art or make it look a certain way, your relationship to the purpose of art making will change.

Just being immersed in the creative process can give you a bit of space to notice what’s actually going on inside yourself.

Sometimes meaning or messages show up in the symbols, sometimes in how you move your brush across the page, or what you notice you keep going being drawn to.

Your art and the creative process start to show you things you weren’t trying to figure out when you stop trying to have it all figured out from the start.

04/29/2026

What synchronicities have you been noticing in your life lately?

If you haven’t noticed any lately, take some time to be open to the signs in the coming days 🌈

Make sure you’re following to learn more about art therapy insight and how to bring it into your everyday life!

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