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Free Games and Tools for Virtual Counseling

by  EduKate & Inspire

Read Time:  min |   Individual Counseling , Popular Posts

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to counselors searching for free games and tools for virtual counseling sessions. Although the pandemic has led to many challenges, one positive aspect is that counselors have been expanding their skillsets as they learn to navigate the virtual counseling world. Whether you are a school counselor meeting with children through distance learning or a clinical counselor who is navigating TeleHealth, there is a wide range of free games and tools for virtual counseling.

Why Use Games and Tools in Virtual Counseling?

Providing virtual counseling services can be as simple as using empathic listening and helping children build upon their skills. However, we know that research shows that children learn best through hands-on activities and play. By incorporating virtual games and tools into your counseling sessions, you can create extra engagement as children learn through play. In addition, counseling sessions that involve play also help to build a trusting relationship between the child and the counselor. Keep reading to learn about free games and tools for your virtual counseling sessions.

Free Interactive Games

The following list of interactive games can be played live during your virtual counseling or TeleHealth sessions. Although the steps for each website vary, you can follow these general directions to get started:

• Click the link below to open the game website.
• Follow the directions to start a new game.
• Click “invite a friend” or “play with a friend” to create a shared game link.
• Share the direct link to your game through the chat function in your GoogleMeet, Zoom, or another virtual counseling platform.
• Play the game live with your student or client as you chat.

Game Options:

• Concentration

Free Interactive Art Tools

Interactive art tools can be used in virtual counseling sessions in a variety of ways. Explore the sites below to use art as a tool for expression, coping skills, and more.

Witeboard : Witeboard is a simple digital drawing tool that can enhance your virtual counseling sessions. Click “share” to share the direct link to your whiteboard, which allows your client to access the same whiteboard as you. Ideas to get you started:

• Draw 3 things that make you feel (insert feeling here).
• Create a picture of your family.
• Play a game of hangman to highlight a counseling-related word (pro tip: build a snowman versus drawing a picture of a traditional hangman).
• Play Pictionary using coping skills or feelings.
• Draw your favorite place to be.

Quick Draw : Use this drawing tool from Google as a fun way to interact with your client during virtual counseling. Share your screen to introduce the tool. You get 20 seconds to draw the prompt that is on the screen. Best for ages 8 and up.

Color Your Own Mandala : Share your screen to teach your client how to color a virtual mandala. Click “color” and then choose a mandala to color with virtual ink. Introduce this site as a relaxation tool for your client.

Inspirograph : Inspirograph is a digital version of the traditional Spirograph tool. Share your screen to teach your client how to use this relaxing tool.

Free Virtual Sandtray

A sandtray is one of the best expressive tools to use when counseling children. Now, you can use a virtual sandtray to accomplish some of the same benefits as using sand in real life. Your client can share their screen with you as you provide sandtray building prompts. Ideas to get you started:

• Build a relaxing place
• Create the best school day ever
• Create a world that shows your thoughts about distance learning
• Build a scene of your family doing something together
• Design a scene about the emotion (insert emotion here)
• Create a memory from your past

Free Virtual Manipulatives

Many counselors may choose to use their web camera or a document camera to utilize favorite games from their office during their sessions. For instance, you may use counseling game cards, a Thumball, or a favorite board game like Don’t Break the Ice. Use your favorite games in a virtual way by using virtual manipulatives to help you out. Ideas to get you started:

• Marble Jar : Share your screen and use the virtual marble jar as a visual representation of the amount of coping skills, random acts of kindness, or feelings that a client can name. In addition, if you are running a virtual small group, use the marble jar as a visual representation of participation. Set a goal as a group at the beginning of the session. For example, if the group can reach 10 marbles by the end of the session, you can end the session with a game.
• Timer or Stop Watch : Share your screen and use the virtual timer or stopwatch to help you keep track of how much time is left for an activity.

Free Virtual Spinner

Use the Wheel of Names virtual spinner to create your own custom spinner. Ideas to get you started:

• Add student names to use as a student selector during classroom lessons or small groups.
• List names of feelings. Have your client act out the selected feeling or tell about a time that they felt that way.

More Resources for Virtual Counseling

Looking for more distance learning and virtual counseling tips? Check out this post about 7 Tips to Make Distance Learning Easier for Counselors.

Looking to create a Virtual Counseling Office for your students to use at home? Click here to find great tools to use in your virtual office!

The following paid resources are also available to enhance your virtual counseling sessions. Each resource was created by a Confident Counselor who is working alongside you to navigate the virtual counseling world.

• Color Your Feelings: Feelings Exploration for Distance Learning by EduKate and Inspire
• Coping Skills Game for Self-Regulation Printable or For Google Slides™ by The Responsive Counselor
• Growth Mindset YETi Boom Cards by The Counseling Teacher
• Social Emotional Learning Google Slides Games Bundle by Counselor Chelsey 
• Social Emotional Learning Cover and Connect Games Bundle by The Middle School Counselor
• Digital Calm Down Corner Google Slides™ Activity by Mrs. Bell The Crafty Counselor
• “Lucy’s Mask” Book Companion and No Prep Mini Lesson by Pawsitive School Counselor
•  Lunch Bunch Activities: Games for Distance Learning for School Counseling by Counselor Keri

Whatever tools you choose to use for virtual counseling sessions, use them confidently! Do you have other free resource recommendations for virtual counseling? Please share your favorites with us in the comments!

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100 Art Therapy Exercises

Here is a popular internet list of art therapy activities originally posted up in 2011 by the Nursing School Blog. I have since taken over the list and I consistently research current links that reflect the most inspiring art therapy directives on the internet today, keeping them as close as possible to the original list.

Last Updated October 31, 2023

• Draw or paint your emotions .  In this exercise, you'll focus entirely on painting what you're feeling.
• Create an emotion wheel.  Using color, this activity will have you thinking critically about your emotions.
• Make a meditative painting.  Looking for a creative way to relax?  Have trouble sitting still to meditate?  Meditative painting might be just the thing you're looking for.  No painting skill or experience necessary - only a desire to relax and become more creative.
• Put together a journal .  Journals don't have to just be based around words. You can make an art journal as well, that lets you visually express your emotions.
• Explore puppet therapy .  Puppets aren't just for kids. Make your own and have them act out scenes that make you upset.
• Use line art .  Line is one of the simplest and most basic aspects of art, but it can also contain a lot of emotion. Use simple line art to demonstrate visually how you're feeling.
• Design a postcard you will never send .  Are you still angry or upset with someone in your life? Create a postcard that expresses this, though you don't have to ever send it.
• Create a family sculpture .  For this activity, you makes a clay representation of each family member-- mother, father, siblings, and any other close or influential family members to explore emotional dynamics and roles within your family.
• Paint a mountain and a valley .  The mountain can represent a time where you were happy, the valley, when you were sad. Add elements that reflect specific events as well.
• Heal your shadow .  Heal your shadow, amplify your intuition, and access inspiration with three simpple intuitive creativity prompts.
• Draw Your Heart.  Draw your feelings in a heart formation.

Art therapy can be a great way to relax. Consider these exercises if you're looking to feel a little more laid back.

• Paint to music .  Letting your creativity flow in response to music is a great way to let out feelings and just relax.
• Make a scribble drawing .  With this activity, you'll turn a simple scribble into something beautiful, using line, color and your creativity.
• Finger paint .  Finger painting isn't just fun for kids– adults can enjoy it as well. Get your hands messy and really have fun spreading the paint around.
• Make a mandala .  Whether you use the traditional sand or draw one on your own, this meditative symbol can easily help you to loosen up.
• Draw with your eyes closed .  Not being able to see what you are drawing intensifies fluidity, intuition, touch and sensitivity.
• Draw something HUGE .  Getting your body involved and moving around can help release emotion as you're drawing.
• Use color blocks .  Colors often come with a lot of emotions attached. Choose several paint chips to work with and collage, paint and glue until you've created a colorful masterpiece.
• Let yourself be free .  Don't allow yourself to judge your work. If you think your paintings are too tight and controlled, this collection of tips and techniques to try should help you work in a looser style. 
• Only use colors that calm you .  Create a drawing or a painting using only colors that you find calming.
• Draw in sand .  Like a Zen garden, this activity will have you drawing shapes and scenes in the sand, which can be immensely relaxing and a great way to clear your mind.
• Make a zentangle .  These fun little drawings are a great tool for letting go and helping reduce stress.
• Color in a design .  Sometimes, the simple act of coloring can be a great way to relax. Find a coloring book or use this mandala for coloring.
• Draw outside .  Working  en plein air  can be a fun way to relax and get in touch with nature while you're working on art.

Art can not only help you deal with the bad stuff, but also help you appreciate and focus on the good. Check out these activities all about reflecting on your personal happiness.

• Collage your vision of a perfect day . Think about what constitutes a perfect day to you and collage it. What about this collage can you make happen today?
• Take photographs of things you think are beautiful .  No one else has to like them but you. Print and frame them to have constant reminders of the beautiful things in life.
• Make a collage related to a quote you like .  Take the words of wisdom from someone else and turn them into something visually inspiring.
• Create a drawing that represents freedom.   The Surrealists embraced automatic drawing as way to incorporate randomness and the subconscious into their drawings, and to free themselves from artistic conventions and everyday thinking.
• Document a spiritual experience .  Have you ever had a spiritual experience in your life? Paint what it felt like intuitively.
• Make a stuffed animal .  Soft, cuddly objects can be very comforting. This project could be used to create an imaginary animal from your intuitive drawings.
• Collage Your Joy .  Spontaneously find out what would bring you more joy through this intuitive collage exercise
• Build a "home."  What does home mean to you? This activity will have you create a safe, warm place that feels like home to you.
• Document an experience where you did something you didn't think you could do.  We all have to do things that we're scared or unsure of sometimes. Use this activity as a chance to commemorate one instance in your life.
• Think up a wild invention .  This invention should do something that can help make you happier– no matter what that is.
• Make a prayer flag .  Send your prayers for yourself or those around you out into the universe with this project.

Often, a great way to get to know yourself and your relationships with others is through portraits.

• Create a past, present and future self-portrait.  This drawing or painting should reflect where you have been, who you are today, and how see yourself in the future.
• Draw a bag self-portrait .  On the outside of a paper bag, you'll create a self-portrait. On the inside, you'll fill it with things that represent who you are.
• Choose the people who matter most to you in life and create unique art for each . This is a great way to acknowledge what really matters to you and express your gratitude.
•   "I am" Collage.  Create an intuitive collage and discover more about yourself.
• Create an expressive self-portrait .  Paint in expressive colors. Select colors for emotional impact.
• Draw yourself as a warrior.  Start thinking about yourself as a strong, capable person by drawing yourself as a warrior in this activity.
• Create a transformational portrait series .  Transform your perceptions about yourself with this list of self-portrait ideas.
• Imitate Giuseppe Arcimboldo .  Using objects that have meaning to you, create a portrait of yourself.
• Create a body image sketch.  Practice life drawing to fall in love with all of the varieties of the human body, including your own.
• Draw a mirror self-portrait .  This activity is based around a Piet Mondrian quote: "The purer the artist's mirror is, the more true reality reflects in it." 
• Draw yourself as a superhero.  Many people like superhero stories. We resonate with the themes in the stories, with the dilemmas and problems that superheroes face, and we aspire to their noble impulses and heroic acts.

These activities will ask you to face some unpleasant aspects of life, but with the goal of overcoming them.

• Draw a place where you feel safe.  An art therapy directive for finding your safe place.
• Create a mini-diorama .  A diorama can showcase an important moment in your life or something from your imagination.
• Transform your worries .  Creativity is a great way to notice your worries, move through them and transform them into something new.
• Draw something that scares you .  Everyone is frightened of something and in this project you'll get a chance to bring that fear to light and hopefully work towards facing it.
• Turn your illness into art .  Struggling with a potentially terminal illness? Process your feelings about your illness.
• Art journal through a loss in your life.  If you've lost someone you love, process it in your art journal.
• Make art that is ephemeral .  Sand painting is practiced in many cultures, usually for healing purposes. Create beautiful patterns with sand on canvas.

If you prefer to cut and paste rather than draw or paint, these projects are for you.

• Create a motivational collage .  Collage a vision board. Fill it with images you find motivating.
• Create a face collage on a mask .  We all wear masks of some sort. This project lets you showcase what's in your mask and the face you put on for the world.
• Create an intuitive collage .  Intuitive collage is a process of quieting your everyday mind and inviting imagery to express the story of your inner world.
• Create a calming collage. Choose collage elements that you find soothing, calming or even meditative and combine them to create a collage to help you to relax.
• Collage a painting .  Incorporate collage symbolism in a painting.

Examine aspects if who you are and how you see the world through these art projects.

• Draw images of your good traits.  Creating drawings of your good traits will help you to become more positive and build a better self-image.
• Draw yourself as an animal.  Is there an animal that you have a special interest in or feel like is a kindred spirit? Draw yourself as that animal.
• Create a timeline journal.  Timeline the most important moments of your life through this writing therapy exercise.
• Put together a jungle animal collage .  Choose jungle animals that you find the most interesting, draw them, and then reflect on why you've chosen these specific animals.
• Sculpt your ideal self.  If you could make yourself into the perfect person, what would you look like?
• Paint different sides of yourself.  Explore your many emotions through painting.
• Make art with your fingerprints.  Your fingerprints are as unique as you are. Use ink and paint to make art that uses your fingerprints.
• Draw yourself as a tree. Your roots will be loaded with descriptions of things that give you strength and your good qualities, while your leaves can be the things that you're trying to change.
• Design a fragments box .  In this project, you'll put fragments of yourself into a box, helping construct a whole and happier you.
• Paint an important childhood memory.  What was a pivotal memory in your childhood? This activity asks you to document it and try to understand why it was so important to you.
• Write and illustrate a fairy tale about yourself .  If you could put yourself into a happily ever after situation, what role would you play and how would the story go? Create a book that tells the tale.
• Design a visual autobiography .  This creative project asks you to make a visual representation of your life.
• Create your own coat of arms .  Choose symbols that represent your strengths to build your own special coat of arms.
• Draw a comic strip.  Enjoy a moment of levity with this exercise that will focus in on a comical event that happened to you.
• Build your own website.  Websites are very versatile ways to express yourself. Build your own to express what's most important about you.
• Create a box of values .  First, collage or paint a box the represents you. Then, place items inside the box that represent the things you value the most.

Here you'll find a collection of projects that will help you be happy about what you have and express your gratitude for it.

• Document your gratitude visually . What things are you grateful for in your life? Paint or collage a work that represents these things.
• Create a family tree of strength .  This exercise honors those around you who support you. Paint those close to you who offer you the strength you need.
• Make something for someone else .  Making something for someone else can be a great way to feel good and help someone else do so as well.
• Make anchor art .  Who are the anchors in your life? In this project, you'll make an anchor and decorate it with the people and things that provide you stability and strength.
• Draw all the positive things in your life.  Everyone has at least one good thing in life, so sit down and figure out what makes you happy– then draw it.
• Sculpt your hand in plaster .  Explore the symbolism of hand casting.
• Paint a rock .  Paint rocks for relaxation and fun.
• Create a gratitude tree .  What are you grateful for? This clay project asks you to write those things on leaves to construct a tree.
• Create a life map.  A Life Map helps you discover what you want for yourself and your life
• Create a snowflake out of paper .  Write ideas about how you are unique on the snowflake.
• Build a personal altar.  This is a highly personal project that will help connect you with your spiritual side and honor your resilience.

Inside the Mind

Take a look inside your mind to see what's going on with these projects.

• Create blot art .  Like a classic Rorschach test, fold paper in half with paint or ink in the middle and describe what you see.
• Mind Mapping.   Make a visual representation of your thoughts to figure out how your mind works.
• Make a dreamcatcher .  Having bad dreams? Create this age-old tool for catching your dreams with a few simple tools.
• Draw your dreams.  You can learn a lot from what goes on in your dreams, so keep a dream journal and use it for inspiration to draw or paint.

If you're still looking for something to empower, help or soothe you, these projects may fit the bill.

• Use natural materials .  Leaves, sticks, dirt, clay and other natural materials can help you get in touch with the natural world and the more primal side of yourself.
• Explore archetypes .  Study the archetypes to help you explore how you see and create your world. 
• Use your body as a canvas .  You don't need paper when you have your body. Paint on your hands and feet or anywhere else to feel more in touch with yourself.
• Create spirit dolls.  Weave life and love into a creation by making something solely by hand with materials from nature.
• Make art out of recycled items .  You can reuse old items that have meaning to you or just re-purpose something you have laying around. Either way, you'll get insights into how you can reshape and reevaluate your own life.
• Collage with old photographs.  If you're uncomfortable using old photos you can make copies. Explore these mixed media techniques with your old photos.
• Create your own interpretation of a famous work of art .  How would you have painted the Mona Lisa? Using a famous work as your inspiration, create your own work. It could help reveal more about your lens on the world.
• Work collaboratively.  Art can be better when two work at it together, so find a partner and collaborate on just about anything.
• Use a found or made object as a paintbrush .  Whether it's something sharp or something soft, make your own artistic tool and use it to express what you're feeling.
• Make crayon stained glass.  Reflect upon your spiritual side with this project that lets you create your own stained glass window.
• Paint a window.  Windows let you see in and see out. Paint yours with things you want to hide or show to the world.

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20 Healing Art Therapy Activities For Kids, Teens, And Adults

• By The Studio Director Team
• April 21, 2020

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The healing power of art is beneficial for people of all ages. It serves as a safe and effective way of expressing any thoughts and feelings. For art teachers, planning each class around an activity or theme can help you pinpoint an important focus for the day. Here are 20 art therapy activities to help your students find their inner creativity, peace, and inspiration.

5 Online Art Therapy Activities

Online art therapy activities provide a unique opportunity to stay connected to your students, no matter where they are. Here are some of the best ways to encourage expressive art therapy from the comfort of home.

Keep in mind, though, that many of the other activities on this list can be adapted for online instruction. Simply ask your students to find the necessary supplies at home.

1. Host virtual art classes

It’s easier than ever to teach in a virtual classroom. As long as you have access to a web camera, resources like Zoom and Google Hangouts enable you to share art therapy classes online.

Encourage your students to join into themed classes, like a Halloween or Hogwarts themed class. Or, use an online class to teach a larger group of students new skills. Kids and adults alike are clamoring for hands-on hobbies, like knitting or drawing.

2. Use art apps

As the saying goes: “there’s an app for that!” Art therapy is no exception.

For example, apps like Color Therapy Coloring Number are accessible on your iPad or iPhone, no matter where you are. This particular app features 5,000+ coloring pages in various themes, along with regularly updated color palettes. Happy Color is a simple color-by-number app that induces calm with its mesmerizing mandalas.

Assign a number of projects to your students and ask them to share in a quick virtual meeting.

3. Make a digital collage

You don’t need scissors and a glue stick to create a collage. In fact, any image is at your fingertips when you’re making a digital version. Web resources like Photo Collage make it easy to compile an assortment of photos.

Ask your students to create an online collage around a specific theme. The theme can be straightforward, like “things that make me happy,” or intangible ideas like “growth.”

4. Bring back chain mail

Start a chain activity, whether it’s a digital collage or a doodle created in an app. Give each student an hour to contribute to the activity before sending it along to the next person.

Your class will love seeing the final product!

5. Build upon a masterpiece

Tell your students to browse the web and find a masterpiece. Whether it’s the Mona Lisa or one of Vincent van Gogh’s classics, ask them to print it out and build upon the piece with their own creative touch.

After, share the images in an online album.

5 Art Therapy Activities for Kids

For children, limited language skills often make it difficult to communicate. Art therapy activities for kids allow for a natural and pressure-free way of expression.

These are some of the best ways to get kids involved in this form of therapy.

6. Transform the sidewalk with chalk

Chalk is an effective tool in expressive art therapy because it fades away over time. The symbolism of this is important when it comes to letting go of resentment or negative feelings.

Encourage your students to use words or pictures to communicate their feelings through chalk.

7. Use finger paint

Kids love to get dirty, which is why finger paint is a beautiful thing!

Take away the brushes and let them dig in. All you need is paint, paper, and a little imagination. Have a blank wall that needs some color? Let them go for it, adding full-body movement to the activity.

8. Build with clay

Children like to create and explore without permanence. Building a sculpture with clay, like Play-Doh, allows for constant re-structuring and an easy way to start over at any point.

Use multiple colors to boost creativity or share creative sculpting tools they can use.

9. Create a treasure box

Little ones hold on to special trinkets and memories. Gather a few plain white boxes (or cover shoeboxes with construction paper) and let your students create their own treasure boxes.

Set out pipe cleaners, beads, stickers, buttons, and any other unique decorative items for them to add.

10. Shape a candy sculpture

Candy is always a big hit with kids! Go beyond Christmas gingerbread houses with sweet treats to make edible sculptures any time of year.

Include skewers and toothpicks, as well as a variety of gummy candies and marshmallows. Then, sit back and watch their sculptures come to life.

5 Art Therapy Activities For Teens

Teenagers often struggle to open up emotionally, which makes art therapy activities particularly helpful for this age group.

These are some ways to get pre-teens and teens excited about channeling their creativity.

11. Create a piece of jewelry

Everything we wear is an expression of who we are. Stringing beads isn’t just a therapeutic activity, though, it also gives teenagers a chance to create something they can carry with them every day.

Encourage them to bring in their own beads or provide a variety of shapes and colors for them to choose from.

12. Draw to music

Teenagers are notoriously connected to their tastes in music. Inspire them to draw in response to a song.

Don’t forget to play a diverse selection in terms of genre and mood or ask them to bring in their own songs.

13. Bring an inspiring quote to life

Motivational quotes can make us feel inspired and recognized. Find as many as you can to print out, each on an individual piece of plain white paper.

Ask your teens to bring quotes to life with colored pencils, brush pens, or crayons.

14. Piece together a tissue paper collage

Gather an assortment of tissue paper in a variety of colors. Instruct your students to tear the tissue into pieces big and small before layering them on white card stock using diluted glue.

This abstract art activity can be incredibly peaceful and healing.

15. Mind and heart mapping

Visualization is key when it comes to processing self-worth and positivity.

Ask your teenagers to draw their heart or brain, mapping out the different elements that makeup who they are. This may include hobbies, interests, and character traits.

5 Art Therapy Activities For Adults

While adult coloring books are a newer trend, artists have always known about the benefit of mindfulness art therapy activities.

These are art therapy ideas for self-esteem, stress relief, and so much more.

16. Create with others in public

Art therapy group activities are a great way to boost a sense of community among adult students.

Find a way to create art together in front of a passing audience. Consider painting a mural or simply setting up easels in a park.

17. Draw in the dark

When it comes to drawing, it’s easy to become trapped by your own judgment and criticism, especially as an adult.

Drawing in total darkness will allow your students to relax and enjoy the process. They may be surprised by what they see when the lights come on.

18. Design a postcard

Ask your students to design a postcard they don’t intend to send.

Whether it strikes a negative or positive tone, this is a wonderful way to encourage expression using both pictures and words.

19. Draw with your non-dominant hand

Challenge your students to draw something with their non-dominant hand. Not only does it take tremendous patience and focus, but it will also teach them to persevere.

20. Help something grow

Gardening is a wonderful way to beat stress and anxiety. Gather some pots, soil, and a few succulents or seeds.

Let them carefully plant something to watch and take care of. This hands-on activity can bloom and grow for years in their own home.

Grow Your Art Studio

As an art teacher, your mission is to help students heal through expressive art therapy. That means your heart and mind should be clear during every class.

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Virtual Art Therapy Activities

Telehealth art therapy activities allow participants to explore different forms of creative expression using a wide range of visual art media.

As a type of psychotherapy, art therapy promotes well-being and healing. It delivers insights into the causes of mental health conditions or cognitive differences that make it hard for people to understand and come to grips with their emotions.

Creative therapies include everything from dance to painting, and can be delivered in person, one-on-one, as a group, or remotely. They are a flexible way for any participant to access beneficial therapy.

What Is Virtual Art Therapy?

The participants and their needs shape each art therapy session. The primary aim is to help each person explore their emotions and use the therapy as a vehicle for self-expression.

Creative therapies improve self-esteem and don't require any specific level of skill or proficiency in art.

That said, a typical digital art therapy class isn't solely about creativity. The schedule may include:

• Client assessments and discussion
• Supported art-making
• A conclusion and analysis of the outcomes

Group virtual art sessions are usually less formal, and practitioners often give more open-ended prompts rather than specifying a particular subject or object to be drawn or created.

If you're unsure how to display digital art , you can store creations through an online NFT gallery or build a private gallery for each person to access whenever they wish.

How Does Remote Art Therapy Help With Anxiety Disorders?

Anxiety and stress-related conditions are one of many reasons a person may be referred to an art therapist or decide to practice art therapy independently at home.

Outcomes from therapy include a sense of relaxation and calm, increased self-awareness, and a boosted self-image after using a creative outlet for emotional expression.

Many practitioners offer art therapy along with CBT or other medical interventions, but it can be a standalone therapy or part of a wider support package as well.

Remote therapies are particularly relevant in anxiety disorders because these conditions may make it prohibitively difficult for participants to attend a more formal in-person session.

Participating in a safe, protected space ensures minimal distractions or intrusions so each individual can fully express themselves without feeling anxious or being worried about being judged. It’s important that they feel comfortable and relaxed.

Remote Art Therapy Techniques

It is impossible to list every potential art therapy technique suitable for a remote session because the right creative activity depends very much on the individual or group.

If you wish to engage in art therapy quickly and easily, you can try an AI art generator for art therapy . 

However, the ideas below are options suitable for virtual delivery either to an individual service user or in a group setting:

• Self-portraits: Attendees can create self-portraits using any medium they choose. They can take photographs, draw, paint, make a mask, or use a creative app to design a digital representation of how they perceive themselves.
• Story writing: Writing stories either by hand or through a digital blog can begin with just one word, theme, or phrase. It encourages participants to develop ideas or express their thoughts with words.
• NFT artwork creation: Participants can build artwork from a word prompt, image, or sentence and use their thoughts and experiences to create artwork without needing any additional resources.

The right virtual art therapy activities will, of course, depend on the participant or group, the focus of the session, and desired outcomes.

However, by providing a simple structure and one or two prompts, you can let each user take the idea you have provided and run with it.

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Pandemic blues? Online art therapy might help you work through your feelings

No talent no problem. these virtual spaces are judgment-free zones.

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It doesn't matter where they are in the world. Most of Michelle Winkel's patients are struggling with the exact same thing right now, and that's anxiety.

"It was a significant problem before the pandemic," says Winkel, clinical supervisor at the Virtual Art Therapy Clinic and co-founder of the Canadian International Institute for Art Therapy (CIIAT) in Victoria. (In fact, anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health issues period, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association .) But recently, says Winkel, the problem "has absolutely magnified" at the clinic, and the reason should be as plain as the three-ply reusable mask on your face. 

COVID's impact on mental health is occasionally discussed as a sort of shadowy bonus pandemic, hitting everyone differently — but affecting everyone, just the same. In May, a crowdsourced study from Statistics Canada reported that 88 per cent of respondents had experienced anxiety symptoms — things like "feeling nervous, anxious or on edge" — sometime in the two weeks before they were polled. And nearly a quarter said they had "fair or poor mental health." (Compare that to a similar survey from two years prior: back then, a mere 8 per cent were feeling similarly meh.) 

"Obviously with COVID, life is pretty stressful," says Winkel. Since April, her online clinic has provided support to patients working through their anxiety or depression or stress. And it's one of several virtual resources that offers a space to heal through art.

So ... art therapy? What does that mean exactly? 

"I believe that art-making is therapeutic," says Winkel. But there's a distinction between chilling at home with pack of Crayolas and engaging in art therapy. Per the textbook definition on the Canadian Art Therapy Association  (CATA) website, the practice mixes psychotherapy with art-making. ("Using imagery, colour and shape as part of this creative process," they say, "thoughts and feelings can be expressed that would otherwise be difficult to articulate.") And it's facilitated by a certified art therapist, someone trained in the field at a graduate level.

"Usually clients come because of a pain point," says Winkel. "We may use some art-making to explore that."

Absolutely no experience is required. "They do not need to be artists or feel artistic at all," says Winkel. And during a session, the art therapist might guide a creative exercise. It's not always about making a picture or a painting, she explains. A common prompt might be something like: "Show me what you're struggling with." 

"Let's say it's a feeling of anxiety. Well, you could choose an animal that feels like that. Express it in some kind of image."

By making art, and reflecting on the process, the patient is working to get a better handle on what they're experiencing. "For a lot of folks these days, it's about communicating with themselves first," says Winkel. "How can I tolerate the anxiety of this scary, scary stuff that's going on in a way that's a little bit healthier for me?" Insight can change how they're able to negotiate those feelings going forward. And the art therapist's there to guide the process.

"Having someone there to facilitate, to develop a safe and trusting environment to be able to make art is the healing piece, we think."

Is online therapy the right fit?

Art therapy has a variety of applications, but sticking to the example of what Winkel and her team are doing at the Virtual Art Therapy Clinic, she says most of their participants face she calls "daily challenges in living." They aren't arriving with a doctor's diagnosis, but maybe they've been feeling anxious or low or isolated. (The website encourages folks in crisis to seek other treatment.) "It can be as simple and humble as that they're feeling a bit stressed and they'd like a few sessions to explore stress management. And that would be a very suitable thing to deal with in art therapy." 

• 5 stress-relieving activities recommended by art therapists that you can try at home right now

The clinic's sessions are open to both adults and children, and they're led over Zoom by senior students at CIIAT. (So, special art materials aren't required, but a working webcam is.) Before the first appointment's booked, participants go through a free "meet and greet" assessment. They get to talk about their needs and ask any questions they might have. The sessions themselves are offered on a pay-what-you-can model, starting at $10. Continuing with further sessions is up to the participant. "We have many who just come for a handful, get what they need, and then stop," says Winkel.

OK, so where else are people doing it?

The Virtual Art Therapy Clinic is, of course, just one option. To find an individual therapist offering virtual sessions, Winkel recommends searching directories like the one on the CATA website . Or, you could try something altogether different, like an online Art Hive . 

An Art Hive?

Yep. They're a network of community art studios that welcome folks of all ages and abilities. The concept originated at Concordia University in Montreal, which runs multiple Art Hives through its campus — and in the Before Times, these spaces would welcome anybody and everybody to gather and create (using a stash of free materials). Since March 20, the Concordia chapters have been hosting meet-ups on Zoom, and at least 21 Canadian Art Hives are currently active online. Some focus on visual art-making. At Concordia, they also run regular Art Hives for music and movement. And while these sessions aren't necessarily presided over by a certified art therapist, Rachel Chainey, national network coordinator for Art Hives Network, says that the project's guiding philosophy is "rooted in art therapy." 

Each session has a facilitator, she says, who's there to make everyone feel welcome and free to create. "The Art Hive seeks to bring people together around a common idea, which is creativity and art-making," she says. "Importantly, in terms of mental health, it creates a safety net. People often, you know — not everyone will go to therapy. And not everyone has access to individual therapy or even group therapy, whether for financial reasons, whether it's for cultural reasons. The Art Hive forms a community around a person. [...] There will be a community of people checking on them."

What do people get out of it?

Marguerite Dorion, 76, is a recent Art Hive convert. Pre-pandemic, she was aware of the IRL locations in Montreal, but as a busy YMCA volunteer, she never really took part. Now? "My gosh, it's nearly my whole day," she says, and because the programming's online, she's been exploring Art Hives beyond the city. "It's very casual, very welcoming," she says, and of all the things she loves about the experience — including the joy of painting and learning new things — it's the community aspect that's most important to her. "In French we call it 'en réseau,' which means a link between many people."

Making art with a group, albeit over Zoom, felt novel to Alexandra O. Carlsson when she joined her first Art Hive. But week over week, she says, "you start to recognize faces, and almost feel a kind of camaraderie." A 33-year-old occupational therapist from Kingston, Ont., Carlsson takes part in a virtual session run through the Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen's University. At first, she was there out of professional curiosity. "But I slowly realized that it was actually very therapeutic for myself," says Carlsson. "Every time I finished Art Hive I was like, 'Wow, that was something that I did today that I didn't even know I needed.' Self-care is such a trendy term, but it felt like such a wonderful creative outlet for myself. And it really helped me decompress after a busy day."

"People there, they break their social isolation," says Chainey of Art Hives. "They find a place of belonging. It helps them find meaning. Often creativity is connected to finding purpose, meaning, self worth, feeling proud of oneself. So these are all things that contribute to enhanced well-being."

That last Art Hive ... it's run by a museum?

Yes, some museums host virtual Art Hives, too. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, for example, is developing its own online version, and Stephen Legari, the museum's program officer for art therapy, says it should be live in the next few weeks. It'll be the closest facsimile to dropping in on the MMFA's real-life Art Hive  — the only one of its kind in a museum. It is, of course, closed due to COVID-19, but pre-pandemic, people were free to make arts and crafts with support from on-site educators and art therapists. Legari says 2,500-3,000 visitors made use of the studio each year. 

And beyond plans for that aforementioned virtual meet-up, there are other resources available on the MMFA's website. In the spring, Legari produced a bunch of short videos that lead the viewer through different art-therapy exercises inspired by pieces from the museum's collection. More are in the works, he says, and they should arrive in the New Year. 

But are any of these online options a substitute for the IRL thing?

Both have their pros and cons. There are the obvious practical challenges: technology opens these services to people living anywhere, but there are still folks who get left behind. Some people struggle with computer literacy. Others can't afford the right hardware. And beyond all that, maybe Zoom just isn't your thing.

Since May, Winkel's been studying the effectiveness of online art therapy, specifically as it pertains to treating anxiety. Nine therapists have been following 36 clients at the Virtual Art Therapy Clinic. At the beginning and end of each session, these patients are asked to rate their anxiety on a scale of zero to 10, and going off her findings so far, virtual sessions have merit. "What we're noticing is about a 38 per cent improvement from the beginning of the session to the end," she says. "So, it's a very sizeable improvement, meaning that the clients feel a lot less anxious at the end, even if they spend one hour working with someone." The research, however, is still ongoing.

Chainey acknowledges there are some things that are missing from the virtual experience, especially when it comes to her real-life Art Hive venues — community hubs that are crammed with craft materials and artwork. "It's such a rich environment, so nourishing for people's creativity," she says. "You cannot replicate that online, however hard you try." But the fundamental spirit is still there.

"I notice that often people attend an Art Hive because they want to feel seen by others. That's why they choose to come instead of creating in isolation," she says.

"I think that this sense of feeling connected, supported, seen [...] that happens online."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior Writer

Since 2015, Leah Collins has been senior writer at CBC Arts, covering Canadian visual art and digital culture in addition to producing CBC Arts’ weekly newsletter (Hi, Art!), which was nominated for a Digital Publishing Award in 2021. A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University's journalism school (formerly Ryerson), Leah covered music and celebrity for Postmedia before arriving at CBC.

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• Organisations

100 Art Therapy Exercises

Here is a popular internet list of art therapy activities originally posted up in 2011 by the Nursing School Blog updated and expanded by Shelley Klammer, a therapist and an expressive art educator.

We have previously run art therapy and mindfulness groups online . If you are interested in joining an online art therapy and mindfulness group please  subscribe to our mailing list  or  contact us  directly. Below is a description of a previous online group.

Online Art Therapy and Mindfulness Group (via Zoom)

New! Weekly art therapy and mindfulness group: a supportive space during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Description

Join this therapeutic group for deepening mindfulness practice and enhancing well-being. Helping you feel resourced and resilient during these challenging times.

Through mindfulness practice, inner inquiry, and creative expression you can learn to open up to life with all its challenges and delights and to find new ways to accept and live with them.

• Learn the foundations of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) and Mindfulness-Meditation practices.
• Express yourself using art materials in a non-judgmental space
• Discover your creative potential
• Find space in the business of your life
• Establish a daily mindfulness practice
• Develop self-care and compassion for yourself and others
• Learn ways to skilfuly respond to the thinking mind in mindfulness meditation
• Cultivate spaciousness, ease and embodiment
• Inhabit the present moment
• Engage with others in a therapeutic group

You will be encouraged to practice mindfulness and art-making between sessions, supported by online meditations and a free 20 page e-book .

Who is it for?

The group is open to all levels of art ability and experience in mindfulness. We encourage everyone to have a 'beginners mind'  - no technical art skills are necessary and you do not have to be good at art to benefit from art therapy. You may be join the group to support your overall well-being or have a specific need, such as: helping with stress, anxiety, depression, and coping with the current pandemic.

This group is ongoing, with a minimum commitment of eight sessions required.

Initial Meeting

Before joining the group you will be invited to have a thirty minutes initial one-to-one meeting with Nicky, as an introduction to the sessions and an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Taster sessions and Workshops

You are welcome to attend a taster session or workshop before joining the group. Find out more on our Calendar here.

Further information

You will find further information on art materials, video set up, absence policy under further information here . Please contact us  if you have any additional questions.

Facilitator

Nicky Roland , Art Therapist and Mindfulness Teacher.

Next Intake: Tuesday 29th June 2021

Next Group dates: 29th June, 6th July, 13th July (no sessions 20th and 27th July), 3rd August, then continuing weekly.

£25 per session.  Initial eight session block: £200

The group is ongoing, with a minimum commitment of eight sessions required.

Payment of £25 (non-refundable) reserves your place in the group, includes a thirty minute initial one-to-one meeting with Nicky and your first session. The remainder to pay is £175 (before you join).

Low cost places are available for people who may be experiencing financial constraints at this time (low or no income). Payment via instalments is available.  Contact us   if you require a low cost place.

Book your place via Eventbrite here:   https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-art-therapy-and-mindfulness-group-tickets-103833496784

4 - 6 pm Tuesdays Weekly, Ongoing group

Next Intake:

Tuesday 15th June 2021

Potential benefits include

• reduced stress and anxiety  • a greater sense of ease and well-being • improved mood and self-esteem • more fulfilling personal relationships • deepening insight

Opening to Joy and Expression – with Art Therapy and Mindfulness

Inviting compassion through art therapy and mindfulness, exploring resilience and creativity through art therapy and mindfulness, active hope: an art therapy and mindfulness workshop, back to nature: an afternoon of yoga and art therapy, taster sessions: art therapy and mindfulness, introduction to art therapy and mindfulness (full day), art therapy, mindfulness, and the body-heart-mind (full days), a monthly series of art therapy and mindfulness workshops, active hope and the work that reconnects.

Call Now: 615.455.3903

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Home | Video: Art Therapy Through a Screen

Video: Art Therapy Through a Screen

• Therapy Services
• Integrative Life Center
• April 17, 2020

Many are wondering if they can do art therapy at home. In the midst of the pandemic, ILC offered art therapy online for clients. In this art therapy webinar, Art Therapist, Nina Ayala, MA, ATR-P, shares tips and exercises on working with clients to do art therapy online. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, adapting therapy practices to virtual sessions is imperative. 

View the discussion below as well as some key takeaways.

Art Therapy Through a Screen – What We Learned:

What is art therapy and why should we use it.

Art Therapy is a treatment method that can help clients learn to access parts of their brain they may not normally access through creativity. This can be especially helpful to people who tend to be more analytical, and they may see a shift in perspective when becoming creative. For someone who has experienced significant trauma or grief, these interventions can be helpful in processing, especially when words fail to accurately describe what they’ve been through. The use of art therapy can result in the client gaining more self-awareness and accessing the subconscious, which can help identify what is important to them. 

Many clients, especially adults, find the idea of art therapy intimidating at first. This is because many have not used art supplies since they were children, and have anxiety about their ability to draw. Art therapy is about the process, not the product. While an art class is typically about making a beautiful piece of art, the goals of an art therapy session are to find new ways to express emotions, how to relax with the art materials, and to learn more about who you are and how you approach things in life. 

Art can be used as a tool to express emotions, resolve emotional conflicts, cope with traumas, and can be a new healthy coping skill to help manage addictions and unwanted behaviors. It also allows you to explore your inner self.

How to do Art Therapy at Home: Obstacles 

When leading a traditional art therapy group or seeing individual clients in person, the art therapist typically has a variety of art supplies on hand for the clients to work with. In this webinar, Nina pointed out that not all clients will have art supplies at home. 

What Are Some Limitations to Doing Art Therapy Online? 

Another challenge Nina mentioned is that the art therapist can walk around and ask questions at an in person group. When doing art therapy online,  the art therapist can only see what is visible on the screen. Because you are not physically there in the space with them, you must overcome this by reminding them that you are there to help with techniques and asking if they need to pause and reflect with you on what they are feeling.

Children can have additional challenges when using telehealth for art therapy. Many of them have short attention spans, so having a backup plan in case their attention shifts elsewhere is important. It is also important to plan sessions around time of day, as some kids can be sleepy after lunch or may have had an intense school session that day. It is also helpful to make sure they come to session in a manner that is comfortable. Having a favorite stuffed animal or blanket on hand in case they need comfort is a good idea since you are not with them in person.

How to Do Art Therapy at Home: Structure of an Art Therapy Online Session

Have a plan.

When guiding clients in an online session of art therapy, come prepared with a plan. Know what is going on with your group or individual clients as this can help to set goals and make plans for the session. If many members of a group are new, you will need to ease their anxieties. An art therapy online session may also include psychoeducation about healthy relationships or other topics relevant to the clients, teaching coping skills, and mindfulness exercises like deep breathing.

Check in With Each Client

In a group setting, it is important to engage each client at the beginning of the session to make them feel included and help them connect with the other members. There are a variety of ways to do this, but having each person name one thing they are grateful for that day is a good way to open the group and get the members ready to work and have discussions with one another.

Introduce Art Therapy

This is important for new groups, or groups with a lot of new members. Explain to your clients that art therapy is a process. It is also useful to describe what a flow state is and the benefits being in a flow state has to a person’s well being. 

Introduce the Activity

When introducing the activity to those participating in an art therapy online session, it may be helpful to enhance it with guided meditation, poetry, inspirational quotes, or psychoeducational materials to reinforce the day’s goals. 

Always have the clients choose which art materials and mediums to work with as it gives the power to the client, and some materials will feel better to them than others. As they move into making art they will have an opportunity to learn more about themselves and where they currently are with their goals. 

Encouragement & Sharing

Encourage your clients once they are creating. Give them opportunities to share and discuss their process and any insights that came up while creating the art with you and other group members. This will help them to gain confidence in what they have created. 

While an art therapist may see meaning in the art a client has made, everyone is unique and may attribute different meanings to symbols and colors. It is up to the client to analyze their art and share these insights with the therapist.

Art Therapy at Home: Tips 

When conducting virtual art therapy, it’s inevitable that some activities will feel more comfortable and free-flowing than others. Have your plan, but have a back-up as well and be flexible.

Once a virtual session is scheduled, art supplies can be delivered to clients or residential centers, or a client can use whatever supplies they have on hand. Headphones should be used by the art therapist and the client, and having a pair of backup headphones on hand is a good idea. The session will run more smoothly if both have access to high quality internet, and you and your clients can test your video and audio before the session.

How to Do Art Therapy at Home: Interventions

During the art therapy webinar, Nina discussed a few different art therapy interventions that would be particularly useful for art therapy online sessions. 

Altered Book Making

A book that would have been discarded is made into a work of art. The client can create with collage, draw or paint in the book, cut out shapes or windows, create blackout poetry, or glue on found objects. Altered books are useful for recovery, journaling or documenting your process, and can symbolize creating new chapters in your life. 

Here are some examples:

Bridge to recovery.

Nina asks clients to visualize their challenge (substance use, self-harm, etc) and think about what was in the past, where they want to go, and what that bridge between the two looks like. The client makes a simple drawing of the bridge using watercolors or another medium. The client asks themselves where they are on the bridge, how solid it is, and where the bridge will take them.

Art in Response to Guided Meditations

During guided meditations the client might be asked to visualize being in nature or a place they feel safe. Afterwards, ask the client to put the image on paper. It can be an actual drawing or painting of a specific place (beach, forest, etc.) or abstract colors and shapes. This image can bring the person back to a place where they can find refuge when they feel overwhelmed.

Healing Hands

Nina’s favorite art therapy intervention is called healing hands. The client traces their hands on a piece of paper with a pen or marker. They then place words, pictures, and symbols on the hands. One hand represents the past and everything they are holding onto. The other hand is a representation of the future and what they are hoping for. This allows them to analyze what things from the past are still lingering and gives them an opportunity to let go. It also lets the client look forward, deciding what they want more of in their life. 

Resources Mentioned in the Webinar:

• Link to a research article about Altered Books with adolescents :
• Great book by one of the Pioneers of Art Therapy on her battle with cancer and altered bookmaking
• My Canvas Community Arts and a news segment on it.
• Other similar community-based art therapy organizations are Playing to Live and Whole Village .
• American Art Therapy Association
• Art Therapy Credentials Board – where to find an Art Therapist by state

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Treating borderline personality disorder and substance abuse, navigating outpatient rehab: what to expect for alcohol addiction recovery, what we treat, contact our team.

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From an Online Art Therapy Grad Student, Here are 5 Tips for Making the Transition to Virtual

April 6, 2020 | Trica Zeyher

Read Trica’s related blog post, “ Virtual Intimacy in Therapy and in Life ”  and the accompanying blog post from Edinboro faculty Dr. Carolyn Brown Treadon, “To My Colleagues that are Changing Everything, Here are 5 Tips for Effectively Teaching Art Therapy Online”

When I found out that my internship site, Mental Health Partners in Boulder , Colorado, was going to be transitioning to telehealth therapy from face-to-face services due to coronavirus social distancing, I felt prepared from my online graduate experiences. Edinboro University’s online art therapy program provided me with practice to succeed even in these challenging times.

Here are my top 5 tips of how to succeed in an online art therapy master’s program. Although I am glad to share these tips as a last-semester, online dual-degree graduate art therapist and clinical mental health counseling student, I know I do not have all of the answers to help art therapy students through this global crisis. I hope as students and future art therapists, we can lean on one another for that.

1) Keep your environment and schedule structured

My designated work/study corner in my apartment.

Structure in your environment and schedule can help you to stay on task and to feel a sense of control and calm in an online learning program. I personally have a corner with a desk and a chair in my apartment that I use specifically for work and school. My couch in the other room is reserved for leisure, me time and family time. In addition to providing structure, there are more things to consider in your environment when working with clients in your practicum or internship.

Opening up our cameras to people from outside of our homes, we are letting others in. But we can choose what to disclose. A professional setting with a comforting visual for clients helps create a feeling of safety and shows you have yourself together. Zoom, the platform I use, has background options, so you don’t need to change your physical environment. I re-arrange my physical setting anyway. I personally choose to show my white walled background in my apartment with a few paintings and a plastic six-foot tree in my background when I interact with clients or staff at MHP (my internship site). I also regularly adjust a few elements in my environment, such as the lighting and the smells in the room, to give myself a ritual and to help me transition my state of mind between student, intern, and resident.

As I work from my corner study/work space at home, several MHP staff members have noted that they felt that they and their clients were being more open than when they were in their own offices at the physical site. I believe this is because I have opened up my personal space to them.

There are a few questions I often ask myself when setting up my space to work with clients:

• Is what I’m going to show or tell my client going to benefit their current needs?
• What in my background is a conversation starter or an object of safety or comfort?
• Does my background represent my professional self?

Keeping a schedule for school, internship, and studying helps me clarify boundaries on when I am available for time with family and friends. Knowing your own boundaries and sharing them with others helps hold yourself accountable for deadlines, be they for self-care, family, school or your internship. For example, prior to the coronavirus crisis, I would physically go to my internship site daily—except on Fridays. Now as a telehealth art therapy intern, I still don’t answer internship phone calls or sign-in to any internship sites online on Fridays. While it’s important to be as accommodating as possible to clients in this time of crisis, I recommend finding ways to uphold your previous boundaries with face-to-face clients as you transition to offering telehealth services.

Although we may be great at multitasking, being able to focus on one thing at a time can allow us to work with smaller objectives to reach our larger goals, be it in a day, week, or for the entire semester. Think of the SMART Goals we help our clients set, and make that effort towards yourself. For myself, I set timers as a reminder not only for when I need to call a client but also for when I want to take a lunch break. This helps me feel that I can give my all into whatever I am doing. It also helps me to know I have been productive and am accomplishing what I set as my day’s goals.

2) Make technology work for you, and be prepared when it acts out

Using technology may be completely new for some students and professionals, while for others, it may already be a part of their everyday lives. Before a class that is meeting virtually starts, test out your internet connection, the sound (e.g. are you using headphones, the computer monitors speaker, or Bluetooth?), and the camera (e.g. is it built into your computer or a separate device?). Most applications have a test button to help with this testing.

If you have an assignment that is due in the future, and you are not sure your internet or electricity will be consistent, save your assignments on Word documents with due dates and then save them again to a personal safe external hard drive or USB drive. It is important to save your work in as many places as you can and in a secure way. If anything you are saving relates to your work with clients, be sure to follow the Art Therapy Code of Ethics on Electronic Means (2.9).

When obtaining supervision online, come prepared with a set of topics you would like to discuss, such as notes on a particular client that you feel you can better serve in sessions. Ask what online resources your supervisor knows of that can provide you with further information, support, and creative ideas on the topics you are concerned about for your clients or for your own professional development.

Be specific about when you are going to meet and through what technology and applications. For example, I meet with my internship site supervisor on Microsoft Teams and with my university supervisor on Zoom. Keep track of the links to all your meetings. I often set notifications on my computer’s calendar or set an alarm on my phone to remind me when a meeting is coming up.

3) You can still connect with your clients online

There are many tools available to help us connect virtually with our clients. When providing therapy services online, we are able to record our interactions with consent, and our clients can too. Clients can take screen shots, and we could also share our screens with each other and show art on our desktops — even if we or our clients don’t choose to show our faces.

When I or a fellow MHP intern offers a comprehensive assessment, we ask clients if they prefer video chat or a phone call. Some might not have internet access and others may be uncomfortable showing their current external environment. It is the client’s choice, and we as art therapists are there to help them in the way they are most comfortable. Ask your clients how you can help support them to meet their own needs, be it through phone therapy services or through a virtual face meeting.

As in all areas of therapy, it’s important to set boundaries with your technology. I always block my personal number (using *67), so clients aren’t able to call me directly. I do have my work (internship) phone set up so that I can still receive phone messages with a passcode when I call my work phone. Clients can also connect with me through my internship designated email, with a consent form. When a call cut off during a session with a client who had no internet and only very limited phone connection, I called back to show I was there for them. It meant a lot to my client that I did call them back.

When going through a process of an art experiential or art directive, let the client decide if they even want to show you their art product. I feel that intention is a large aspect of how to succeed as an online student and telehealth art therapist; intention as to why and how we do what we do. When we as an art therapist ask clients to reflect on their art with process prompts, be it over the phone or in person, it is the client’s choice on how they choose to describe their artwork or process, and also what it may mean or represent to them. We are already open-minded and practicing non-judgment as art therapists, so this is just an expansion of that knowledge through our technology.

During my practicum at Colorado Recovery , the clients I was helping treat were dealing with severe mental illnesses such as schizoaffective and schizophrenia, but they also had the socioeconomic status of being able to afford resources. When I started my internship with MHP, my treatment training and experiences changed due to the clients’ available resources. I went from serving clients who could afford luxury treatment to working with homeless individuals struggling to find an open public bathroom (during coronavirus isolation) in the middle of a snowstorm to keep up their hygiene and health.

Here are some questions to consider when connecting with clients over technology:

• What does your client’s environment look like?
• How are they interacting with their technological device they are reaching out to you with?
• What are their facial expressions? What does the client choose to show you or tell you?

4) Use your online community as a remote student

Your online community extends beyond your university and internship site. It includes the entire art therapy field and the wider mental health community. Use your resources!

As states began closing institutions due to coronavirus, the directors of the graduate art therapy and counseling programs held a Zoom meeting on March 16th for the entire department to connect and process the challenges unique to these times. It felt good to see their faces and feel the presence of my educational community —and to know that we are in this together.

It is important to know your university’s online resources to stay connected with your classmates and instructors. If you are not aware of discussion forums or your school’s online hub for example, reach out to professors and fellow classmates. Edinboro uses the D2L program for class discussions, assignment submissions and Zoom meeting information.

Consider joining associations and clubs and exploring services they provide online for group interactions, such as discussions, meetings, trainings, conferences, resources, and support. For example, to connect with your art therapy community, you could find a mentor through AATA’s Mentor Match program, or post a comment or question to AATA’s Open Forum . Look out for professional and educational emails about free or paid trainings from your state’s art therapy association as well.

When doing research for assignments, use your university’s online library chat options for research help. Another tip is to look in the back of your textbooks and peer-edited journals in your online university library for references as to what other sites may be most useful to your current clients treatment needs. These can include art therapy assessments, directives, and interventions.

5) Don ’ t neglect your own self-care

An art piece I made participating in the online open art group with Edinboro students and faculty.

Being a therapist, helper, emotional support, and caregiver to our clients and community in addition to showing up for our family, friends, and selves is a lot to take on. But if we are able to support our own needs with intention and boundaries, we can give to others what we can provide to ourselves.

Our professional and educational training is about helping others, but we must also look at ourselves first to see if we are ready, willing, and able to help them. When we provide ourselves with love, non-judgment, and support, we can model this to our clients, our community, and our families. Please meet your health needs, get rest, eat healthy, exercise, take breaks, practice a ritual, make a schedule with boundaries you set, obtain telehealth art therapy for yourselves, and reach out for help when you need it.

I recommend scheduling time to make art just for yourself. Here are some questions I ask myself when getting started:

• What are my favorite mediums, or art materials?
• What materials meet my current feelings or emotional needs?
• What creative ideas do I want to let out of my mind, body, and soul?
• Do I have a set amount of time to allow my self-expression?

While I am glad to share these tips, I do not have all of the resources to help art therapy students through this global crisis. I, like all of my fellow art therapy interns and practicum students, will continue to explore in creative ways our roles in telehealth services. If you feel you have more information to share, please reach out to one another. We all can be here for each other as a nation of developing mental health professionals as future art therapists.

Online resources I’ve found helpful

On connecting with clients online:

• Crisis counseling skills on communication , Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA)
• Seeing Virtual Therapy Clients While Shelter in Place Mandate in Effect , Private Practice Skills
• Telemental Health Tips: Don’ts and Do’s , Portico Network
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT Explained , BetterHelp
• The Suicide Crisis Line: An Education in Listening , TEDxCalStateLA
• Tools for Art Therapists to Care for Clients and Self during COVID-19 , American Art Therapy Association
• MicroExpressions – Reading Facial Expressions Are Better than Reading Body Language , Practical Psychology
• Initial phone screening call with the therapist , Private Practice Skills
• Virtual Reality Technology Treatment for Mental Illness , Stanford Health Care
• The 4 MUST Do’s of ENDING THERAPY! Mental Health Videos with Kati Morton , Kati Morton
• How to End Therapy with Your Clients , Uncommon Practitioners

On self-care:

• Coronavirus Outbreak: How to Cope With Anxiety and Self-Isolation , Marisa Peer
• Yoga with Adriene
• YouTube , search “guided yoga”
• Top 5 Free Mindfulness Apps , Pure Gym
• YouTube, Meditation Music playlist
• InsightTimer app

Facebook communities I’m part of:

• Coronavirus Tech Handbook Facebook Group
• Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
• EU SATA: Student Art Therapy Association
• Edinboron Art Therapy Club  
• Counseling Club of Edinboro University

Other social media accounts I follow:

• American Psychiatric Association Foundation
• American Art Therapy Association
• Art Therapy Credentials Board
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• American Medical Association (AMA)
• Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious values in Counseling
• Twitter, Edinboro University  
• YouTube, Edinboro University

Additional resources:

• For Healthcare Professionals , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• 7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Online Therapy , Kati Morton
• My experience with online therapy, BetterHelp vs. Talkspace , Chelsea Doss
• What, When, and How to Communicate with Employees about Coronavirus , Rave Mobile Safety
• HIPPA Journal
• Eventbrite , search online events
• The Mighty , client led advocacy and social support community
• Call for Entries , CaFE
• Boulder County Arts Calendar , Boulder County Arts Alliance
• Smartthinking App

Patrica (Trica) Zeyher, Master ’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy Candidate

  BACK TO THE MAIN BLOG

15 Art Therapy Activities & Ideas for Kids (Incl. PDF)

Maybe it’s been a while, but what about the last time you doodled on your notebook during a meeting?

For many of us, when we think of art, we tend to think it’s not for us. Perhaps you think you aren’t very creative, but there’s more to it than merely being ‘good at drawing.’

Allowing our brains the freedom for free expression, even by doodling, can have a wonderful impact on how we process, retain, and share information.

It’s no surprise that the therapy community has taken note of this, and in more recent years, there’s been a rise in the number of practitioners offering a very distinct form of therapy: art therapy.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology, including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

What is art therapy, what art therapy is not, a brief history of art therapy, 5 fun art therapy ideas and activities for children and teens (+pdfs), 5 art therapy exercises and techniques for adults, 5 helpful art therapy activities for anxiety, 5 art therapy books to read, how to become an art therapist, how to find an art therapist near you, a take-home message.

Art therapy is a blended field of therapeutic practice that combines art and psychology, utilizing the creative process, artistic techniques, and external artwork to support individuals to develop self-awareness, explore emotions, and address unresolved conflict or trauma.

Art therapy has also been used to help individuals, particularly young children, develop social skills and raise self-confidence. It’s a fantastic addition to positive psychology, as at its core, it seeks to help individuals overcome emotional or psychological challenges to achieve a greater sense of personal wellbeing.

A broader definition of art therapy has been established by the American Art Therapy Association (2013):

Art therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

Most recently, there has been a rise in what is often referred to as mindfulness coloring . Some people see this as a part of art therapy, but it is very distinct from accredited art therapy practice.

There are many do-it-yourself coloring apps and coloring books for adults and children that promote coloring as a form of self-care or mindfulness. While these activities can certainly be helpful for many, unless a licensed art therapist has designed them, they cannot be considered art therapy.

As far back as there have been humans, there has been art. Just think of the original cave drawings.

Art as a therapy practice was only accepted more recently. The term ‘Art Therapy’ was coined in 1942 by Adrian Hill, a British artist, who attributed painting and drawing to his recovery from tuberculosis. However, the benefits of the practice of art for emotional health go back further than this.

In 1915, Margaret Naumburg, often referred to as the Mother of Art Therapy, established the Walden School in New York. Naumburg believed that children should be allowed creative freedom and that allowing them to pursue subjects that interested them would enable healthy development.

Naumburg wrote several influential books on the topic of art therapy, believing that when creative pursuits are seen as another form of expression, they can be used in conjunction with traditional communication to unearth repressed and unconscious memories and emotions.

Her work led others to begin exploring the field, building its reputation within the psychological community, including:

• Florence Cane, an art educator who began to use teaching methods that encouraged artistic expression and emotional creativity.
• Edith Kramer, who developed a more process-oriented art therapy approach based on psychotherapy ideas of the ego and that promoted the development of identity.
• Elnor Ulman established the first journal in the United States dedicated to art therapy, alongside one of the first training programs for psychologists wishing to train in art therapy.

Young children often rely on their limited language skills to express complex thoughts and emotions. That barrier can be breached with methods of expression they understand a little better, like drawing and coloring.

Teens can also benefit from a pressure-free, consequence-free medium for their thoughts and feelings.

Below are five possible art therapy activities and exercises for children of all ages.

1. Art therapy postcard activity

Most people would probably agree that it’s easier to express or recognize hurts and regrets when there’s the distance between yourself and the problem. This is why the postcard activity can be a good self-discovery exercise that helps answer the question, “ What would I say to someone if I didn’t have to do it face-to-face? ”

This activity can be used in one-to-one or group therapy sessions. Here’s how to conduct the activity:

• Print out the postcard by following the link above or simply create a postcard-style template to use. One side can be completely blank for drawing, and one side can be laid out with some lines for writing.
• Ask participants to reflect on a situation or person they feel or felt frustrated, angry, upset, or sad about. Spend a moment simply thinking about and reflecting on what happened, how it felt, and what they would like to let the person know about how the experience made them feel.
• On the blank side of the postcard, ask participants to draw or create a visual representation of how they felt or still feel about the experience. Explain that there is total freedom with this, and they can create anything they like with any materials.
• On the lined side of the postcard, participants can write what they would like to say if they could.
• Use what they draw and write to explore their emotions further and discuss how they might begin to work toward a healing resolution.

2. Words to live by collage

They may suppress their real character to avoid censure from their peers; this is why it’s essential for teens to identify their core values and identify who they think they are.

It’s crucial when working with teens to create coping strategies that they can come back over to time and let them know that their ideas, feelings, and values will change with experience.

The Words to Live By activity helps teens to visualize their core values through creative collage. Here’s how to teach this activity:

You will need:

• Old magazines, newspapers, picture books, and scrap paper
• Markers and colored pencils
• Scissors and glue
• Cardboard or thick paper for the base of the collage
• This activity can be carried out with a group or one-to-one
• Asking participants to take a moment to reflect on their core values. For younger teens, you may want to discuss what we mean by values by asking them what some of the things they feel strongly about are. What do they feel good about when they practice certain behaviors or see others behave?
• Once participants have a good idea of their values, invite them to take a mindful minute. Start by asking them to close their eyes and turn their focus to their breath. Now ask them to let the words associated with their values freely flow into their thoughts. What are these words? What are the related images, colors, and shapes that feel connected to these words?
• Once participants feel ready, invite them to begin selecting images, words, phrases, or colors from the magazines and newspapers. They will use these to compile a collage that they feel reflects their words to live by. This can be image based or entirely abstract; it’s all about how their words make them feel.
• If they feel comfortable, save some time at the end of the session for them to present their collages and share with the group what they have created and what it means to them.

3. Softness project

Humans are all tactile creatures, but children especially are touchers, explorers, and curious feelers. Utilizing touch is a way for them to learn about the world and to find comfort.

The activity below is a form of art therapy that focuses on using comforting textures and allowing for a manageable exploration of uncomfortable emotions. It is a particularly useful activity with younger children.

This activity can be carried out with a group or one-to-one.

Here’s how to conduct the activity:

• Various pieces of different fabric, textured materials, and soft textiles
• Cardboard or thick paper for the base
• Start the session by asking participants about their sense of touch. Invite them to share their ideas around things that feel good, things that don’t feel right, and why. What are some of the things they enjoy touching? What materials do they find comforting and nurturing?
• Explain that touch is an important sensory experience, and we can use it to create things that bring us comfort and a sense of calm.
• Allow participants to explore the box of different materials and take their time selecting pieces they enjoy.
• Next, they can create a soft collage, sticking, sewing, or tying the pieces of fabric together on the cardboard or thick paper base. Encourage them to think carefully when selecting the materials and build the collage up as much as they like, creating a pillow-like sculpture.
• If using this activity with an older group, you could give more direct instructions such as using the materials to depict an event that is painful for them, a person with whom they have painful conflict, or a part of themselves they’re unhappy with.

With this project, participants are softened by the act of collage, rendering painful things into pleasant things.

In a group with young children, we recommend using materials like glue sticks and having pre-cut pieces of material ready.

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4. Build a safe place

This is an activity that’s adaptable for all age groups, but may be a sensitive project for kids and young adults who often have little control of their environments and struggle to ever feel safe.

This project may help a child or teen reflect on ways to find a safe space or may simply help them feel like they have some control over their environment. It can be conducted one-to-one or in small groups.

Here’s how to carry out the activity.

• Safe building materials such as cardboard boxes of different shapes and sizes, popsicle sticks, colored cardboard, pipe-cleaners, markers or colored pencils, glitter, and sequins

You can tailor the materials you use depending on the age group you are working with. The idea is to provide them with as much as possible so they can get creative.

• Ask participants to think about a space that makes them feel safe. Then ask them to reflect on what it is about this particular space that makes them feel that way. Is it bright and sunny or dark and calming? How does it smell? What can they see, hear, and touch when they are in their safe space? If they don’t have one or can’t think of one, ask them similar questions but geared toward what they think would make them feel safe.
• Next, ask participants to take a mindful minute. Have them close their eyes and focus on their breathing. Then bring to mind their safe space, real or imagined, and visualize what this looks like. How does it feel to be in their safe space? What emotions can they sense?
• When participants are comfortable, ask them to explore the various materials and to recreate their safe space. This could be in any format they like, whether a flat drawing or a sculpture; give them as much creative freedom as possible.
• When they have finished and if they feel comfortable, ask them to share their creations with the group, describing the different parts of their safe space. These can be used to create an ongoing dialogue about safe environments and how they might create something like this in real life.

5. Color your feelings

This set of three worksheets includes exercises for children to express their emotions or define the things they care about. It’s a very quick and easy exercise that can help participants create helpful visual representations of the things they value.

The worksheets include an empty outline of a heart.

Here’s how to use it.

• The printed worksheets
• Glitter, sequins, and glue (if desired)
• Ask participants to take a moment to reflect on the things that make their heart happy. What things make them feel good? What words would they use to describe these things? What images and colors come to mind when they think about these things?
• Provide participants with the worksheets and ask them to fill the heart with what they have just been thinking and talking about. They can create these in any way they like, focusing on one thing or filling the heart with as many things as they want.
• Use what they create as a discussion point to help them better understand the things that make their heart happy. How often do these things happen for them? How can they and you work together to create more of these happy moments?

Often, in dealing with adult problems, it’s even harder to articulate what hurts and why.

Distress from pent-up emotions and complex experiences that need articulation is an especially common experience for people in caring professions.

Art therapy is a promising therapy for end-of-life caretakers, helping them feel competent, develop emotionally focused coping skills, and increase emotional awareness – an essential skill to prevent burnout (Potash, Chan, Ho, Wang, & Cheng, 2015).

Caring professionals especially need the defense against burnout that art therapy can provide, but any adult is susceptible to burnout and could use the coping skills taught through art therapy.

Below are five activities for adults that can provide an opportunity to help them better understand themselves. Some of them are for use with clients addressing a specific area, and others are more generally therapeutic.

While these exercises might not be facilitated by a professional art therapist, many of them were developed and used by art therapists and can still make a difference for the individual seeking release.

1. Unmasked – Expressive Art Therapy Directive

This activity was created for people who struggle with eating disorders or have body image problems. People with these conditions often create masks to hide behind that can operate as distractions from other issues, keep others from seeing their suffering, or keep them from seeing their own dysfunction.

This expressive arts therapy activity involves creating masks that help explore the participants’ symbolic masks. Creating masks can be done individually or in a group setting.

The activity can help participants discover suppressed parts of themselves, uncover new coping strategies that aren’t food or body related, and confront a fear of what would happen if the body- and food-focused mask was removed (Schwartz, 2017).

Depending on your resources, you could help participants to make plaster masks from scratch or purchase some pre-made blank masks.

If making plaster masks from scratch, keep in mind that there is a drying time between layers of plaster, so this activity would need to be carried out throughout several sessions. If you are seeking to deliver a one-off workshop activity, the pre-made masks might work best. Other materials to use could include:

• Feathers, pipe cleaners, pieces of different fabric and materials
• Glitter and sequins
• Explain to participants the concept of masks and how each of us might have unconscious masks that we often hide behind. Encourage participants to reflect on their own experiences of this. When do they think they hide behind a mask? What triggers their hiding? What would that mask look like if it were real?
• Next, ask participants to engage in a mindful minute. Have them close their eyes and focus on their breathing. Encourage them to allow thoughts of their mask to enter their mind. Ask them to think about what their ‘best face’ mask might look like, the one they want people to see rather than the one they hide behind to cover up their food or body-related behaviors. What would that mask look like?
• Provide them with the masks and materials. Encourage them to create their ‘best face’ mask.
• When their masks are complete, they could use them to further role-play their ideas about themselves and issues represented by the different masks they wear.

2. The lighthouse

For those who feel lost, overwhelmed, or isolated, expressing those feelings and visualizing hope can be a therapeutic and beautiful way to identify needs, feel hope for the future, and realize where they are on a specific journey.

The activity involves imagining being lost at sea and visualizing the ideal lighthouse that would provide the right kind of guidance. This is a great activity for both children and adults, but an older group or individual might better appreciate the depth and symbolism of the project.

Here are the instructions.

• Plain or colored paper
• Start with a basic guided meditation. Ask participants to sit comfortably, close their eyes, and turn their focus to their breathing. Allow a minute or two for participants to clear their minds and become settled.
• As participants continue to meditate and relax, explain that it is common for all of us at points in our life to feel lost, isolated, or overwhelmed. It can be a scary time, and we often think there is no way out, but there is usually always a light to help guide us back to safety.
• Next, start to tell participants a story. They have been out on a boat on a clear day, but as the day progressed, the weather has taken a turn for the worse. The sky has darkened, the sea is black and choppy. It is cold, and water is flowing into the boat. They have lost their way and are unsure of how they will find their way back again. But, in the distance, they see a lighthouse showing them the way to safety. They must head toward the lighthouse.
• Bring participants out of their meditation and provide them with the materials. Instruct them to draw, color, or paint a lighthouse as a source of guidance. Encourage them to depict themselves in relation to the lighthouse somewhere in the image and to add words that represent sources of guidance in their life.

How does art therapy heal the soul? – Participant

3. The self-care box

Affirmation and inspiration are the keys to the self-care box . It can be comforting to have something small, tangible, and beautiful in times of trouble. This is a simple activity that can have impactful results in times of need.

The box can be used as a resource, and its ongoing creation can be therapeutic for the participant.

Here’s how to make a self-care box.

You can ask participants to make their own box out of cardboard, or you can find small, plain, and inexpensive wooden boxes from many arts and crafts stores. Whichever you choose, you will also need:

• Glitter, sequins, pieces of materials like lace, etc.
• Old magazines, newspapers, or picture books
• Ask participants to reflect on their ideas of self-care. What does it mean to them? What are some of the things, behaviors, people, or activities that help them feel good about themselves and that feel like self-care?
• Encourage them to think about the emotions, feelings, words, images, and colors that these ideas for self-care evoke within them.
• Next, provide them with the boxes and materials. Tell them that these self-care boxes will be used to store small trinkets, souvenirs, and quotes that align with their ideas of self-care.
• Participants can then decorate their boxes to best align with their ideas of self-care. Encourage them to decorate or line the box with positive affirmations. These can be self-generated, generated by group members, or found online. These can also be simply folded and put into the box to be read when needed.
• Use the box for items that provide comfort, like worry stones, pictures of friends or family, clips of quotes or poetry, pressed flowers, or treasured jewelry or mementos. They might even leave some movie or massage gift cards in the box that can be used when they feel drained and in need of self-care.

You can share these quotes with them for inspiration:

• Best Therapy Quotes
• Best Coaching Quotes
• Emotional Intelligence Quotes
• Happiness Quotes

4. The poem collage

Self-criticism can make the act of creation challenging, and finding the words to express your feelings can often be difficult because you’re self-conscious of how inadequate the expressions can feel.

By creating a poem from a pool of words collected from sources like magazines, newspapers, and old books, you can create an un-self-conscious poem that molds pre-existing words to your feelings.

Here’s how to make a poem collage . This activity can be carried out with a group or one-to-one

• Explain the concept of self-talk to participants, and how when we talk negatively to ourselves, it can significantly impact our mood, emotions, and feelings of growth and happiness.
• Encourage a discussion around how and when participants are self-critical of themselves and when they engage in self-talk. Ask them to reflect on whether their loved ones would say these things about them. What would their loved ones say about them instead?
• Provide participants with the materials and encourage them to create their own word/poem collage filled with positive affirmations and kind words they would like to associate more with themselves.
• Let participants be as freely creative as they want, including images and colors that also make them feel good.
• When they have finished, instruct them to take this home and place it somewhere they look every day. Encourage them to spend 3–5 minutes each morning or evening taking in what they have created and build these positive words and images into their day.
• If a project like this is used in a group or therapy setting, practitioners could ask the participants about their word choices, chosen themes, or interpretations of the poems (Frank, 2014).

5. The family sculpture

The family sculpture exercise is a popular art therapy activity that exists in many other therapy types, such as family therapy , though in a modified form. It is enlightening for clients to mold their family in a way that represents the members and the dynamics, and it helps them identify problems in relationships that otherwise might be ignored.

It is a great activity to use with adults, where family dynamics and relationships are more ingrained, to bring awareness to how these things impact our thought processes.

• Simple modeling clay, Play-Doh, etc.
• Explain to participants that our families have a significant role in our lives. From an early age, the ways we engage with our families shape how we go on to engage as adults and within other relationships. It’s important to reflect on our family dynamics to understand how and why we might communicate in the ways we do so we can better work to change the ways that might be negative.
• Provide participants with the material, and ask them to shape and mold members of their family. A useful way to direct this activity can be to encourage participants to create abstract shapes or use other objects to represent certain family members.
• Next, ask participants to position the family members in ways or scenarios that they feel best to reflect the family dynamics more generally.
• Participants can then be encouraged to discuss the shapes or objects they have chosen and why. Try to go deeper to uncover what these shapes represent. If used in a full therapy session, participants could also use the figures to conduct a role-play, which can then be discussed with the therapist to uncover deeper thoughts and ideas about their family relationships (Malchiodi, 2010).

Anxiety is experienced differently by different people and can range from low to severe. The range of symptoms experienced is also extensive, which means for many people, it often goes undiagnosed. Developing positive coping strategies and understanding how anxiety shows up in your life and what triggers an anxious response are crucial for managing anxiety.

One of the most enlightening parts of art therapy is the process of creation, which can be just as revealing as the final product. However, for people with anxiety, there may be an intense need to finish the creative process and create a universally appealing final product.

For people with anxiety, self-discovery and healthy coping mechanisms are essential, and art therapy techniques are among the healthiest ways to deal with some of the symptoms and experiences of living with anxiety.

Below are five art therapy activities, specifically designed to support individuals with anxiety .

1. The panic book

People with an anxious panic disorder can spiral into a panic just thinking about the possibility of having a panic attack. Panic attacks can have many triggers, sometimes known, but often not.

The panic book activity encourages participants to create a book full of images that help them keep calm during stressful situations and help refocus their mind onto something more positive.

• Artist sketchbooks or blank notebooks
• Magazines, newspapers, old picture books, etc.
• Any other craft materials participants might use to create their book. For example, you could download some affirmation images from the internet or ask participants to bring a selection of photographs that are meaningful for them.
• Open the activity with a discussion about how the individuals feel about their panic attacks. Demonstrate empathy and let them know they are not alone in their experiences. Today’s activity will help them to create a resource to support them during anxious times.
• Provide each participant with a blank sketchbook/notebook. Tell them this will become their panic book, and within it, they are going to create a reserve of images and words that help them to feel calm.
• Allow participants to use all the materials provided to begin creating their panic book. They can do this however they choose, but if someone feels stuck, encourage them to perhaps start by creating a theme for different sections of their book, such as the beach, favorite places and people, or nature scenes.
• Participants do not need to fill the entire sketchbook in one session. It is something they can come back to over time and add to as they find more words and images that evoke feelings of calm and comfort for them.
• Encourage them to keep this book close with them, so if they feel a moment of panic approaching, they can refer to it as a resource to help distract them and focus on the things that evoke calm emotions.

2. What anxiety looks like

Understanding and visualizing anxiety can be a pivotal first step in controlling and treating it.

Representing anxiety as an abstract concept, person, or even a monster can help participants develop strategies to recognize it when they feel it coming on and deal with it appropriately. This activity allows participants to do just that.

Here’s how to do the activity.

• Paints and easels
• Collage materials
• Sculpting clay
• Miscellaneous materials such as fabrics and textures
• Scissors, paper, and glue
• Introduce the concept of the workshop activity by discussing anxiety more generally. Ask participants to reflect on the idea that anxiety is mostly an unseen thing, but what if we could see it? What would it look like?
• Ask participants to take a mindful minute to reflect on these questions. Ask them to close their eyes and focus on their breathing. Now, have them turn their thoughts to their anxiety. If they had to describe it, where would they begin? Does it have a body, a head, and limbs, or is it more abstract? What shape does it take? Is it tall, short, skinny, fat? What color is it?
• Next, ask them to reflect on the personality of the anxiety. Does it talk, or is it silent? What does it care about? How does it express its cares?
• Once participants are comfortable, provide them with the materials, and ask them to recreate their anxiety. They can use any medium they feel comfortable with.
• When participants have completed their creation, have them discuss the appearance and personality of the anxiety or journal about what they’ve discovered (Tartakovsky, 2015).

3. Visual starter

Art therapy for anxiety can be counterproductive in clients who are anxious about creating art.

The visual starter exercise is a way around this, helping individuals to get started without being self-conscious. The starters can be adapted to specific prompts or used solely for healthy stress-relieving creation.

Here’s how to use visual starters for art therapy.

• Printouts of the ‘Starters’ PDFs located via the link above
• Introduce the activity to participants, explaining that it is focused solely on their interpretations and creative process and is not about any artistic skill. There is no right or wrong way to complete the activity.
• Provide participants with the printout worksheet and drawing materials, and encourage them to take a moment to reflect on what the shape inspires in them. If needed, you can help them through a short mindfulness/visualization activity to help calm their mind and create some ideas.
• For any participants who get stuck, encourage them to take a break and have a discussion around potential inspiration ideas for the shapes.
• If applicable, talk about what the final result represents. It’s possible that participants simply drew to experience the relief of focused creation that erases present-moment anxiety.

4. Creating mindfulness beads

Similar to a worry stone or fidget cube, mindfulness beads can be a simple, cheap coping mechanism that are fun to create and easy to carry around.

Here’s how to make and use mindfulness beads . There are a few ways to create mindfulness beads, depending on who you complete the workshop with and your skill level.

• Purchase a mixture of beads
• Find some old jewelry at home or from a thrift store that you can take apart
• Use simple oven-bake modeling clay to make the beads

You will also need:

• Some string or leather strands to add the beads to
• Explain the concept of mindfulness to participants, if they are unfamiliar with it, and talk them through a short introductory mindfulness exercise. Ask them to close their eyes, and focus on their breathing, feeling each breath as they slowly inhale and exhale.
• Then, explain the concept of mindfulness beads and that you will be creating them. Mindfulness beads can be used during times of anxiety as something to refocus their mind and create a distraction from anxious thoughts while they practice mindfulness.
• Provide participants with whichever option of creating their own beads you have chosen. Ask them to take a moment to think about the colors they find most enjoyable and what textures they might like to feel when trying to distract themselves.
• They can use the beads and string to create a keychain, bracelet, or necklace, whichever they feel would be most helpful for them.
• When finished, advise that when using the beads, they can simply reflect on the overall appearance and texture, or they can touch and focus on one bead at a time, assigning meaning and using each bead as a prompt for meditation.

5. Zentangle drawing

Zentangle was created with the promise that anyone can do it, even if they don’t think they can draw well enough to create something beautiful. Drawing Zentangles creates a feeling of accomplishment and helps to pass the time in a thoughtful, healing way.

Here’s how to draw Zentangles.

• Plain paper
• Instruct participants to take a moment to feel gratitude and express appreciation for the materials and the opportunity to create something beautiful. Remind them that the activity is not about artistic skill or who can draw better than anyone else. There are no right or wrong ways to complete the activity.
• Provide each participant with paper and their choice of markers/pencils. Ask them to draw four dots, one in each corner, so the page is no longer blank and intimidating.
• Next, instruct them to connect the dots by drawing a light border around the edges of the paper, creating a square.
• Within that square, they can draw lines that divide the paper into different sections. They can do this any way they like, creating as many different shapes as they like.
• Now that they have a square filled with shapes, ask them to pick one shape and to begin filling it in with more defined shapes, strokes, dashes, lines, or dots, keeping within the pre-drawn border. Tell them to move around the page filling in each shape with its own unique set of shapes, lines, and strokes. They can be as creative as they like with this, rotating the paper to suit their free-flowing creativity.
• Advise participants this is their creative piece to shade in different ways and use different colors if they would like to.
• Participants keep going until they have filled the entire page.

Whether you’re looking for additional education on art therapy or exercises and activities for yourself or clients, there are plenty of resources out there.

Below I’ve picked five of my favorite books that are well worth looking into if you’re interested in art therapy.

1. Art Therapy Sourcebook – Cathy Malchiodi

She defines ways to perform art therapy yourself and how to interpret the results.

Malchiodi also has a growing legacy of art therapy publications that would benefit the casual learner and professional alike.

Available on Amazon .

2. Art as Therapy: Collected Papers – Edith Kramer

This collection of papers touches on many topics relating to therapy, art, society, and clinical practice.

As it is slightly more academic focused, with an overview of previous and current research, it is an excellent resource for those considering entering the field of art therapy as a profession.

3. Art Therapy Techniques and Applications – Susan Buchalter

The book contains exercises that combine many different art mediums with mindfulness exercises and counseling applications.

4. The Book of Zentangle – Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas

It’s a foundational educational source on the development of the Zentangle and includes completed Zentangles for inspiration.

The authors describe it as a left brain/right brain resource for conjoining pictures and words.

5. 100 Magnificent Mandalas: Adult Coloring Book Vol. 1 – Jade Summer

Although not considered an authentic art therapy resource in research terms, a coloring book full of meditative mandala patterns could be a worthy investment for reducing anxiety and practicing art therapy as part of a self-care regime.

You can also find a list of the 16 best therapy books here.

It is still gaining traction, but positive psychology research has shown that when combined with other therapies, art therapy has great success in treating disorders, garnering it a great deal of respect and making it an ever-growing field.

If you’re interested in becoming a licensed art therapist, do some research about what regions would recognize your license once it’s obtained.

Most importantly, research art therapy thoroughly and find out what art therapists from around the world love about the job as well as the challenges that come with it.

Art therapists tend to focus their work with either adults or children and can work in a range of settings, including hospitals, care facilities, and schools.

If you think art therapy is the right career choice for you, then here are some steps you can take toward becoming an art therapist:

• If you haven’t already, obtain a bachelor’s degree in behavioral or social science that will prepare you for work at the master’s level.
• To be an accredited art therapist, you will have to seek acceptance into the appropriate association for your region. Pathways to gaining accreditation can vary, so research what this might look like for yourself. Making an appointment with a career advisor or university course advisor can also help shed some light on the best educational pathway to pursue.
• Become familiar and comfortable with art and its many expressions, alongside your required learning to practice therapy.
• Gain appropriate work experience, whether paid or unpaid, so you can begin building your professional skills and knowledge. Seek out mentors and other qualified therapists in the field that you can learn from.
• Reach out to local hospitals, assisted living centers, psychiatric hospitals, detention centers, or schools to find out about needs in these communities for licensed counselors with your skills.

17 Top-Rated Positive Psychology Exercises for Practitioners

Expand your arsenal and impact with these 17 Positive Psychology Exercises [PDF] , scientifically designed to promote human flourishing, meaning, and wellbeing.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

The internet has opened up many useful avenues for finding professionals that specialize in specific therapy or counseling needs. Thankfully, there are many directories of art therapists that can be searched by postal code.

Some directories that can be searched by location and that include art therapists are:

• Art Therapy Credentials Board
• British Association of Art Therapists
• Psychology Today

If your region currently recognizes art therapy as a viable counseling option, then it likely has a local art therapy association with a directory of licensed professionals local to you.

Finally, it’s common to wonder whether your insurance will even cover treatment by an art therapist. Generally, the best way to find out is to call your insurance provider. It might be able to refer you to an art therapist in your area who’s covered by your insurance.

I hope after reading this article, you’ve found a deeper appreciation for art therapy as a practice and the range of resources available to you as an individual or practitioner that can be easily implemented with a variety of clients.

Working with young people, I know how important it is to encourage their creativity at any possible moment, and I regularly utilize collage as an expressive form to help my students tap into their ideas. These visual representations always instigate some fantastic group discussions and one-to-one dialogues that the students and I find valuable.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s that art therapy can be used by absolutely anyone. There is no prerequisite of artistic skill. The more you tap into your creative process, the more comfortable you’ll feel with how you choose to express yourself through artistic methods.

Have you used any art therapy activities in your practice, either personally or with clients? Which ones did you use and how did it go? I’d love to hear all about your experiences in the comments below.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

• American Art Therapy Association. (2013). What is art therapy? Retrieved from http://www.arttherapy.org/upload/whatisarttherapy.pdf
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2017). Facts & statistics. Retrieved from https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
• Buchalter, S. I. (2009).  Art therapy techniques and applications.  Jessica Kingsley.
• Curry, N., & Kasser, T. (2005). Can coloring mandalas reduce anxiety? Art Therapy: Journal of American Art Therapy Association, 22 (2), 81–85.
• Frank, P. (2014). 10 Easy art therapy techniques to help you destress. Huffington Post. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/art-therapy-techniques_n_6103092.html
• Kramer, E. (2001).  Art as therapy (Collected papers). Jessica Kingsley.
• Malchiodi, C. (2006).  Art therapy sourcebook.  McGraw-Hill Education.
• Malchiodi, C. (2010). Cool art therapy intervention #9: Family sculpture. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/arts-and-health/201002/cool-art-therapy-intervention-9-family-sculpture
• Potash, J. S., Chan, F., Ho, A. H. Y., Wang, X. L., & Cheng, C. (2015). A model for art therapy-based supervision for end-of-life care workers in Hong Kong. Death Studies, 39 , 44–51.
• Roberts, R., & Thomas, M. (n.d.).  The book of Zentangle. King Printing.
• Schwartz, D. (2017). Unmasked: Expressive arts therapy directive. Art Therapy Blog. Retrieved from http://www.arttherapyblog.com/art-therapy-activities/unmasked/#.Wg3OchNSzeR
• Summer, J. (2016).  Mandala coloring book: 100+ Unique mandala designs and stress relieving patterns for adult relaxation, meditation, and happiness.  Author.
• Tartakovsky, M. (2015). 3 Art therapy techniques to deal with anxiety. Psych Central. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/10/19/3-art-therapy-techniques-to-deal-with-anxiety
• Zentangle. (n.d.) Get Started. Retrieved from https://zentangle.com/pages/get-started

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100 Art Therapy Ideas & Art Therapy Exercises: Your Path to Harmony from Artistro

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Table of Contents:

Simple art therapy techniques, some more creative therapeutic activity ideas, original therapeutic art projects, the magic of therapy drawing, finishing touches from the list of 100 art therapy exercises.

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy based on creativity and self-expression. The approach is used as a means to relieve stress, increase self-esteem and awareness, and for post-traumatic recovery aims. Mostly, other forms of therapy use verbal language to express feelings and overcome personal obstacles. On the contrary, art therapy allows for more abstract forms of communication. This tactic involves the manifestation of elements of the subconscious, for which there is no willingness or ability to be voiced.

You don't need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. In fact, most of the exercises do not rely on the end result that you create, but on the therapeutic effect of the ritual of the creative process itself. If you are intrigued by the possibility of relaxation through your artistic imagination, then this list of 100 art therapy exercises is just for you.

1.The masks art therapy ideas. On the prepared stencils, draw the emotions of those masks that you usually wear. This exercise helps you develop empathy skills, listen to yourself, tell your story on behalf of each mask. 2. What is the feminine and masculine art therapy ideas. This is one of the simplest therapeutic art activities. First, it is discussed in groups how to create a collage on a given topic. During the creative process, the opinions of both groups are taken into account. The exercise expands the understanding of social interaction and human behavior. 3. Drawing yourself art therapy ideas. Draw yourself as a plant or animal are the easiest paint therapy ideas. The exercise helps to know yourself, to open your inner world. 4. Scratching art therapy ideas. Graphic work on a soapy lining is velvety due to the scratching of its surface. This exercise improves fine motor skills, relieves emotional stress. 5. Salt drawings art therapy ideas. If you cover colored paper with glue and salt, you get beautiful snowdrifts. You can also use toothpaste by squeezing it along the outline. This exercise develops fine motor skills.

6.Wet paint art therapy ideas . A drawing is created when paint is added to a non-dried background and shaded with a sponge or a wide brush. In this way, it is convenient to draw sunrises and sunsets, as well as the coloring of animals. This exercise develops imagination, relieve emotional stress. 7. Splashing art therapy ideas. For the color splashing technique, use a comb, brush, or toothbrush. Bright splashes will help express seasonal changes (leaf color changes, wind direction). This exercise improves creative vision, relieves emotional stress. 8. Egg mosaic art therapy ideas. Add some crushed eggshells in several glasses with multi-colored paint. Draw a picture, sprinkle it with eggshell mosaic. This exercise develops fine motor skills. 9. Monotype art therapy ideas. Spatter the paint onto the glass with water and a brush to form stains. Cover the puddles with clean paper to create a beautiful landscape. The exercise is aimed at developing imagination, creativity. 10. Invisible or Candle art therapy ideas. Drawing Exercise First, paint a magic drawing on a blank sheet of paper with a candle, then wash it with watercolor. Such art therapy activities develop imagination, fine motor skills, relieves emotional stress.

11. Pair drawing art therapy ideas. Try to create a drawing or applique together without discussing the topic in advance. Talking during the creative process is prohibited. Creating of such therapeutic art projects develops self-regulation, the ability to constructively interact. 12. Walk in the woods art therapy ideas. While listening to music, draw a forest, transferring your feelings from unity with nature. This therapy drawing develops the imagination, helps to discover the inner corners of the soul. 13. Drawing circles art therapy ideas. Several participants at the same table draw circles of any color and size on a large sheet of paper. The middle of the circle is filled with any images, creating a chain from them. Such group art therapy techniques reveal interpersonal and group relationships and offer the potential for building cohesion. 14. A fairy tale of a butterfly and a dream art therapy ideas. Draw your dreams to the sound of music on the silhouette of a butterfly. On one wing, depict the content of your nightmare, and on the other wing, the content of your pleasant dreams. The purpose of such art therapy exercises is to study night fears, to find an inner resource. 15. Spontaneous drawing exercise. Draw an illustration for your favorite fairy tale. The exercise provides an opportunity to become aware of your real experiences.

16. My planet art therapy ideas. Close your eyes and imagine a planet in space. Draw this planet. This exercise and similar examples of art therapy develop imagination, fine motor skills, relieve emotional stress. 17. The two with one piece of chalk art therapy ideas. This is one of the best therapeutic activity ideas for collaboration. On the board or on the asphalt, the two of you need to draw a picture together with one chalk, alternately passing it from hand to hand. You cannot talk while drawing. The exercise develops cooperation, the ability to work in a team. 18. Drawing on crumpled paper art therapy ideas. Crumple a sheet of paper, tear off the edges in the form of an oval or circle. In the middle, create a drawing on any topic. Exercise trains the imagination, helps to overcome stress. 19. Ink blots and butterflies art therapy ideas. Drip a drop of ink on thin paper and roll it up or fold it in half. Expand the sheet and transform the seen image. The exercise sets you up for reflection, develops imagination and ingenuity. 20. Paint blowing art therapy ideas. Apply paint to a sheet of paper with plenty of water. At the very end of the work, blow color spots through a thin tube, forming droplets, splashes, and color mixing. Try to see the image and transform it. This exercise hones hand coordination, helps to overcome stress.

21. Drawing with charcoal crayons art therapy ideas. Take charcoal crayons to create this therapy drawing. Use charcoal along with colour pencils or wax crayons. The art therapy ideas of such activities are to relieve emotional stress by immersion in oneself. 22. Doodle art therapy ideas. Let the pencil flutter freely on the paper, draw doodles without any purpose or intention and pass it on to your partner, who must create an image from them and develop it. The exercise helps you immerse yourself in your own world, sets you up for reflection. 23. Draw a mood art therapy ideas. Paint different moods (sad, cheerful, joyful, etc.). The exercise develops empathy. 24. Rainbow art therapy ideas. When doing this, apply each strip with a partner in turn. The exercise develops the emotional world, communication skills. 25. Group drawing in a circle art therapy ideas. Discuss the idea of the future drawing in the group. The picture must be drawn, alternately passing the task to the next participant. Exercise develops empathy, goodwill towards each other.

26. Drawing with music art therapy ideas. While listening to Vivaldi's 4 Seasons Symphony, paint the landscape in large strokes. Exercise helps relieve emotional stress. 27. Finger drawing art therapy ideas. Draw a plot in the air with your fingers. Your opponent must guess the drawing. The exercise develops imagination, communication skills. 28. Draw your mandala art therapy ideas. Use a pencil to draw a circle with a diameter that matches the size of your head. Find a center and start drawing from it, depicting a specific figure, and let the composition of your drawing form by itself. Mandala exercise relieves stress, fatigue, tension. 29. Magic paint art therapy ideas. Paint a magical land with magical colors. Stir flour, salt, sunflower oil, gouache, water and create a drawing with your hands. Exercise helps to overcome emotional stress, develops imagination. 30. Colors Life Story art therapy ideas. Apply yellow on a sheet of paper, apply blue on top of it. So a new color was born, it's green. The exercise develops sensory abilities and imagination.

31. Inner world map art therapy ideas. In the likeness of a geographic map, create a map of your inner world. To do this, think about what feelings, states prevail in you ("ocean of love", or "mountain of courage"). Leave the "undiscovered islands" to discover new qualities. The exercise forms an idea of yourself; helps to understand and express your feelings. 32. Envelopes of joy and sorrow art therapy ideas. A lot of different events take place during the day, both joyful and sad. Make two paper envelopes. In one of them, collect your joys, and in the other, hide your sorrows in the form of drawings. The exercise develops the ability to express your feelings in relation to various life situations. 33. Family poster art therapy ideas. Stick the envelope onto a large sheet of A3 paper. Place your family photos that show the brightest events in an envelope. Add a small symbolic drawing to each photo. This exercise brings family members together emotionally and helps to strengthen family values. 34. My emblem art therapy ideas. An emblem is a distinctive sign that depicts a symbol of an idea or person. Use plasticine to make your own emblem. The exercise forms an idea of oneself, awareness of one's interests and aspirations. 35. My family's coat of arms art therapy ideas. Look at family photos. Use generalized knowledge about the history of your family to make the coat of arms of your family. Exercise forms an understanding of family values, strengthens blood ties.

36. Flower art therapy ideas. Close your eyes and imagine a beautiful flower. What does it look and smell like? Make your own unique flower using colored paper, glue, and scissors. This exercise trains imagination and helps to overcome stress. 37. Cheerful fingers art therapy ideas. Take a piece of paper and gouache. Put your fingers in colorful paints and create a pattern that matches your mood. The goal of such an exercise is to relieve emotional stress, train fine motor skills and imagination. 38. Postcard without addressee art therapy ideas. If emotions or feelings about a person are raging within you, release them in a letter. To enhance the therapeutic effect, draw an additional postcard. The purpose of the exercise is to pour out negative emotions. 39. Collage from a torn painting art therapy ideas. Draw a picture and then tear it apart. Use the pieces of the drawing along with other elements to create a new work as a collage. This exercise unlocks your creativity. 40. Creation of the altar art therapy ideas. Build an altar for someone who is important to you (this could be a deceased relative, your first school love, or a brother with whom you quarreled). Decorate it with shared memories: photos, souvenirs, gifts, letters, and crafts. This activity helps you to understand the value of human relationships, as well as helps to heal wounds and find comfort in difficult times.

41. Alone in the dark art therapy ideas. Create a drawing in complete darkness. Creative tension comes from criticism and condemnation of the people around. This exercise will allow you to free yourself from perfectionism and enjoy the original creativity. 42. Color your physical condition art therapy ideas. Close your eyes, relax, and listen to your body. Using watercolors, paint your physical sensations: your pulse, breathing. This is your most authentic self-portrait. 43. Zentangle meditation art therapy ideas. Create a series of patterns and repeating ornaments in black and white zenteling technique. Such an activity reveals creative potential, giving the right to a creative mistake: nothing can be erased. 44. Allow yourself a mistake art therapy ideas. Think about the traits you don't like about yourself, the failures or mistakes you have made. Focus on one of these blunders and draw it in your artwork. In this way, you give yourself the right to make a mistake, forgive your being imperfect. 45. Poetic collage art therapy ideas. Cut out inspiring phrases from old letters, newspapers, or brochures and create a collage from them. You don't need to have an initial idea, you can come up with an idea as you create.

46. Nominal drawing tool art therapy ideas. Come up with your own paint brush. It doesn't matter if you glue the toothpicks to a cardboard base or attach a skein of thread to a pencil. The purpose of the exercise is to free yourself from control over the drawing process. 47. Forgiveness box art therapy ideas. To get rid of negative emotions in relation to a person, you need to forgive him or her. Take any cardboard box and decorate it with calming patterns. You can add a letter or a photo of this person. The purpose of this activity is to create pleasant memories that connect you with this person. 48. Happiness card art therapy ideas. Choose and draw three habits for happiness. The purpose of the exercise is to become aware of your feelings, to understand where to move to improve the quality of your life. 49. My good sides art therapy ideas. To relax, relieve stress and fatigue, you can use light art exercises. Draw your good character traits. 50. Fingerprint art therapy ideas. Contour your hand (palms with fingers) and create unique patterns inside.

51. Childhood memories art therapy ideas. Draw your childhood memory. This will help relieve stress and fatigue. 52. Happy moments art therapy ideas. Draw an abstraction of the positive moments in your life. 53. Kindness marathon art therapy ideas. Paint a stone or a brick, take part in the Kindness rocks marathon. 54. Collage of leaves art therapy ideas. Collect a collage of leaves, twigs, glue them to paper. Then finish painting the background, draw pictures around them. 55. Imitator art therapy ideas. Create your own interpretation of a famous painting.

56. Dreams art therapy ideas. Draw your dreams using exactly the shapes and images in which they come to your mind. 57. Drawing with symbols and abstractions art therapy ideas. Use colors, lines, shapes to create images that express your understanding of feelings of guilt, grief, happiness. It is important to discuss the author's reasoning for the choice of color, shape, and composition. 58. The color of my mood art therapy ideas. Each member of the group is invited to walk through a drawn maze and stop in a zone which color matches his or her mood. Further, work is carried out on individual signs (images, symbols) of mood. 59. Image and mood plastic art therapy ideas. Each participant is asked to choose a piece of plasticine of a certain color and give it a suitable shape that is relevant to the topic. Exercise is useful when dealing with aggression, destructive behavior, fears. 60. Series of drawings art therapy ideas. 3-4 art exercises are performed at once. It is necessary to develop the background of the offered drawing: next to it, depict your condition. Don't analyze or criticize your drawings, allow yourself to do whatever you want.

61. Drawing on wet paper art therapy ideas . Drawing on wet way actualizes the feelings associated with a person's attitude to himself, reflects a person's ability to relax, without control, to accept life as it is. 62. Drawing on crumpled paper art therapy ideas. Drawing on crumpled paper actualizes the topic of relationships with loved ones, growth and overcoming conflict. 63. Drawing on checkered paper art therapy ideas. Drawing on checkered paper actualizes the interaction of a person with the system, with society, finding his vocation. 64. Drawing on torn paper art therapy ideas. Torn paper artwork reflects a person's ability to recover, survive crisis periods, integrate, and change. 65. Drawing a name art therapy ideas. The focus of these therapeutic art projects is on the phenomena of identity and self-acceptance. With a wide brush and oil paint in your hand, write your name so that it takes up as much space as possible. Draw your name on a piece of paper with symbolism.

66. Visualization art therapy ideas. Visualization exercise Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. The assistant pronounces separate phrases, and you should focus on their content. After that, you need to draw images of the words you heard. 67. Two randoms art therapy ideas. Take a dictionary and pick two random concepts at random. Match them up, come up with a crazy story with these concepts, and draw a picture. These art exercises is great for training the brain and helps develop creativity. 68. Crazy geneticist art therapy ideas. Draw something that combines as many features of all the animals you know as possible. The goal of the therapy drawing is to turn off logic by focusing on creativity. 69. Mad architect exercise. Choose any 10 words. Imagine that you are an architect and your client has set these 10 requirements. While drawing on paper, simultaneously imagine what it might look like in real life. 70. Five plus five art therapy ideas. Pick any noun and draw this object. Now come up with 5 adjectives that suit him and draw them. After that, come up with 5 more adjectives that do not fit, and draw them too.

71. Naming art therapy ideas. Every time you are interested in an object, come up with a name and artistic symbol for it. Draw the symbol using paints. 72. Working with salt dough art therapy ideas. Such paint therapy ideas transform images, supplement them with new details, destroy and create again. You can mold your fear out of salt dough and destroy it, decorate it, or transform it into something else. 73. Metaphorical self-portrait art therapy ideas. Draw yourself as an object, plant, or animal that you want to be. Then write a short story about it. The therapy drawing develops flexible role-playing behavior, the formation of identity. 74. Day events art therapy ideas. Pick a day you would like to remember and draw its content in every detail. The task is to actualize the feelings; distance from negative events. 75. At the crossroads art therapy ideas. Divide the sheets into several rows, name each row one of the options for your behavior model. Model the result of solving your question in accordance with a certain model after 1 year and draw on the first sheet. Move all 5 rows this way, going further into the future each time. This is suitable for those in a situation of choice in making vital decisions.

76. Protective amulet art therapy ideas. Collect all kinds of art materials and make yourself a personal amulet to protect you from your fears. The goal is to reduce psycho-emotional stress. 77. Emotional body atlas art therapy ideas. Write down five emotions on a piece of paper: fear, joy, anger, sadness, shame. To the right of the title, you need to make a note with paints of the color with which you associate these emotions. The purpose is to investigate a group of irritants that are most clearly manifested in bodily reactions. 78. The sun art therapy ideas. In the center of the sheet, write the subject (key word), find associations to a word that reveal its meaning. Write down each association and connect it to the word in the center with a line. This is how the sun appears with the rays coming from it, which you need to color. 79. This is me art therapy ideas . Paper and pens are distributed to all participants. Each one comes up with 10 phrases that characterize him or her and depicts it in the form of a picture. The purpose of the exercise is to help the participants get to know each other better, to establish cooperation. 80. What's in your heart art therapy ideas. Take your time, use art materials you like (pencils, crayons, markers, paints) and listen carefully to yourself. Fill the drawn heart with those emotions, feelings, experiences that live in your heart.

81. The letter of anger art therapy ideas. Spill out on paper with the help of paints all negative emotions in relation to any person or event. This exercise helps to remove negativity and teaches you to understand your emotional state. 82. I'll give the pain to paper art therapy ideas. Use a straw to blow out your pain. Place diluted watercolor paint in a cocktail straw and blow onto a piece of paper. From now on, thoughts of love, not pain, live inside you. 83. Drawing the spasm art therapy ideas. If you are experiencing physical discomfort, draw a picture of the spasm. Completion of the item from separate details, in order to form new images, helps to overcome traumatic psychoemotional conditions. 84. Cast drawing art therapy ideas. One of the simple and effective therapeutic art ideas is liquid paint cast. This exercise makes it possible to blur the meaning of psycho emotional experiences symbolically. cast 85. Depth casts art therapy ideas. Completing monotypic casts on a separate sheet with a search for deep saving meanings is a very effective art therapy crafts.

86. Colored sheets art therapy ideas. Sketch in any color as many sheets of paper as many negative words you can use to describe the pain. 87. Geometric figures art therapy ideas. Draw your pain in geometric shapes in different color range. 88. My life is like... art therapy ideas . Make a series of pictures on separate sheets. Draw your feelings today. The theme of the drawings: My life is like a road, river, mountain, game, fire. 89. Facets of myself art therapy ideas. Create a collage on the topic "The Facets of My Self" from magazine clippings and newspaper pictures. Draw the missing details. 90. Associations art therapy ideas. On a piece of paper, draw associations for your partner: if he were a color, an object, an animal, a musical composition, then how exactly do you see him or her.

91. Fell the rhythm art therapy ideas. Play the rhythm of your choice by clapping your hands, tapping the table, clicking, etc. Draw what you feel along the way. When you get used to it, play it in a different way or choose a new rhythm. 92. Plasticine modeling art therapy ideas. Sculpt the image that first comes to your mind. Modeling from plasticine, dough, clay is an effective means of modeling a new self-image, productive relationships, values.

93. The lacking person art therapy ideas. Remember childhood and draw a lacking person, thanks to whom your life could change for the better. 94. Man and the planet of one's treasures art therapy ideas . From pieces of dough, mold a sculpture of a person and the planet of his treasures. Place the sculpture in paper space (the universe). Paint the dried sculpture. The goal of such art therapy activities is to reflect and analyze your behavior. 95. The letter from the future art therapy ideas. Come up with a fictional written message to yourself from yourself from the future detailing the life you want. The drawing will complement the effect perfectly.

96. Feeling to feeling art therapy ideas. Draw your feeling at the very moment (type, shape, color is determined by you). In each subsequent part of the sheet, it is necessary to draw an image of feeling in relation to the previous drawing. 97. Five wishes art therapy ideas. Write your wishes on 5 sheets. Choose the color and composition of the picture for each of them. The main thing is that the color combination matches your idea of the very desire. 98. Acceptance art therapy ideas. Cut the completed abstract drawing from a magazine or newspaper into pieces of any shape. A fragment of someone else's drawing must be integrated into your work. Glue the collage and paint the rest. 99. Reference geometric shapes art therapy ideas. Draw a circle around the point in the center of the sheet and continue spinning in a circle for one minute. In the same way, inscribe the star in the circle. Monitor your sensations as you exercise. 100. My house art therapy ideas. List all of your relatives on a piece of paper. Draw a house and place your family inside it. The goal of such art therapy techniques is to diagnose family relationships.

We offer to consider 100 simple exercises that will help you explore your inner self and unleash your creative potential. Perhaps not all of them will be useful or convenient to use specifically for you, but at least some of the list you can use on an ongoing basis. These simple art therapy techniques will help you open up new facets of yourself, as well as release stress, tension, and just relax after a hard working day.

How did you like our art therapy techniques? Which exercise did you remember the most

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50 Low Prep Teletherapy Activities for Kids

September 12, 2020 By Claire Heffron

Check out these Teletherapy Activities for your next virtual therapy session!  This list is full of low-prep, low-maintenance ideas that will help you target all kinds of developmental skills with your clients.

50+ Low Prep Teletherapy Activities for Kids

Click on the links and read through each post to get an idea of whether the activity will be a fit for your student/client.

Then, scroll to the end of the post until you see the section entitled “For Virtual Sessions” .  Here, you’ll find basic instructions on how to facilitate the activities during your next teletherapy session.

And don’t miss our  Virtual Therapy pack!   This resource is full of more than 60 fun, engaging, colorful interactive activities for your teletherapy practice!

What Adaptations/Supplies are Needed?

For many of the activities, hardly any adaptations are needed, aside from asking caregivers to have certain (very basic) materials on hand for the session.  For others, you may want to download the PDF that’s included in the post to screen share or print.

A few of the posts also include interactive online spinners or interactive Google Slides for the student/client to use during the session.  Depending on which platform you’re using, some of the drawing activities can be completed using the “Annotate” or “Draw” feature, where the child can draw on the screen.

Fall Themed Teletherapy Activities

​ Build Your Own Scarecrow Drawing Activity ​

​ Pick a Pumpkin Fine Motor Activity [FREE PDF Download]

​ Apple Orchard Movement Game ​

Skeleton Bones Visual Activity [FREE PDF Download & Interactive Google Slides]

Thanksgiving Table Setting Game [FREE PDF Download & Online Spinner]

Leaf Turkey Craft

Taped Up Turkey Feather Craft [FREE PDF Download]

Move to the Menu Movement Activities [FREE PDF Download]

Potato, Potato, Mashed Potato Movement Game

Winter Themed Teletherapy Activities

Reindeer Boot Camp Movement Game

Santa Boot Camp [FREE PDF Download]

Fine Motor Patterning Present Game [FREE PDF Download & Interactive Google Slides]

Snowga: Wintertime Yoga for Kids

Spin a Snowflake Drawing Game [FREE PDF Download & Online Spinner]

Jumping Hearts Movement Activity [FREE PDF Download]

Anytime Teletheraapy Activities

​ Voice Volume Game [FREE PDF Download & Online Spinner]

​ Streamer Movement Activities for Kids ​

​ Body Bridges ​

Partner Painting

Who’s Missing (What’s Missing)

Pillow Party: Movement Games Using Pillows & Couch Cushions [FREE PDF Download]

Development-Boosting Activities Using Paper Bags

Simple Movement Activities Using Bed Sheets

Simple Movement Activities Using Stairs

Simple Fine Motor and Visual Activities Using Magazines

Simple Fine Motor Activities Using Pencils

Kids Movement Activities Using Tape

Body Soccer Movement Activity

9 Simple Play Dough Activities [FREE PDF Download]

How Do Animals Say Goodnight? [FREE PDF Download]

I Spy With a Twist [FREE PDF Download]

Gross Motor Activities Using Blocks

7 Ways to Use Stickers for Learning and Development

Rainbow Gross Motor Scavenger Hunt [FREE PDF Download]

Sensory Motor Scavenger Hunt [FREE PDF Download]

Jumping and Jump Rope Games [FREE PDF Download]

Tape Mazes Cutting Activity

Fish Themed Therapy Plan

Teach Kids How to Button

How to Use Playing Cards to Promote Movement

Creative Ideas to Practice Single Leg Stance

Scarf Movement Activities for Kids (includes backup ideas if you don’t have scarves on hand!)

Squishy Ball Movement/Hand Strengthening Game

Tricky Prewriting/Drawing Practice

Outer Space Teletherapy Plan

Can I Play Too? Teletherapy Plan

Bug Themed Treatment Plan for Virtual Therapy Sessions [FREE Downloadable Interactive Game]

Picnic Blanket Games

Balance Practice for Kids

Prone Position: 14 Fun Activities for Kids

Quadruped Position: 10 Fun Ways to Play

We’d love to hear from you about which activities you’ve tried in your teletherapy practice!  Which ones were the most successful?  What other creative adaptations did you create?  Leave us a comment below!

• Latest Posts

Claire Heffron

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• The Best Bilateral Coordination Toys for Kids - April 30, 2024
• Pro Tips for Conquering Toddler Separation Anxiety - April 25, 2024
• Cute Zipper Bags for Therapists - April 18, 2024

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14 best art therapy activities for anxiety.

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We specialize in providing support for adults and teens that are struggling through self-esteem, anxiety and relationships issues.

Takeaway: Exploring creativity through art therapy activities can be a powerful outlet for individuals of all ages seeking to navigate the complexities of anxiety. In this post, I’ll be sharing a curated selection of therapeutic art exercises you can try from the comfort of your own home. Additionally, I’ll provide some insights on recognizing signs that might indicate the potential need to seek the support of an art therapist. Let’s dive in!

Have you ever noticed how you feel a bit calmer when you’re doodling or lost in the world of coloring books? What if I told you that this simple act of creating art could be a key to unlocking deeper emotional healing and understanding?

Welcome to the world of anxiety art therapy, a place where your creative pursuits aren’t just a hobby, but a powerful tool for mental well-being. Unlike just any art-making activity, art therapy for anxiety is a structured approach recognized by the American Art Therapy Association. It’s all about using creative expression to tackle those nagging worries that can take over our minds.

In this article, we’re going to explore how art therapy works , its benefits, and some active art-making you can try at home. Whether you’re dealing with day-to-day stress or more complex emotions, art therapy offers a unique and creative path to finding peace and understanding within yourself.

What is art therapy?

Art therapy for anxiety is a bit like using art for a special purpose – to help you feel better, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s more than just your regular drawing or painting session; it’s about using these creative activities to work through your feelings and stress. It’s like having a conversation, but instead of using words, you’re using art to express yourself.

Now, you might wonder, “Isn’t this the same as when I sketch or craft at home to relax?” Well, there’s a small difference. Doing art on your own is definitely a fantastic way to unwind and let out your emotions. It’s like a personal form of self-care, which is really important.

However, art therapy takes this a step further. It’s done with the help of a trained therapist – someone who knows a lot about both art and how to help people deal with their emotions.

In art therapy, the therapist guides you through specific art activities designed to help you with any challenges you’re facing, like anxiety or feeling low.

It’s a bit like having a guide who helps you navigate through your emotions, using art as the map. They use their knowledge to help you understand what you’re feeling and find new ways to cope.

So, while making art at home is a great way to take care of yourself, art therapy is a more structured form of using art for emotional and mental well-being, guided by a professional. It’s a powerful form of self-expression to explore your feelings and work through them in a creative and supportive setting.

How can art therapy help with anxiety? 

Alright, let’s talk about how art therapy can be a friend to those of us dealing with anxiety.

Anxiety is like having a little alarm in your head that goes off too often. It’s normal to worry about things now and then, but anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or panic disorder are when these worries don’t go away and are so strong they mess with your daily life. This might look like feeling nervous all the time, having trouble sleeping or finding it hard to concentrate.

Art therapy is an effective treatment because it gives that alarm in your head a different job. Instead of worrying, you start creating. With art therapy, you don’t just chat about your feelings; you make art to express them. This could be through painting, drawing, sculpting – any form of art. It’s not about making a masterpiece; it’s about letting out what you’re feeling inside.

Now, why does this help with anxiety? When you’re focused on making art, your mind gets a break from all that worrying. It’s a bit like going on a mini-vacation.

When you’re engaged in this creative process, it’s like giving your nervous system a much-needed break. It helps bring you into a meditative state, shifting your focus from the whirlwind of anxiety to the calm of artistic expression.

This shift can provide immediate relief and help build emotional resilience. As you’re drawing or painting, you might find that you’re not thinking about your worries as much. This can calm your mind and body, making you feel less anxious.

Art therapy is also a way to understand your feelings better. Sometimes, it’s hard to put into words why you’re anxious. But when you create art, you find clues in your artwork about what’s bothering you. An art therapist – that’s someone trained to help you with art and talk about your feelings – can help you figure out these clues.

Remember, art therapy isn’t a magic cure. It’s like trying any new exercise for the first time; it might work great for some, but not as much for others. It’s a personal choice to use art therapy, and it’s okay if it takes time to see if it’s right for you.

So, whether you’re dealing with the everyday worries of life or something heavier, art therapists offer a creative and calming way to work through anxiety. Art therapy isn’t just about the art materials or the final product; it’s a journey of self-awareness, coping strategies, and psychological healing in a supportive therapy setting.

Benefits of using Art Therapy Exercises for Anxiety 

You know, one of the coolest things about any art therapy exercise is that there’s no right or wrong way to make art. It’s all about what feels right for you and how it helps you deal with your anxiety.

A New Way to Express Yourself

Think of art as your personal language, one that doesn’t need perfect grammar or spelling. Whether it’s through a splash of paint, a simple sketch, or molding clay, each stroke or shape lets you express those tangled feelings inside. Art therapy exercise is all about getting those emotions out, without worrying about the ‘right’ way to do it.

Calms Your Nervous System

Ever noticed how time flies when you’re lost in coloring books or crafting? That’s your nervous system taking a breather. This happens because when you’re focused on art-making, your mind gets a chance to rest from the constant buzz of anxiety. And remember, there’s no ‘wrong’ way to color or craft. It’s all about what soothes you.

Boosts Your Self-Esteem

Here’s the thing: every piece of art you create is a victory, no matter how it looks. It’s a tangible reminder of your creativity and resilience. When it comes to art therapy for anxiety, it’s not about creating a gallery-worthy piece; it’s about the process and how it makes you feel. This is a great way to lift your spirits and boost your self-esteem.

Helps You Understand Yourself Better

As you create, you might start to notice patterns or symbols in your art that reflect your feelings. It’s like decoding a language that’s unique to you. This isn’t about making ‘correct’ art; it’s about letting your art help you understand your inner world better.

Offers a Greater Sense of Control

In the world of art making, you’re the boss. You decide every color, every line, every texture. This sense of control can be a big deal when you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety. It’s a reminder that, in the realm of creative expression, you call the shots, and there’s no pressure to do it the ‘right’ way.

So, grab those art materials and let your creativity flow. Remember, in art therapy, the journey of creating is just as important as the artwork itself. It’s a safe space where you can express, explore, and heal, all at your own pace and in your own unique way.

14 Art Therapy Activities that Help with Anxiety

If you’re struggling with anxiety, you might find some comfort in the world of art-making. These aren’t just any arts and crafts; they’re tools that can help soothe your mind and offer a creative outlet for those anxious feelings.From the focused calm of Zentangle drawing to the expressive freedom of painting to music, there’s a variety of activities you can easily do at home. They’re simple, effective, and a great way to explore your feelings through creativity. Ready to give it a try? Let’s explore some art therapy exercises that could help you find a little more self-confidence and a good deal more peace.

Therapeutic art activities to explore your creative expression 

Let’s delve into anxiety art therapy activities, highlighting their specific benefits like promoting mindfulness, calming the mind, and more.

1. Mindful Doodling or “Doodle Meditation”

Materials Needed: Paper, pens, or markers.

Benefit: Promotes Relaxation and Mindfulness

Instructions: Sit in a quiet space with your various materials. Start doodling without any specific goal in mind. Let your hand freely move across the paper, creating lines, shapes, and patterns. Focus on the present moment and the movement of your pen, allowing your mind to relax and wander. You may want to fill in the lines with beautiful colors or make funny faces in the shapes.

2. Art Journaling

Materials Needed: Journal or sketchbook, various art supplies (pens, paints, collage materials).

Benefit: Facilitates Emotional Expression and Reflection

Instructions: Select a theme or topic that resonates with you for each journal entry. Write your thoughts and feelings about this topic. Then, use your art supplies to visually express these thoughts next to or around your writing. This could be through painting, drawing, or creating a collage that complements your words.

3. Mixed Media Art

Materials Needed: Various art supplies (paints, markers, collage materials, found objects).

Benefit: Encourages Experimentation and Expression

Instructions: Begin with a base, like a canvas or thick paper. Apply a layer of paint as a background. Once dry, add other elements like cut-out magazine pictures, fabric pieces, or even small objects. Use glue or other adhesives to attach these items. Experiment with layering different materials to create texture and depth.

4. Zentangle Drawing

Materials Needed: Paper, fine-point pens, or markers.

Benefit: Promotes Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Instructions: Draw a small square on your paper. Within this square, draw several intersecting lines to create smaller sections. In each section, draw a repetitive pattern or design . Focus on each stroke and breathe deeply, enjoying the calming effect of this artistic process.

5. Writing and Decorating a Letter to Yourself

Materials Needed: Paper, pens, decorative materials (stickers, colored pens, glitter).

Benefit: Encourages Positive Self-Talk and Reflection

Instructions: Write a letter to yourself that includes positive affirmations, accomplishments, and future hopes. Once you’re done writing, use your decorative materials to embellish your letter. You might add borders, and illustrations, or highlight key phrases that are particularly meaningful.

6. Photography Walk

Materials Needed: Camera or smartphone.

Benefit: Enhances Mindfulness and Perspective

Instructions: Take a walk in an area you find interesting or beautiful. As you walk, look for unique patterns, colors, or scenes. Use your camera to capture these moments. Try to see the beauty in ordinary things and focus on the details that make your surroundings special.

7. Nature and Eco-Art Therapy

Materials Needed: Natural materials (leaves, twigs, stones, flowers), glue, paper, or canvas.

Benefit: Connects with Nature and Enhances Environmental Awareness

Instructions: Collect various natural items during a walk. Back in your creative space, arrange these items on your canvas or paper. You can create a specific scene, a pattern, or an abstract design. Glue the items down to create a permanent piece, or simply enjoy the process of arranging them temporarily.

8. Self-Portrait

Materials Needed: Mirror, paper, colored pencils, or painting materials.

Benefit: Fosters Self-Understanding and Acceptance

Instructions: Sit in front of a mirror in a well-lit room. Start by sketching the basic outline of your face and features. Then, fill in with details, colors, and textures that represent how you see yourself or how you are feeling at the moment. Remember, this doesn’t have to be a realistic portrait; it can be as abstract as you like. You can even use other materials or visual representations to trace your face or body outline.

9. Painting to Music

Materials Needed: Canvas or paper, paints, brushes, colored pencils, music player.

Benefit: Stimulates Emotional and Sensory Awareness

Instructions: Select music that evokes strong emotions or memories. As you listen, use your paints to express what the music makes you feel. Let the rhythm, melody, and mood guide your color choices and brushstrokes. You can paint abstractly or create images that the music inspires in you.

10. Sculpting with Clay

Materials Needed: Clay, sculpting tools (optional).

Benefit: Grounding and Emotional Release

Instructions: Start your clay modeling by kneading the clay to make it pliable. Then, begin shaping it according to your mood or feelings. You can create a specific object, an abstract form, or simply focus on the process of manipulation. Use sculpting tools if you wish to add details or textures. Bring awareness to how your body feels as you form the clay.

11. Digital Art Therapy

Materials Needed: Tablet, smartphone, or computer with digital art apps.

Benefit: Enhances Creativity and Accessibility

Instructions: Choose a digital art application that suits your interest. You can experiment with digital drawing, painting, or even 3D modeling. Play around with different tools and features offered by the app, like brushes, colors, and textures. Create an artwork that reflects your current mood or thoughts, enjoying the freedom and versatility of digital media.

12. Watercolor Meditation

Materials Needed: Watercolor paints, water-colored pencils, brushes, and watercolor paper.

Instructions: Set up a calm, comfortable space. Start by wetting your paper and then applying watercolor in gentle strokes. Focus on the flow of the paint and the blending of colors. Allow yourself to be present in the moment, letting go of structured designs, and enjoy the fluidity of watercolors as a meditative process.

13. Fabric Collage

Materials Needed: Various fabric scraps, scissors, glue, canvas, or sturdy paper.

Benefit: Enhances Creativity and Emotional Expression

Instructions: Cut the fabrics into shapes or strips. Arrange them on your canvas or paper to create an abstract or representational design. Glue the pieces down in a layout that feels expressive to you. This tactile activity allows for a creative exploration of textures and colors, providing a unique way to express emotions.

14. Shadow Drawing

Materials Needed: Objects with interesting shapes, paper, pencils or markers, and a light source.

Benefit: Encourages Perspective Taking and Mindfulness

Instructions: For Shadow Drawing, set up your workspace in a well-lit area. Choose objects with interesting shapes and place them on or around a sheet of paper. Adjust a light source such as a lamp or use natural light to cast shadows of these objects onto the paper. Trace the outlines of these shadows with a colored pencil or marker, experimenting with the arrangement and lighting to create different effects. This creative process focuses on perspective, light, and shadow, offering a unique and mindful art experience.

Each art therapy exercise offers a unique form of expression and emotional exploration, providing therapeutic benefits such as stress reduction, mindfulness, and a deeper understanding of oneself.

Understanding when you might benefit from working with a professional art therapist

Navigating the ups and downs of mental health can sometimes feel like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. Particularly when dealing with anxiety symptoms or feeling anxious, art therapy exercises can be a helpful tool in your self-care kit.

However, there are times when these home-based activities might not be enough, and that’s okay. Recognizing when it’s time to seek the guidance of licensed professionals, art therapy can help in managing your mental health challenges more effectively. Let’s explore some key signs that indicate it might be beneficial to work with a mental health professional.

When Home Activities Aren’t Enough

If you’re engaging in art therapy exercises at home but still find yourself struggling with anxiety symptoms, it might be a sign to seek more structured, professional guidance. A mental health therapist can offer tailored support beyond what a self-guided art therapy exercise can provide.

Difficulty Expressing or Understanding Your Feelings

When you find it hard to articulate or understand your emotions, especially in the context of anxiety, professional guidance can be invaluable. An art therapist can help you explore and express these feelings through creative means, enhancing your self-awareness and emotional clarity.

Encountering Negative Thoughts and Behaviors

If you notice that negative thoughts and behaviors consistently impact your daily life, this may indicate a need for professional intervention. An art therapist can assist in transforming these patterns into more positive and constructive ones, using creative strategies.

Overwhelming Stress or Anxiety Impacting Daily Life

When your stress or anxiety symptoms significantly interfere with your daily activities, relationships, or work, professional help can be crucial. An art therapist can collaborate with you to develop effective coping skills and strategies for managing anxiety in everyday situations.

Coping with Trauma or Deep-Seated Issues

If your anxiety is related to past trauma or deeply ingrained issues, professional mental health support becomes even more important. Art therapists are trained to navigate these complex emotions and can help you use art as a tool for healing and expression.

Persistent Anxiety Symptoms and Frequent Panic Attacks

Experiencing ongoing anxiety and frequent panic attacks is one of the more challenging situations where professional help is essential. An art therapist can offer specialized techniques to manage and alleviate these intense panic attack symptoms, helping to improve your mental health and quality of life.

Start your healing journey with Art & Anxiety Therapy at Willow Mark Therapy

At Willow Mark Therapy , we’re not just about individual talk therapy sessions; we also offer special art therapy workshops that focus on wellness and self-care. Think of these workshops as your creative getaway – a space where you can explore art in a group setting while focusing on feeling good and taking care of yourself.These workshops are all about using art as a tool for relaxation and personal growth. Whether you’re painting, sculpting, or trying out a new form of art, it’s all done in a supportive, friendly atmosphere. You’ll get to meet others who are on their own journey of self-care and wellness, making it a great way to share happy moments and learn from each other.If you’re looking for a different way to unwind, de-stress, and give yourself some much-needed attention, our expressive art workshops might be just the thing. They’re designed to be easygoing and accessible, no matter your skill level. It’s all about taking a break, enjoying the process of creating, and discovering new ways to look after your mental well-being.Interested in joining one of our art therapy workshops ? We’d love to have you! Reach out to us at Willow Mark Therapy to find out more about our workshop schedules and themes. It’s a wonderful opportunity to focus on your wellness journey in a creative, inclusive, and fun environment. Let’s explore the healing power of art together!

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What Creative Arts Therapies Teach Us About DBT Skills Training

Bridging dbt with the arts for deeper understanding..

Posted April 15, 2024 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

• What Is Therapy?
• Find a therapist near me
• Research supports the effectiveness of combining DBT with creative arts to improve outcomes.
• Facilitators can teach wise-mind skills through drama therapy techniques.
• Action-based DBT utilizes storytelling and role-play to make skill learning more accessible and impactful.

In the ever-evolving realm of mental health, therapists are always exploring new and innovative methods to enhance traditional treatments. Creative arts therapists have led the way in utilizing art-based interventions to teach DBT skills.

Creative arts therapy combines visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing, and other creative processes to support clients in their healing process. Many mental health clinicians have embraced creative arts therapy interventions to improve their clients' health and wellness.

There is a growing body of research that indicates that therapists can utilize creative interventions to help clients learn and generalize DBT skills. In this post, I will provide a brief literature review of therapists who have been doing this integrative work and provide an example of how drama therapy can be utilized to teach the DBT skill of wise mind.

DBT and Art Therapy

Research indicates that integrating art therapy into established psychotherapy forms, such as cognitive-behavioral therapies, can have significant positive effects on client well-being. For example, a study by Monti et al. (2012) demonstrated the potential of mindfulness -based art therapy (MBAT) in alleviating emotional distress, highlighting the power of combining art therapy with the core feature of mindfulness in DBT. Though this study did not specifically discuss DBT, it demonstrated that implementing mindfulness, a core component of DBT, can assist individuals who are facing significant physical and emotional stressors.

Building on research that examined mindfulness and art therapy, several practitioners have contributed articles that specifically address the integration of DBT and art therapy within clinical populations. For example, researchers Huckvale and Learmonth (2009) led the charge by developing a new and innovative art therapy approach grounded in DBT for patients facing mental health challenges. Furthermore, Heckwolf, Bergland, and Mouratidis (2014) demonstrated how visual art and integrative treatments could help clients access DBT, resulting in stronger generalization and implementation of these skills outside of the session. The clinicians concluded that this integrative approach to treatment could reinforce skills, contribute to interdisciplinary team synergy, and enact bilateral integration.

Other notable examples from art therapists include Susan Clark’s (2017) DBT-informed art therapy, a strategic approach to treatment that incorporates creative visual exercises to explore, practice, and generalize DBT concepts and skills.

Expanding Beyond Visual Art Therapy

DBT has now been integrated with other expressive art therapies, including drama and music. Art therapists Karin von Daler and Lori Schwanbeck (2014) were instrumental in this expansion when they developed Creative Mindfulness, an approach to therapy integrating various expressive arts therapies with DBT. Creative Mindfulness “suggests a way of working therapeutically that is as containing and structured as DBT and as creative, embodied, and multi-sensory as expressive arts” (p. 235). These clinicians incorporated improvisation into their work, a tool that can be simultaneously playful, experiential, and grounding, ultimately producing substantial new insights for clients.

Moreover, music and drama therapists have recognized the benefits of multisensory skill teaching, expanding the creative techniques used to teach DBT skills ( Deborah Spiegel, 2020 ; Nicky Morris, 2018 , and Roohan and Trottier, 2021 ).

My Own Experience Integrating Drama Therapy and DBT

Personally, I am a big advocate of both dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and drama therapy. In fact, I love these modalities so much that I dedicated not only my master's thesis but also my dissertation to better understanding how to reinforce DBT skills through dramatic techniques. In the process, I developed a new approach called Action-Based DBT that uses dramatic interventions like storytelling, embodiment, and role-playing to create a supportive environment for participants to learn skills in a more personalized and embodied way. An expert panel review demonstrated that this format can effectively support skill learning, especially for clients who struggle with the standard format of DBT skills training. Additionally, mental health clinicians found the program easily adaptable across populations in both individual and group settings.

Embodying the Mind States

To illustrate this approach and its effectiveness, the following is an example of how drama therapy methods can teach the DBT skill of wise mind within the context of an action-based DBT group.

The facilitator begins the group session by reviewing general guidelines and introducing the targeted DBT skill for the day: wise mind. The group then participates in improvisational warm-up activities to promote creativity , positive social interaction, and group connectivity. Following the warm-up, the facilitator distributes the DBT mind states handout (Linehan, 2015) and provides brief psychoeducation on this skill. Three chairs are placed in the front of the group room, facing the semi-circle of clients. Each chair had a piece of colored construction paper taped to the front, reading as Reasonable, Wise and Emotion . The facilitator explains that each chair represents one of the three mind states: reasonable mind, emotion mind and wise mind. To encourage exploration of the mind states, the facilitator can assign a more specific role to each state of mind. For example, the reasonable mind is The Computer, the emotion mind is The Tornado, and the wise mind is The Sage. Group members are invited to think of a scenario in which they felt they had difficulty accessing their wise mind. Clients then take turns embodying each mind state by sitting in the chair and speaking from the respective role. When a client first sits in a chair, the facilitator aids in enrolling the individual by asking questions about the role (i.e. The Computer, The Tornado, The Sage). For example, the facilitator may ask about the posture, tone of voice, or a “catchphrase” for this role. The client then embodies the role and responds to questions from the group as the specific mind state. After the embodiment, clients engage in verbal processing. The wise mind directive supports clients in developing kinaesthetic awareness of the three mind states. Embodying these mind states within the context of a supportive group and engaging in verbal processing around the experience can increase awareness of the mind states, which is helpful for clients who are trying to understand their emotional response to lived events outside of the group setting.

The creative arts therapies offer a dynamic pathway to teaching and reinforcing DBT skills. Incorporating visual art, drama, or music in the process of learning DBT skills allows clients to engage with these concepts in a multisensory and embodied way.

In my personal experience, weaving drama therapy techniques into DBT skills training has proven to be profoundly impactful. The Action-Based DBT approach, with its emphasis on storytelling and embodiment, offers an immersive and experiential learning environment that can be especially beneficial for those who find traditional methods challenging.

Looking ahead, my next post will delve into how storytelling can be harnessed to teach DBT skills in a way that is both engaging and memorable.

To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory .

Clark, S. M. (2017). DBT-informed art therapy: Mindfulness, cognitive behavior therapy, and the creative process. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Heckwolf, J. I., Bergland, M. C., & Mouratidis, M. (2014). Coordinating principles of art therapy and DBT. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(4), 329-335.

Huckvale, K., & Learmonth, M. (2009). A case example of art therapy in relation to dialectical behaviour therapy. International Journal of Art Therapy, 14(2), 52-63.

Monti, D. A., Kash, K. M., Kunkel, E. J., Brainard, G., Wintering, N., Moss, A. S., Rao, H., Zhu, S., & Newberg, A. B. (2012). Changes in cerebral blood flow and anxiety associated with an 8-week mindfulness programme in women with breast cancer. Stress and Health, 28(5), 397-407.

Morris, N. (2018). Dramatherapy for borderline personality disorder: Empowering and nurturing people through creativity. Routledge.

Roohan Mary Kate, Trottier Dana George. (2021) Action-based DBT: Integrating drama therapy to access wise mind. Drama Therapy Review, 7 (2), 193 https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00073_1

Spiegel, D., Makary, S., & Bonavitacola, L. (2020). Creative DBT activities using music: Interventions for enhancing engagement and effectiveness in therapy. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Von Daler, K., and Schwanbeck, L. (2014). Creative mindfulness: Dialectical behavior therapy and expressive arts therapy. In L. Rappaport (Ed.), Mindfulness and the arts therapies: Theory and practice (pp. 107-116). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Mary Kate Roohan, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist and drama therapist and the founder of Thrive and Feel, a therapy practice that supports clients in managing emotional sensitivity.

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