FAQ

01.

What is Art Therapy and who may benefit from it?

Art therapy is is not an art class, or lesson. It is a form of psychotherapy and mental health service, offering a range of creative therapeutic interventions to improve psychological well-being and promote healing. Art therapy is particularly effective for people who find difficulty expressing feelings or verbalising emotions. Children, adolescents, or adults can equally benefit from art therapy interventions.

02.

What are some of the benefits of Art Therapy?

- Managing anger and promoting emotional regulation

- Expressing fears, grief and worries

- Strengthening self-confidence

- Improving social and problem-solving skills

- Exploring self-identity and improving self-esteem

- Reducing anxiety

- Managing depression

03.

What distinguishes Art Therapy?

Art therapy is characterised by a distinct triangular relationship between client, therapist and art. Within a supportive environment, therapists utilise art making processes to help clients identify and explore emotional issues, patterns of behaviours, and to understand relationship dynamics.

04.

Do I need to be a proficient in art to benefit from Art Therapy?

No art experience is necessary to benefit from art therapy sessions. In fact, the final art product is not the main focus of treatment. Emphasis is rather placed on narratives and dialogues between therapist and client originated by client's organic art-making processes.

05.

How do I start the process?

An initial consultation to discuss what brought you or your child to therapy, and to determine if art therapy is the appropriate treatment for you is scheduled before the beginning of treatment. Each weekly session thereafter takes place for a duration of 50 minutes, face-to-face. The amount of total sessions will be determined case by case, but typically a review is done after 6-8 weeks of treatment. All artworks will be safely stored by the therapist for the duration of sessions, however they will be returned to the client at completion of treatment. All art materials are provided.

06.

Ethics of professional practice and

Art therapists are university trained, mental health professionals, who must be registered with a local peak professional body. In Australia, all art therapy treatments are governed by established art psychotherapy principals, boundaries and setting, as stipulated by the Australian, New Zealand & Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA).

I am a professional member, and registered with ANZACATA (Membership no. 54568465).