You don’t need to be “good at art” to benefit from art therapy. In fact, many of my clients are surprised by how powerful—and accessible—it can be. Art therapy isn’t about creating masterpieces; it’s about using creative expression to process emotions, reconnect with yourself, and move through blocks that feel impossible to reach with words alone.
I’m Sara Sanford, LCSW, and I’ve witnessed countless people, teens, couples, and families experience profound shifts through art-based practices. If you’re curious about what art therapy can offer—and why adding color, texture, or movement to your healing journey might feel like a breath of fresh air—you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.
What Exactly Is Art Therapy?
Art therapy combines the therapeutic process with the creative act of drawing, painting, sculpting, collage, or other art mediums. Supported by a trained therapist, you’re offered:
- 🖌️ A way to access emotions that feel too big for words
- 🧠 An opportunity to externalize thoughts and process experiences symbolically
- ✂️ A chance to experiment, play, and find new ways to express yourself
Whether you feel stuck in processing anxiety, depression, trauma, identity, or relationship issues, art becomes a bridge to the hidden parts of your inner world.
Why It Works: Healing Beyond Words
Here are some of the most impactful benefits I’ve observed:
1. Emotional Regulation Through Sensory Engagement
When you press a brush into paint, tear paper, or shape clay, your nervous system responds. That tactile sensation anchors you in the moment, helping reduce overwhelm.
Art can:
- Calm racing thoughts
- Regulate anxiety or stress
- Soothe internal tension—similar to a mindfulness practice
It’s about grounding while being creative.
2. Accessing & Processing Complex Emotions
Sometimes our biggest feelings don’t have language. If you’re feeling grief, shame, or something you can’t name, art helps them emerge. Creating—even something abstract—lets feelings come forward in their own time.
This mirrors what I describe in this post on healing from trauma. Art can reach where talk therapy can’t.
3. Visualizing Change
Collage, drawing, or sculpting intentions can help see internal change before you feel it. It encourages embodied insight—your body senses the shift, just as your mind does.
Think of it like creating your own visual action plan.
4. Strengthening Self-Esteem
Completing a tangible piece—even one you don’t love—can build confidence. It can be a celebration of self-trust and creativity.
That courage can spill into other parts of your life—your relationship with yourself, risk-taking, or even trying therapy first.
5. Bridging Internal and External Worlds
If you struggle expressing needs in relationships or cultural contexts, art therapy can offer a nonverbal scaffold. You create something that represents your internal experience—and then we process it together in session.
This kind of anchoring shows up in my group therapy approach and relationship work.
Who Benefits from Art Therapy?
Art therapy isn’t just for art-lovers—it’s for anyone who’s felt stuck or unseen. Here are some groups I often work with:
- Teens navigating identity, anxiety, self-esteem, or academic stress (Teen Therapy)
- Individuals facing anxiety or depression who want to supplement talk therapy (Counseling for Anxiety, Depression Therapy Services)
- People healing from trauma or PTSD who need nonverbal tools (Trauma Therapy, PTSD Therapy)
- Couples rebuilding connection through creative joint activities
- Parents exploring identity shifts alongside their teens
The beauty is that it meets you wherever you are—visually, emotionally, and developmentally.
How Sessions Work: What to Expect
Here’s what you might experience in an art therapy session:
- Check-in
We start with how you’re feeling—what’s showing up emotionally or physically. - Creative prompt
I might invite you to a specific theme (“draw where you feel stressed”) or leave space for free expression (“create whatever feels right today”). - Art-making
15–30 minutes of art with support from me: thoughts, suggestions, or silence as needed. - Reflection
After art-making, we look together at what shows up—colors, textures, shapes—and explore what they may represent emotionally. - Integration and closure
We connect the art experience back to daily life: what insights came, what feels different, and how to bring this insight forward.
My job is to hold space without judgment, help you feel safe with creativity in session and in everyday life.
Art Therapy Meets Other Approaches
Art therapy blends beautifully with modalities you’re already familiar with in my practice:
- Mindfulness-based Therapy: Focused presence during art-making
- CBT: Identifying thoughts behind the image
- ACT: Noticing what shows up without judgment
- Trauma-Informed Care: Sensing when we need more containment
- Attachment-Based Work: Art as interaction with parts of your inner self
Using art in session helps bring these tools to life—in a way that’s felt, embodied, and often more resonant than words.
Where to Experience Art Therapy at Sara Sanford Therapy
Here are the ways art therapy can be woven into care with me:
- Individual Therapy: One-on-one art exploration tailored to your needs
- Teen Therapy: Creative teen-focused sessions—great for expression
- Family Sessions or couples therapy: joint art projects to uncover and strengthen connection
- Therapy Intensives: Structured creative blocks as a healing container
We can also combine art therapy with online services when preferred.
Real Impacts I’ve Seen
Without naming names, here are a few shifts I’ve witnessed:
- A teen who said “I can’t talk about my parents,” but created images revealing unspoken tension—and that opened a bridge for conversation.
- An anxious client who expressed shame through somber greys—after days of art, bright colors emerged as they rebuilt hope.
- A couple who co-created a collage about “what we remember, what we wish,” which became a healing turning point in their relationship.
Art becomes a quiet invitation to speak truths you may not yet have words for.
Getting Started: What You Can Do Now
If art therapy sparks curiosity, here’s how you can explore it:
- Visit the Services page to learn about modality offerings
- Check out my therapeutic approach and see how creativity fits in
- Read blog posts that align with your journey:
- When you’re ready, contact me for a free consult—let’s talk about creativity, sensation, and your healing path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be artistic?
Nope! You just need curiosity and an open mind. The process is what matters—not the outcome.
What supplies do I need?
If you come in person, I provide materials (paints, paper, clay, collage). Remote clients can use simple household items—markers, colored pencils, old magazines.
What if I’m overwhelmed by emotion?
That’s normal. We slow down. We ground. And your emotional experience becomes part of the healing, not something to avoid.
Can teens participate remotely?
Absolutely. Virtual art therapy has been surprisingly effective—and teens often respond well in their own space.
A Final Creative Invitation
Thinking about art therapy is already an act of courage. You’re saying: “I’m willing to meet the creative, messy parts of me.”
And you’re not alone. If you’re ready to explore how creativity can guide your healing journey, I’d be honored to support you—in color, clay, collage, and conversation.
Need Weekly Inspiration?
Check out the blog post Self-Esteem Counseling: Building a Better Relationship With Yourself and Personalized Therapy Plans for more insight on self-discovery and creative care.