What Happens in an Art Therapy Session?

Stepping into an art therapy session is unlike entering any conventional therapeutic space. Here, creativity becomes the medium through which healing unfolds. As painter Georgia O’Keeffe once reflected, “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for” (MoMA, n.d.). This insight distills the essence of art therapy. Rather than relying solely on verbal expression, art therapy invites individuals to explore their inner worlds through imagery, texture, and form as a way of tapping into ways of knowing that often transcend language. While each session is tailored to the client’s specific and unique goals and needs, and can therefore be different depending on the individual and situation, there are common elements and a general structure that many art therapy sessions follow (Ball, 2002).

An art therapy session commonly flows through four main parts: Setting the Space, Engaging in Art-Making, Reflection and Conversation, and Integration.

Setting the Space

This is the beginning of the session, a time for the client and art therapist to connect. During this phase, the therapist assesses the client's current state, discusses anything that has come up since the last session, and may collaboratively define or review therapeutic goals for the long-term or for the specific session.

Engaging in Art-Making

Artistic exploration lies at the heart of each session, often taking up the most space and time. This creative journey is inherently flexible, adapting fluidly to the client's needs and therapeutic intentions. At times, the art therapist may offer a structured pathway,  providing directives or prompts to guide the client's creative expression. Here, the therapist carefully selects materials tailored specifically to the client, shaping the process with purposeful intent. Conversely, the session can unfold organically, allowing the client to follow their intuitive pull toward certain materials or themes. This open-ended approach nurtures a deeply personal, client-led exploration, inviting authenticity and freedom into the therapeutic space (Youhjung, 2021).

Reflection & Conversation

Reflection is integral to art therapy, bridging visual creation with verbal insight. Art therapists, skilled in talk therapy and counseling, facilitate meaningful discussions about the artwork and the creative process itself. During reflection, clients unpack the emotions, thoughts, and revelations that emerged through their artistic endeavors. Conversations may extend beyond the immediate artwork, addressing broader issues such as trauma, addiction, life transitions, or personal goals, intricately connected to the visual expression. Through exploratory questions, such as "What part of your artwork calls to you, and why?" or "What’s blocking your path?", therapists encourage deeper self-awareness and clarity, supporting clients as they weave together the narrative threads of their internal experiences (Youhjung, 2021).

Integration

The sessions typically conclude with a purposeful integration, providing clients with a mindful transition back into their everyday lives. This closing phase might include reflective dialogue, intention-setting, or embodied practices that reconnect clients with their physical sensations and present awareness. Such integrative activities anchor the therapeutic insights gained during the session, providing a meaningful closure that honors the journey taken and prepares clients for the steps ahead (Youhjung, 2021).

Art therapy incorporates a diverse range of materials, and art therapists are trained to adeptly utilize them to facilitate meaningful self-expression. These materials encompass traditional options such as colored pencils, paints, and clay, as well as unconventional resources like tree branches and leaves, which enrich the scope of creative exploration (American Art Therapy Association, 2022). Crucially, you do not have to be good at art, or an artist, or even "artsy" to engage in art therapy. The purpose is not to create something aesthetically pleasing for display, but to tap into different parts of the brain using imagination, metaphor, and images to gain new perspectives and tune inwards (American Art Therapy Association, 2022, p.1).

Throughout the therapeutic process, the interaction among therapist, client, and art naturally shifts and deepens. Initially, a strong focus on the art might be equally balanced with the relationship between therapist and client. As therapy progresses, there might be an emerging focus on the self, moving from externalizing experiences to internalizing them. Art-making encourages self-exploration and expression by allowing clients to externalize their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, which can reduce judgment or shame. Consequently, the artwork created within therapy becomes a foundational narrative, guiding and deepening the therapeutic dialogue and self-understanding (Ball, 2002).

In essence, art therapy sessions are inherently collaborative and transformative. Rooted in creative expression, it offers a profound and accessible pathway to explore and process internal experiences, facilitating healing and personal growth. By creatively addressing past wounds, traumas, and emotional burdens, art therapy empowers individuals to reclaim their narratives and foster lasting transformation.

References

     American Art Therapy Association. (2022). What is Art Therapy? American Art Therapy Association. https://arttherapy.org/what-is-art-therapy/

     Ball, B. (2002). Moments of change in the art therapy process. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 29(2), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4556(02)00138-7

     MoMA | Inventing Abstraction. (n.d.). Www.moma.org. https://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2012/inventingabstraction/?work=173

      Youhjung, Y. (2021). What Happens in an Art Therapy Session. Thirsty for Art. https://www.thirstyforart.com/blog/what-happens-in-an-art-therapy-session

About The Author

Shiza Saqib, is a visual artist and Clinical Psychology Graduate

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