Arts therapy (also known as the expressive arts) is an invitation to use art materials to express oneself within a safe (supportive) setting with a therapeutic intent. It is the process of allowing curiosity to lead the art making process rather than focusing on the outcome (ie the art work itself). Arts therapy processes are gentle invitations to explore ones thoughts, feelings and experiences that may be difficult to verbalise and may be something as simple as squiggles drawn onto paper or a thumbprint pressed into clay. 

Arts Therapy provides a supportive the space to tune into ones self.

How we experience colour, texture, movement, sound, temperature and making process such as mess, change, size or repetitive mark making for example provides opportunity to tune in and attend to emotions, thoughts, internal scripts, needs, values and create awareness of sensations and non-verbal responses.

Arts processes aid self-regulation and co-regulation and can be used to help identify and change the body’s experience of distress.

It’s also listening;

Using art materials in a therapeutic setting can provide opportunity to: 

view the problem or issue from a new perspective

integrate life experiences

develop healthy coping skills

set goals or tune ones focus

explore relational patterns

explore who you are, what you want, what matters to you and what is yours to do.

as expressing and understanding yourself through art making develops, the process has become the mentor.

what is the role of the arts therapist? the gift of presence and compassionate witness.

Anyone. Art therapy is particularly suited to those who:

are struggling to articulate their experiences and feelings verbally

those who have found talk therapy to be ineffective

don’t have the vocabulary to express themselves such as children, teens and people with disabilities

are seeking to unleash their full creative potential

Art therapy can help:

• Reduce stress
• Strengthen self awareness and self expression
• Develop interpersonal skills
• Increase communication skills
• Resolve conflicts
• Manage behaviour
• Identify and clarify issues and concerns
• Work through issues in a safe, caring environment
• Increase feelings of self worth
• Explore values and beliefs
• Clarify and set goals
• Explore imagination and creativity

Read more here.

Yes and no. Yes, because art therapy has its foundation in psychology and counselling, and the art therapist and client develop a therapeutic relationship through the arts process, with clear boundaries and shared intentions. No, because we don’t rely on talk therapy.

Art therapy does not require any artistic ability because it’s all about self expression and the art process, not the final product. Art therapies do not rely on artistic knowledge because they work by accessing imagination and creativity, qualities which all human beings possess, in order to generate new models of living and contribute to the development of a more integrated sense of self. Art helps access the unconscious and move perspectives into the conscious.

No, art therapists do not interpret artwork. The client and therapist work collaboratively, reflectively exploring the art, which empowers the client to discover their own meaning-making. Journalling is another fantastic way that encourages meaning making within the art therapy session.

Absolutely. Art therapy has much evidence-based and practice-based research. 

• Art making may reduce anxiety and stress reactions as measured by cortisol (Walsh et al, 2007).
• Several studies demonstrate that art therapy enhances the psychosocial treatment of cancer, including decreased symptoms of distress, improved quality of life and perceptions of body image, reduction of pain perception, and general physical and psychological health (Monti et al, 2006; Nainis et al, 2002; Svensk et al, 2009).
• Studies indicate a reduction of depression and fatigue levels in cancer patients on chemotherapy (Bar-Sela,et al, 2007).
• Art therapy strengthens positive feelings, alleviates distress, and helps individuals to clarify existential questions for adult bone marrow transplant patients (Gabriel, Bromberg, Vandenbovenkamp, Kornblith, & Luzzato, 2001).
• Research with children with cancer indicates that engaging in drawing and painting is an effective method for dealing with pain and other disturbing symptoms of illness and treatment (Rollins, 2005).
• Research on art therapy with children with asthma indicates that it reduces anxiety, improves feelings of quality of life, and strengthens self concept (Beebe, Gelfand, & Bender, 2010).
• Evidence indicates that art therapy stimulate cognitive function in older adults who have dementia or related disorders (Levine-Madori, 2009) and may reduce depression in those with Parkinson’s disease (Elkis-Abuhoff et al, 2008). 

There is no right or wrong way to attend art therapy. Everyone has unique needs. Some people attend individual art therapy sessions only, some attend individual sessions plus group sessions, while others participate in group sessions only. The answer to the question, ‘Which is better: group or individual therapy?’ is actually ‘Neither.’ Both have advantages and disadvantages for different individuals and for specific issues. Please contact me if you are unsure what will suit you so we can work out the best health care plan for your individual needs.

Please note that group sessions (except families) are not recommended for acute crisis and trauma.

Kaleidoscope group sessions are designed to target a specific issue, such as depression, anxiety, or grieving and loss. Other group sessions are for increasing overall wellbeing by improving self awareness, communication skills, articulation of feelings, increasing social skills, and unleashing creativity and confidence.

Individual sessions are typically 60-75 minutes in length (usually 60 minutes is adequate for children).

Group sessions run for approximately 90 minutes.

First Time Clients to Kaleidoscope Art Therapy: Please fill in the confidential client form before you arrive or arrive 10 minutes early to fill it in before your art therapy session.

That is entirely up to you. After your first few sessions we can plan out the best health care plan for your individual needs.

You can make a booking for art therapy without any referral.

You can book direct with me through the contact me page or on the phone 0402 577 556 or through Pathways to Expression (07) 3261 2909.

Your artwork is your creation and belongs to you. Some people choose to keep the finished artwork, while others decide to leave it in the care of the art therapist. Your art therapist will not show your artwork to anyone without your permission. The code of ethics followed by art therapists is to safeguard a client’s artworks the same way as all other client information is kept which is confidential and subject to mandatory reporting.

My practice as an expressive arts therapist is built on a strong foundation in the wellness sector, 20 years of teaching art and creativity, my lived experience as an intentional creative as well as formal qualifications:

Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice (finishing this year)

Advanced Diploma in Transpersonal Art Therapy

Advanced Diploma in Health Science (Naturopathy)

Advanced Diploma in Health Science (Herbal Medicine)

My clinical experience is primarily children, adolescents and women in both group work and individual sessions. Everyone is welcome at Kaleidoscope Expressive Arts.

A kaleidoscope consists of an eyepiece on the end of a viewing tube with multiple mirrors placed inside at an angle to each other. There are loose pieces of coloured transparent shapes (usually pieces of glass or beads) held between two glass discs at the other end.

A kaleidoscope operates on the principle of repeated reflection. When one looks through the eyepiece and the other end of the tube is rotated, the loose pieces of glass shift and are reflected, creating opportunities for ever changing, infinite mosaics that fills the entire visual field.