Psychotherapy | Art Therapy: FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions about art therapy and services that are offered
General Questions About Art Therapy
What is art therapy?
Art therapy is a psychotherapeutic treatment approach that incorporates art materials and artmaking (and sometimes other creative means) to help individuals of all ages express, explore and work through their feelings, thoughts, and experiences.
What is an art therapist?
Art therapists are mental health professionals who through graduate-level education have been trained in both psychological theory and in the use of art to help of support, maintain and/or improve the overall wellbeing of individuals. If you are considering art therapy, ensure that your therapist is properly trained and qualified by inquiring where they received their art therapy training and whether they are a member of a Professional Art Therapy Association.
How does art therapy work?
During art therapy, you will be invited to engage with art media that can include drawing, painting, sculpting, textile work, crafting, imagery, or collage. It can even include doodling, scribbling or writing. Your therapist might suggest an idea or theme or you may have your own idea or theme. Or your therapist may invite you to create art freely and see what spontaneously emerges from your subconscious. During art therapy, the focus is on the process of art making including any thoughts, feelings or verbal expressions that emerge while you’re working on your art. It often also involves the story you may share about your art.
What is the intent of art therapy?
Art therapy provides an alternate means of communication, allowing you the opportunity to express thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to articulate through words alone. Engaging in the creative process, can help you gain insight into your emotions and explore unresolved issues in a safe and non-threatening way. It can also have a cathartic effect as strong emotions are safely released via the art materials.
What if I'm not good at art?
All that's needed to benefit from art therapy is an interest and willingness to incorporate art into your psychotherapy sessions. Experience or skill in art is not required.
Stick people are okay. Scribbles are okay. Art therapy is about using creative means to help with self-expression, exploration and healing so even if you are not experienced or skilled in art, you can still benefit from art therapy. It's not about how your art looks. It's about how you feel. What is the role of the art therapist?
The role of the art therapist is to be a witness and guide and to support any thoughts, feelings or actions that emerge as you engage with the art materials and create your art. The art therapist will facilitate self-examination and self-reflection to help you understand the meaning and impact of your artwork, leading to self-discovery and personal growth.
How does art therapy help?
Unlike traditional talk therapy, art therapy provides an alternative approach to mental health treatment by incorporating the creative process into the healing journey. While traditional therapy relies on verbal communication between the client and therapist, art therapy offers a unique avenue for self-expression and exploration through artmaking. Sometimes it can be hard to clearly articulate thoughts and feelings but art can be abstract and random. Some people find it hard to talk about themselves, but are okay with talking about their artwork. Art making can alter moods. For some, it's a relaxing process that can help reduces stress and anxiety.
Who is art therapy for?
Like other forms of psychotherapy, art therapy is for anyone of any age who may need help coping with difficult thoughts, feelings, emotions and/or behaviours and is open to using art media as part of their healing journey. It can be particularly beneficial for individuals who may struggle with verbal expression, are reserved, have difficulty trusting people or find it challenging to articulate their emotions.
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Questions About My Psychotherapy/Art Therapy Services
Do you offer in-person psychotherapy/art therapy?
I can provide in-person psychotherapy and/or art therapy through my work at Vaughan Counselling & Psychotherapy. Please note that my availability for in-person therapy is limited.
What type of video platform do you use for online therapy?
My online clinic uses Jane App, a Canadian-based practice management platform. Jane App has it's own built-in video that is used for online therapy sessions. Alternately, we can use Zoom Pro for Healthcare.
Both Jane App and Zoom Pro for Healthcare are PHIPA/PIPEDA compliant (i.e. comply with Ontario's privacy laws) Do you offer group therapy?
Currently, I do not have any scheduled therapy groups; however, if there is particular type of group that interests you please let me know buy responding to this survey. If there is enough interest in a particular topic, I may offer a group in the future.
I am however able to provide online group art therapy in collaboration with community agencies. If you represent a community agency and are interested in group art therapy for your existing clients, please contact me and we can discuss you needs. Do you offer couples or family therapy?
While I have done extensive individual and group work I have no experience in providing couples' or family therapy so it's not a service that I advertise/offer.
What kinds of art materials will we use for art therapy?
You are welcome to use any art materials that you like. Common art media used during art therapy include: markers, coloured pencils, oil pastels, paint (acrylic or watercolour), modeling clay, (e.g. air dry, plasticine), collage (e.g. images cut from magazines, scrapbooking material, stickers)
Upon request, I am happy to provide a more extensive list of suggested art supplies. What kind of art will we make during therapy?
I may at times provide topics or themes for art making, but this is always optional. You are always free to engage in the art making of your choice. Some like to express their feelings or tell their stories through art making. Others like to engage in art during therapy as it helps them feel more at ease. Some like to doodle. Some like to engage in arts & crafts. Some like to write poetry, some like to sing or share a song. Some even dance. You do what works for you!
Will I always have to do art during sessions?
Whether or not you engage in art making during our appointments will always be up to you. Some of my clients engage in art making all of the times; some engage in art making some of the time; and some prefer "talk therapy" and never engage in art making at all. Whatever your preference - it works for me. :)
How often and for how long will I need therapy?
How often is up to you. I do however recommend that at least in the beginning we meet weekly as this sets a rhythm and can help establish a strong therapeutic relationship. As you start to feel that things are getting better for you outside of the therapy sessions, you many decide to cut back on the frequency of sessions - first reducing to bi-weekly, then monthly. How long treatment lasts depends on each individual's needs and the complexity of their challenges.
How much does therapy cost?
You can find fees for all services here: Fee Schedule
Where did you acquire your training in art therapy?
I hold a Master's Level Graduate Diploma in Art Therapy from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute.
What are the letters beside your name?
The letters beside my name are: BA, DTATI, RCAT, OATR, RP
BA - Bachelor of Arts. I hold an Honours, Bachelor of Arts Degree from York University in Toronto, ON. DTATI - Diploma, Toronto Art Therapy Institute. This is a master's level graduate diploma program that is listed with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) as a recognized/accepted program that meets entry-to-practice competencies for practicing psychotherapy. RCAT - Registered Canadian Art Therapist A Registered Canadian Art Therapist is a Member in good standing with the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA) who after graduation received additional training in the profession, received clinical supervision (50 hours for 1000 client contact hours), displays involvement in the art therapy community, is experienced in working with a variety of clients in diverse settings and is committed to professional development. A Registered member can supervise professional and student art therapists, provide art therapy consultation, be a voting member of CATA, and can volunteer on the Board of Directors. OATR - Ontario Art Therapist, Registered. A Registered member of the Ontario Art Therapy Association (OATA) requires 1000 hours of supervised paid direct client contact accumulated after graduation with one hour of supervision per 20 hours of practice. A Registered member of OATA may hold office and supervise other art therapists RP - Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) I am a Registered Psychotherapist, authorized for independent practice and have met the College's criteria for providing Clinical Supervision for psychotherapy students, Registered Psychotherapists (Qualifying) and Registered Psychotherapists working towards authorization for independent practice. |
Office Hours: Office hours vary. E-mails are checked 7 days a week at various times of the day. Online Clinic Hours:
Eastern Time Zone (Toronto/ON) Mon 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tue NO AVAILABILITY Wed 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Thu 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM Fri 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Sat 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Sun 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Online Clinic closed on Statutory Holidays.
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