Expressive Arts Therapy
Process, be, and articulate - with or without words
By The Hope Preserve Pre-Licensed Counselor, Allison Himmelstein
Expressive arts is something I always knew would be incorporated into my therapy journey. As someone who struggled to decide between a people-centric job and a more introverted life as an artist, my own healing journey led me right into the middle of that Venn diagram—art therapy.
Originally I wanted to specialize and get a degree specifically in art therapy, but soon realized that first focusing on counseling in general would set me up well to add specializations later on.
After completing my degree, I observed that even when I wasn’t using art with clients, my foundations of creativity were a huge asset in the room during our meetings. I’ve begun to find my sweet spot of engaging in the creative process without having to always monopolize sessions with art making.
It can be difficult to connect words to something that is more of a felt sense. Some things in life are communicated in a language other than in conversation.
What is expressive arts in therapy?
Expressive arts therapy aims to harness the experience of creativity to provide healing, new personal insights, and another way to communicate. This process can include any form of creativity and any medium of art.
Whether painting, dancing, singing, acting or writing, the goal is to express ourselves, tap into imagination, and increase our ability to be present. It is a great addition to the variety of other tools a talk therapist may have in their bag.
Now in sessions I can switch between various modalities based on what the client in front of me wants, needs, or expresses. Having expressive arts therapy as one tool, versus it being the main focus, keeps sessions fluid and fresh in a way that pairs with my style well.
Why do we use expressive arts therapy?
Often in talk therapy, it can be hard to physically engage the body, as so much processing occurs in the brain before passing out the mouth. Getting creative and using your hands instantly ties your body into the process and opens for a new range of expression that goes beyond words alone.
For example, you may have experienced this loss of words when trying to explain to someone why you love a piece of art, a profound experience you’ve had with nature, or why your favorite song is your favorite.
It can be difficult to effectively connect all of the right words to something that is more of a felt sense. Some things in life are communicated in a language other than in conversation.
Especially as a therapy center that focuses on accommodations and an embracing of neurodivergents, having different ways to communicate in therapy is important to The Hope Preserve’s values. For folks of any age, communication through art may feel more accessible than talk therapy, and we are devoted to removing any barriers to healing that we are able to.
Additionally for people who have traumatic experiences that are painful and damaging to verbally reprocess, I like to use art as a different door through which to discover healing.
Disconnect from bodily sensations is highly reported from trauma survivors and creativity is one excellent way to reintroduce the isolated parts of yourself back into your system. Making art in therapy can be a great gateway back into paying attention to our instincts and trusting ourselves again.
How has creative therapy impacted my (Allison’s) life?
As an artist myself, I find I can spend long stretches of time invested in the creative process. Half of the time, it feels like a complete flow where I lose track of time and enjoy the richness of using my mind and hands in that way. The other half I find myself experiencing deep feelings like anger, frustration, anxiety, boredom, and can’t seem to ignore my inner critic.
When I was a teen struggling with depression, my mother trusted her intuition and found a local art therapy group for me to join. I was very skeptical at first as the group format was to start each class dancing in the attic where the group was hosted.
I remember my adolescent body feeling increasingly awkward as I was overcome with anxiety about what others would think. While my own groups today don’t include dancing, it was a powerful transformation to watch myself overcome.
At the end of the three month group, I danced without care, painted in colors that color theory told me don’t go together, and was constantly surprised with what my instincts had to tell me.
I had learned the value of creating something not for the product. Instead, I accessed the empowering truth that I had full creative control over every line, dot, and color I made.
Creating intuitively like this taught me to be a mindful observer of my own thoughts and bodily sensations with a curiosity that was too difficult to see while I was talking and thinking so heavily. And oh man, I could think.
It is difficult for me to find a naturally quiet moment in my mind so I had never experienced the relief of compassionate observation of myself in that way. My hope is that those who get to experience expressive arts therapy may also access this relaxed view of themselves.
Between sessions I can occasionally be found playing with pastels or pencils to help settle my thoughts. Even when not creating a piece of art, I enjoy the process of coloring without expectation.
Is my therapist going to tell me what my art means?
In short, no.
In long, I feel as though trying to guess how your mind interprets colors, shapes and images is far too complex and sacred for anyone but you to assess. I am a strong believer that you are always the expert on yourself and that it would be both pointless and rude for me to assume I know you better than you do.
My role in expressive arts therapy is to take your lead and ask questions that promote you to become a curious observer of yourself. I will ask about both what the process of creating in front of someone is like as well as help explore different parts of your work that draw your attention.
This may vary between counselors who utilize expressive arts, but at the Hope Preserve, empowering you to trust yourself and your needs is part of our foundational hope.
How can you try out expressive arts therapy?
At The Hope Preserve, there are two primary opportunities to experience expressive arts therapy: group therapy and individual therapy. (Our groups take place here in-person at The Hope Preserve in Brentwood, TN, with the option of online DND groups. Individual therapy is available both in-person and online.)
Group therapy:
This group creates a lightly-social atmosphere in which you will play with clay, paint fired forms, and observe your creative process in a group setting.
This is the right option for folks who enjoy time spent in their own minds and some solitude in the creative process. Although we will journal and share as a group, the majority of the time gives you space to practice intuitive creativity.
We have so many fun tools to explore with in the clay creative therapy process. Also pictured: miniature sensory soothers / fidgets that are a fun and easy design to experiment with.
Our DND groups are a great opportunity for collaborative expression and shared narrative-creation. You can express your character however you like (using their voice creatively or sticking with your own), paint figurines or doodle while you play, and creatively craft your backstory and continuing journey.
Join the shared adventure to explore a part of yourself through creative expression
Individual therapy-
Both Penny Reif and Allison Himmelstein integrate expressive arts into their therapy and excellent options if you want to have a companion in your self-discovery.
If your goal is to focus on trauma, this individual setting is an excellent fit as there is time and space for you to go deep. Additionally, if having conversation around the process and art is exciting to you, individual counseling pairs well with discovery of how your entire story is integrated into your piece.
Clay work, writing, painting, drawing, and dancing are all available in individual settings.
(This one is me! ⬆️)
We’d be honored to support you!
You’re invited to bring vibrance, realness, and unfiltered expression into your healing journey!
We’d love to connect with you.
Resources
Bitan, M., & Regev, D. (2022). Clinicians’ perceptions of parent-child therapy with children with austism spectrum disorder: The Milman center experience. Children (Basel Switzerland), 9(7), 980. doi: 10.3390/children9070980
Cherry, K. (2024). What is expressive arts therapy? Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/expressive-arts-therapy-definition-types-techniques-and-efficacy-5197564
Webb, A. (2023). The therapeutic power of art: Exploring the mechanisms behind art therapy’s efficacy. Advance. DOI: 10.22541/au.169531401.17663927/v1
