Therapies using art can offer an opportunity to explore our emotional wellbeing and healing through creative expression. Art therapy is the application of any type of visual or artistic medium in therapeutic contexts that allows individuals to express their emotions, foster self-awareness and self-worth, and decrease stress and anxiety. It can include drawing, painting, colouring, dance, music, or theatre, and allows people to address difficult situations in their lives in a way that can feel more comfortable than at the therapist’s office. You can choose the type of art or process that works best for you, and can do it at your own pace–even from the comfort of your own home. While some benefit from having a licensed art therapist guide them, others can find healing and growth on their own if they apply it to their daily routine.

Art therapy holds many benefits. It can help reduce stress, depression or anxiety, it can stimulate mental function and awareness, enhance quality of life, and help to bring joy and peace to people’s daily lives. Art therapies can offer opportunities to have a safe outlet to relive, relieve, or overcome emotions; have a sense of control over one’s life, and get in touch with oneself. There is no one-size-fits-all method to taking care of one’s mental and emotional health, and so picking up a paintbrush or joining a dance class can be a wonderful step in your mental health journey –and in any case, you can get a good laugh or hobby out of it!

However, there can be some challenges buying into art therapy. Some may find it silly or shameful at first to engage in art or play therapy as an adult, and the social stigma around it can be heavy enough for them to be resistant to it. Moreover, the lack of rigid, controlled process around art therapy can make it feel like there’s no progress in one’s healing or that there’s a lack of validity in the therapy overall. Lastly, like any type of therapy, it can be costly both in time and money.

Our creative workshops offer a space to explore emotions and experiences openly, comfortably, and in a fun and creative way. Click here to explore our workshops.

Click here for a list of organizations that offer therapy (scroll down to see Art Therapy options).

–Nazila Tolooei
From Share & Care Fall 2025

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