About Art Therapy

Art therapy offers clients an opportunity to explore issues and concerns through a creative process that does not rely on words. Art therapy is particularly beneficial and effective for people of any age and for various populations. For those who have difficulty describing their feelings, experiences and thoughts, art therapy offers an alternative to explore issues and concerns through the creative process that does not rely on talking to be therapeutic. Sometimes it is very hard to talk about what is bothering us, but once we put those things into the art we can therapeutically explore them and begin to heal.

Children, in particular, can benefit from art therapy, since it is a playful way to deal with trauma they may have suffered.

"I am not an artist! I have trouble even drawing a straight line!"

You do not need to be an artist to participate in art therapy. Art therapy gives you a chance to explore and attend to your inner world through the process of making the art and the art itself. The process of creating is more important than the product. In order for art therapy to work for you, you just need to be open to using different art media and giving it a try.

Materials in the studio include art supplies such as paint, oil pastels, chalks, watercolour pencils, sketching pencils, clay, and various other items. Everything you make, from doodles/scribbles, to stick drawings, to paintings, to clay sculptures, will provide you with opportunities to discover personal insights and strengths that will help you on your healing journey.

You might still think or say that you are not able to do art because you do not know what to make or where to start. Too many people have had their artistic attempts belittled early in life and it can be scary to try again. Art therapy offers the opportunity to use your imagination and creatively express yourself from the heart (without censor or judgment), rather than from the head. How often have you stated that you think too much or can't stop thinking about something? Art therapy helps you move out of your head and into your heart with your emotions/feelings.

The Role of the Art Therapist

There are many ways of doing art therapy, but the art therapist primarily acts as a guide and mentor. The therapist is available to help with the use of art materials if needed, as well as providing some direction if the client is having difficulty creating art spontaneously. The therapist follows the client's lead and asks questions that allow the client to make their own interpretations. The art therapist is said to ‘hold the space' which refers to making the therapy session safe for the client.

An art therapist typically asks questions that help the client explore the art and its symbols, going as deep as the client feels they can comfortably go. The client is in charge and can allow their creativity and imagination to run free.

Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual arts and the creative process with models of counselling and psychotherapy. Art therapy is used with children, adolescents, adults, older adults, groups and families to assess and treat:

• Anxiety, depression and other emotional/mood conditions
• Symptoms of mental illness
• Sustaining mental wellness
• Unhealthy addictive behaviours
• Self-harm and suicidal ideation
• Family and interpersonal relationship issues
• Various types of violence and abuse
• Social/emotional difficulties related to disability or illness
• Personal trauma, inter-personal trauma, PTSD and C-PTSD, grief and loss
• Physical, cognitive, neurological and psychosocial concerns

Helen is a graduate of Vancouver Art Therapy Institute's eighteen-month distance post-graduate program on Granville Island in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Helen has delivered individual and group art therapy in the areas of anger and emotions management, mental health/wellness, grief and loss, addictions, anxiety, depression, at-risk/unhealthy behaviours/lifestyle, family of origin issues, relationships, trauma, identity, self-esteem, self-harming behaviours, adjusting to incarceration, insight into offending behaviours, domestic violence, treatment readiness, mood disorders, personality disorders, behavioural disorders, and improving interpersonal skills.

Settings have included an adult forensic/psychiatric facility for male and female federal offenders, her own private practice (A Life's Journey Counselling & Art Therapy), a program for youth in the care of the Ministry of Social Services through Big Brothers Big Sisters Saskatoon, a program for matches between ‘Bigs' and ‘Littles' with Big Brothers Big Sisters Saskatoon, inner-city youth and young adults who participate in programming at Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op through Boys & Girls Club of Saskatoon, and a home for young mothers who live with their young children.

Helen is a registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT). This designation can only be achieved after receiving an additional 50 hours of supervision for 1,000 more hours offering art therapy to clients after completing her art training at VATI.

Helen offers art therapy supervision/consultation for art therapy students and art therapists who choose to work toward their own RCAT designation. She offers individual and group supervision, as well as occasionally advising VATI students who are completing their final projects for VATI.

Helen has presented on the benefits of art therapy in an adult forensic/psychiatric setting at conferences at a national and international level. She regularly offers one or two art therapy break-out sessions at the Threads of Life annual Western Family Forum when it is held locally.

Links

Vancouver Art Therapy Institute - Click here for more information

Canadian Art Therapy Association - Click here for more information

American Art Therapy Association - Click here for more information

Saskatchewan Art Therapists - Click here for more information

Journey through Art Therapy - Click here for more information

How Art Therapy Works - Click here for more information

What is Creative Arts Therapy? - Click here for more information

Saskatoon art therapist David Baudemont and Saskatoon's Open Door Society provide weekly art therapy at Queen Elizabeth School in Saskatoon, SK for the children of a Syrian family. - Click here for more information

Elisa Iannacone is a cinematographer from London. This article shows how she helps empower rape survivors through powerful and beautiful photographs that give voice to their trauma and their spirit while doing art therapy in Toronto, ON. - Click here for more information

Spirituality & Health - Click here for more information

Refugee children in Greece are using art to share their life experiences. - Click here for more information

David Gussak has done a lot of work with incarcerated individuals and art therapy. This is just one of his many articles. - Click here for more information

Interested in a career in art therapy? Cathy Malchiodi explains details. She is from the United States so it is more focused on her country but much of the information is relevant. - Click here for more information

Helen shares her personal account of being an art therapy student then adding art therapy to her practice, as well as various information and resources. - Click here for more information

Antiracist Approach - Click here for more information

Anxiety and depression - Click here for more information

Art in times of crisis - Click here for more information

Art Therapy helping those with Alzheimers during a pandemic - Click here for more information

Attachment - Click here for more information

Beyond words: Art therapy as a universal language - Click here for more information

Children’s struggles during pandemic - Click here for more information

Crisis and stress related - Click here for more information

Grief and loss for children - Click here for more information

Mental health - Click here for more information

Pandemic related - Click here for more information

Pandemic related - Click here for more information

Pandemic related - Click here for more information

Parkinson’s Disease - Click here for more information

PTSD - Click here for more information

PTSD - Click here for more information

Virtual art therapy, events helping those with Alzheimer's during pandemic - Click here for more information

Witnessing grief through art therapy - Click here for more information

Testimonials From Current & Previous Clients

"A Life's Journey Counselling has been my 'Road to Recovery'. Helen has given me the tools in which to grow and when I stumble, she picks me up and encourages me to laugh and try again! I can't imagine going through life without her support." C.S.

"Helen's mentorship and support is deeply respectful and non-directive. She listens carefully and gently offers insightful questions and ideas to consider, creating a very comfortable and inviting space to creatively express and explore oneself." K.B.

"I highly recommend Helen as a counsellor and Art therapist. I have been seeing Helen regularly since November of 2019. She was always available if I needed help between sessions. I had never tried art therapy, it has helped in every aspect of my life. I was having trouble sleeping and experienced panic attacks at night. I am able to sleep now and rarely have a panic attack. I have been able to get back to enjoying my own art making and creativity. I feel am much more assertive at work and home, and am able to establish healthy boundaries. I am much more relaxed in general. I am able to allow myself time to heal and be more creative. I was experiencing creative blocks prior to seeing Helen, these blocks are also going away. She is such a great person, very easy to talk to, best counsellor I have had period." T.B.