Art Therapy
When Words Aren’t Enough, Creativity Speaks
At The Art of Integration, we believe healing is a creative process. Art Therapy provides a space for exploration, self-expression, and emotional processing when words alone don’t suffice.
What Is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy integrates traditional psychotherapy with expressive arts, using creative exercises to support emotional growth and self-discovery. The creative process itself can foster regulation, insight, and transformation, helping clients externalize emotions and make sense of their experiences. By reflecting on what they create, clients often uncover new perspectives and pathways toward resolving emotions and inner conflicts and thoughts.
Is Art Therapy Effective?
Rooted in psychotherapy, Art Therapy has been used for decades to help individuals process trauma, regulate emotions, and build resilience. Pioneered by Margaret Naumburg in the 1940s, Art Therapy is based on the understanding that symbolic expression can reveal unconscious thoughts and emotions.
Research supports the benefits of creative arts in therapy, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing stress, anxiety, and the impact of trauma. Art Therapy is particularly helpful for individuals with C-PTSD, neurodivergent individuals—including those on the Autism Spectrum—and children and any adult who may struggle with verbal communication. In New York, Licensed Creative Arts Therapists (LCATs) are specifically trained to use art as a therapeutic tool.
How Does Art Therapy Work?
Memories, emotions, and trauma often reside in parts of the brain beyond verbal language. By engaging in the creative process, clients can access these deeper areas, fostering new understandings of themselves. Art Therapy may include drawing, painting, sculpture, or mixed media collage, depending on each client’s needs and preferences.
If a client is struggling with feeling restricted, we may encourage them to paint using a flowy medium like watercolor, if the client is feeling chaotic, we may encourage a smaller canvas size or collage so the client feels more contained and balanced.
What To Expect at The Art of Integration
Our approach to Art Therapy is twofold:
- Regulation & Catharsis – Creative expression soothes the nervous system and promotes relaxation.
- Deeper Processing – Art can facilitate profound therapeutic work, especially when combined with evidence-based methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma informed approaches.
We work with older children, teens, and adults, including individuals who have experienced trauma, are struggling with life transitions, or are seeking alternative forms of expression and want to enhance their creativity. Our team of Licensed Creative Arts Therapists brings extensive training and experience in both the creative and therapeutic process.
We believe in a holistic approach to care. When appropriate, we collaborate with psychiatrists, primary care providers, and other professionals like herbalism to ensure comprehensive support.
A Creative Path to Healing
Art Therapy is just one of the many approaches we offer. If you’d like to learn more or schedule a session with a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, we invite you to reach out.