Art Therapy
In-Person Midvale, Utah * Virtual Throughout
When words aren’t enough. Go beyond talking and explore Deep Change.
What Is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is so much more than painting or playing with crayons. Art therapy is an in-depth, research-backed therapeutic approach that uses the creative and expressive arts to help people of all ages find relief from anxiety, depression, and many other mental health challenges.
Individuals often find it helpful when traditional talk therapy feels limiting, since art therapy allows people to express their emotions without words. It can also be very useful for trauma survivors who want to process their traumatic experiences yet find words and traditional therapies limiting.
None of this is to say that traditional talk therapy isn’t helpful. It’s simply to say that there can be limitations to what it can achieve. Art therapy invites you to a deeper processing that can utilize the whole mind and the sensory body. As a result, it often leads to breakthroughs in self-awareness, trauma healing, and personal growth.
Are you ready to schedule or have any questions?
How Effective Is Art Therapy?
Over the years, many studies have demonstrated art therapy’s ability to improve clients’ mental health outcomes (1). Art therapy can help children, teens, and adults who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, and even chronic pain. Research published by the American Psychological Association showed that it helped war veterans reduce their PTSD symptoms and led to improved coping skills among cancer patients (2).
At Radiant Mind Wellness, all of our clinicians are Creative Arts Therapists with master’s degrees in clinical art therapy and counseling and some of us also practice Expressive Arts Therapy. We decided to integrate this approach into our practice due to rich personal experiences with its healing power. Trained as both artists and therapists, we’ve seen firsthand how creative expression fosters self-awareness, emotional release, and increased resilience.
How Does Art Therapy Work?
The first thing to know about art therapy is that it doesn’t require any prior experience or artistic expertise—it’s accessible to anyone. You can’t “fail” at art therapy. The goal is not to create masterpieces of art, but to use the creative process as a means of emotional and psychological healing. This can help you externalize thoughts and feelings and access emotions that are hard to express verbally.
In sessions together, you and your therapist will choose materials that resonate with your experiences, such as paint, clay, or even found objects. The art materials used are very significant, which is why this is a very intentional process that requires expertise. Certain materials, such as soft clay, could be regressive for some people, reminding them of their child selves and calling to mind childhood trauma. Yet for others, the same materials can be deeply relaxing and liberating. Trained art therapists know how to help clients find a creative process that works for them.
By creating images, symbols, or patterns, you can explore personal narratives in a non-judgmental space and start to make sense of emotions that have long been unprocessed. Your therapist will be there every step of the way, helping you gain new insights and develop creative solutions as you engage in the art-making process.
How Can Art Therapy Benefit Your Life?
Art therapy provides tools for self-expression, emotional regulation, and a stronger mind-body connection, enabling you to reduce dissociation and increase self-awareness. Through creative exploration, you can gain new coping skills for grounding, self-soothing, and processing emotions. You can feel more present in your life and less hindered by the pain of the past.
Additionally, art therapy can enhance communication skills by helping you convey complex feelings visually or audibly. This makes it easier to connect with others, since you can go through life with greater awareness of your needs and emotions. The ultimate goal is for you to walk away from therapy more connected to yourself and others, more in control of your own emotional challenges, and more grounded in the present moment.
Experience The Creative Power Of Art Therapy
At Radiant Mind Wellness, each therapist is trauma-informed and registered with the Art Therapy Credentials Board. We’re all trained in traditional talk therapy models and Clinical Art Therapy theory and we integrate both methods into our practice. Our practice owner, Kate Wingard, provides supervision and consultation for our art therapists as well as other practitioners in the community. Our team brings exceptional skill into our work with youth and adults, using creative and evidence-based therapies to support trauma healing, self-expression, and personal growth.
If you’d like to experience the same healing and growth in your own life, we encourage you to pursue art therapy with us. To get started, you can email us, call us at 385-346-0031, or fill out our contact page.
Therapists Who Can Help
-
Jonelle Edwards, ACMHC, ATR-P
Jonelle is dedicated to helping individuals work through challenging anxiety, trauma, and life transitions. With evidence-based psychotherapy with Clinical Art Therapy, she gives respect to each client's unique story. Learn more on our clinical team page.
-
Kate Wingard, LCMHC, ATR-BC
Kate approaches healing with a creative, compassion focused lens. She offers extensive expertise in trauma-informed care and creative therapies. Learn more about Kate's specialized approach on our clinical team page.
Recent Blog Posts
