What Happens in Expressive Arts Therapy? You Don't Have to Be an Artist

Maybe someone has suggested expressive arts therapy and your immediate thought was:

But I'm not an artist. Good news. You don't need to be! Expressive arts therapy can bring visual art, creative writing, movement, sound, music, voice, drama, imagery, and other forms of creative expression into psychotherapy alongside conversation.

You might make something during a session. You might talk the entire time. You might start with words and realize an image explains something better. Or you might look at the art supplies and decide absolutely not today. All of those can be valid ways to show up.

What Is Expressive Arts Therapy?

Expressive arts therapy is an intermodal, arts-based approach that can incorporate different forms of creative expression within the therapeutic process. "Intermodal" basically means we aren't limited to one art form.

A session might move between drawing and writing, or between conversation and movement. An image might lead to a story. A song might bring up a memory that you want to talk about.

The creative process can shift depending on what you're exploring and how you want to communicate that day. The goal isn't to create impressive artwork. There isn't a grade at the end.

A visual art excercise example that could be used in an Expressive Arts Therapy session.

What Might We Actually Do in a Session?

This is usually the part people want to know. Depending on what we're working with and what you're comfortable trying, I might invite you to experiment with something like:

• choosing colours or images that fit what you're experiencing

• drawing something that's difficult to put into words

• creating a collage

• writing a letter, poem, story, or dialogue

• exploring a metaphor through an image

• experimenting with movement or gesture

• using music, voice, rhythm, or sound

• creating or interacting with a character

• moving between two or more forms of creative expression

An invitation is still an invitation. You can ask questions about why I'm suggesting something. You can change it. You can decide you'd rather do something else. And you can say no.

Example of an arts based excercise for anxiety

What if I'm Bad at Art?

Perfectly okay! Expressive arts therapy isn't an art class, and I'm not evaluating your technique.

A stick figure can communicate something. So can a scribble. So can tearing up paper, choosing one colour, writing three words, making a weird collage, or looking at the materials and deciding you'd rather talk. Sometimes people who don't identify as artistic are surprised by how much pressure they put on themselves to make something "good."That reaction itself can be something to get curious about.

Do I Have to Talk About What I Make?

You don't have to explain every creative choice or turn your artwork into a puzzle that needs to be decoded. If you make something, I might ask what you notice about it or what the process was like for you. You remain the person who gets to make meaning from your own work.

Sometimes you'll want to talk about what you created. Sometimes the making itself is enough for that moment.

What if I Don't Want to Make Art That Day?

Then we don't have to. Working with an expressive arts therapist doesn't mean every session has to involve art. Maybe you're exhausted. Maybe you want to talk. Maybe you're overwhelmed by materials that day. Maybe what seemed interesting last week sounds irritating today.

Therapy can change with your energy, communication style, capacity, and what feels useful in the moment. This flexibility can be especially important for neurodivergent clients and people living with chronic illness or pain, whose needs and capacity may change from one session to another.

You are what you art! Your art can help reveal insights and develop creative coping skills

What Can Expressive Arts Therapy Explore?

People can bring many of the same experiences to expressive arts therapy that they might bring to other forms of psychotherapy. In my practice, that can include experiences related to:

• anxiety, stress, and burnout

• neurodivergence and masking

• chronic illness and pain

• grief and loss

• relationships

• gender and identity

• feeling overwhelmed or stuck

• changes in capacity or sense of self

Creativity gives us another possible language for exploring those experiences. It doesn't replace conversation unless that's what feels useful to you. If you're interested in using creative expression specifically around chronic illness or pain, I've also shared [5 Expressive Arts Ideas for Living With Chronic Illness & Pain].

Is Expressive Arts Therapy Regulated in Ontario?

Expressive arts therapy itself is not currently a regulated health profession in Ontario. Because of that, it's useful to look at the credentials of the individual practitioner and understand what professional standards apply to the services they're providing. I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), which means the psychotherapy services I provide fall within my professional responsibilities as an RP (Qualifying). I am also an expressive arts therapist and follow the professional standards relevant to my expressive arts practice.

If you're looking for an expressive arts therapist, you can ask about their training, professional memberships or registration, scope of practice, and how expressive arts are incorporated into their work.

What About Online Expressive Arts Therapy?

Expressive arts don't necessarily require a therapy room full of supplies. For virtual sessions, we can work with materials and objects you already have access to. That might be paper and a pen, your phone, music, movement, writing, an object nearby, or whatever makes sense for the session. You don't need to buy an expensive set of art supplies before your first appointment.

And if you would rather talk that day, that's still an option.

Expressive Arts Therapy in Toronto & Ontario

I'm Savannah Dasilva, a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and expressive arts therapist in Toronto.

I work with children, teens, and adults, including queer and neurodivergent clients and people navigating chronic illness and pain, anxiety, stress, burnout, grief, relationships, gender, and identity. I offer in-person psychotherapy in Toronto and virtual psychotherapy across Ontario.

If you're curious about how I incorporate creativity into psychotherapy, you can learn more about Expressive Arts Therapy.

And if you're wondering whether we'd be a good fit, you can start with a free 20-minute consultation. You don't need to know whether you want to make art before you book.

Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation