What Is Art Psychotherapy?
Art psychotherapy (also known as art therapy) is a form of therapy that uses art making—like drawing, painting, or working with clay—to help people express and explore their thoughts and emotions. You don’t need to be “good at art” to benefit. The focus is not on creating something perfect, but on using the creative process to support emotional healing, personal insight, and mental wellbeing.
What I love about art therapy is that it is truly different for each person. From materials are used, or how art helps us process emotions in a unique way, each client approaches art therapy differently, and it can vary session to session depending on changing needs.
A qualified art psychotherapist helps guide the process in a safe, supportive space where you can reflect on what your artwork means to you, what feelings come up, and how it connects to your life
Who is art therapy good for?
Art psychotherapy can be helpful for people of all ages and backgrounds.
It can be especially useful if:
You find it hard to put feelings into words
Traditional talk therapy hasn’t helped in the way you hoped for
You want to process emotions on a somatic level
Art psychotherapy is specially supportive for those who feel stuck or overwhelmed and are looking for new ways to express themselves and feel heard.
You don’t need any artistic skill—just a willingness to explore.
How does Art Psychotherapy work differently to talk therapy?
Art psychotherapy works a little differently than traditional talk therapy. While talk therapy focuses mostly on thinking and talking things through (a “top-down” approach), art psychotherapy also works with the body and emotions in a more direct way (a “bottom-up” approach).
This means that instead of just talking about your experiences, you use creative expression to explore feelings that might be hard to put into words. This can be especially helpful for processing deep emotions or trauma, as it allows your body and nervous system to be part of the healing process—not just your mind. We can also work with sensory materials to support this healing further and aid in regulating your nervous system.
By engaging with art materials and the creative process, you can access and release emotions stored in the body, making it a powerful and often more holistic form of therapy.
FAQs
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Initial meeting : Free
1 hour Individual Art Therapy session: £60
1 hour Individual Art Therapy sessions for trainee therapist: £50
I have limited spots available for reduced rates – please ask.
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Please use the contact form below to book an initial meeting. I will get back to you with times available to meet to see if we are a good match. If you decide you want to work together, we will find a time that works for both of us.
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Typically we will meet weekly at the same time on the same day for one hour.
Consistency helps within therapy, but flexibility is possible.
We will find something that is best and accessible for you. If you find you need more or less support, I can accommodate this for you. This could look like meeting twice a week or every other week.
Additionally, I run my practice in alignment with Nottingham school schedule which means we would have a break in our therapy sessions over half terms. These are roughly every 6-8 weeks we will have a 1-2 week break. Many clients find breaks helpful, however some clients don’t want a break, which I understand. If this is something you are okay and want to attend therapy with me then we will go over the schedule during our initial meeting and I will give you a calendar and regular reminders.
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Generally I will hold onto your artwork until the end of therapy. The artwork made in therapy can often be a container for strong emotions and be emotionally charged. If you want to take home your artwork and feel it is safe and supportive to do so then you are able to take work home.
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Step-free access to the therapy room and to the bathroom. Please be mindful that the bathroom is down a very steep ramp and support may be needed. The Carousel is currently in the process of building a fully accessible toilet on the main floor.
Sensory needs: Low lighting available, fidgets available, white noise machine available.
I aim to make my therapy space as accessible as possible. If you have further access needs please let me know so I can accommodate when possible.
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I am located at the bottom of Hockley, across from Sneinton market.
There is blue badge parking out front in a loading zone but please be mindful this can be quite busy to park but often is great for being dropped off.
A close pay to park lot is near Sneinton market at Aberdeen Street Car Park which is 0.2 miles away (5 minute walk)
If you are taking the bus majority of buses to Nottingham city centre are within a 5-15 minute walk of the studio.
Contact me
If you’re interested in art therapy with me or have any questions, please complete the contact form on this page.
I look forward to hearing from you
