“Trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.”
— Gabor Maté
What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is an expressive form of therapy that supports emotional healing and relational transformation through the creative process and safe connection. Modern neuroscience supports what artists and healers have long known: creative expression regulates the nervous system and helps to process traumatic experiences.
Through experiential and intentional practices, we promote healing through the development of lasting coping mechanisms while recreating a sense of identity and personal narratives. Learn more of our therapeutic techniques on the About page.
How is art therapy different from traditional talk therapy?
Recognizing and expressing difficult emotions can be a challenging task. Traumatic experiences affect the nervous system and societal stigma surrounding mental health can create barriers to addressing these issues.
Art Therapy works to break down these stigmas by using integrative methods that engage our entire being through embodiment, offering a different way to access and process difficult memories. The goal is to reconnect with ourselves and others in healthier ways.
What are the benefits of art therapy?
Trauma can silence the parts of the brain responsible for speech, reflection, and emotional regulation. Areas of the brain implicated in trauma include the prefrontal cortex, responsible for logic and decision-making, dims under stress. The Broca’s area, which controls speech production, can go offline during trauma. The amygdala, our brain’s fear center, becomes overactive, keeping us in survival mode.
Engaging in creativity activates multiple brain regions, including those responsible for emotion regulation, memory, and self-awareness. Creativity increases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that promotes motivation, pleasure, and resilience. Creativity also supports neuroplasticity, allowing the brain to form new, healthier pathways after trauma.
