Art therapy
a creative approach to healing when words fall short
You’ve tried talk therapy, but you’re still stuck in the same unhelpful patterns.
Art therapy offers a different path when traditional talk therapy hasn't given you the breakthroughs you're looking for. Maybe you've been in therapy for years, finding some helpful tools along the way, but something still feels missing. There are places inside you that want to go deeper, but you don't know where to start or talking about it feels too overwhelming. If you're craving something beyond sitting and talking, you're not alone.
Art therapy creates space for the parts of your experience that words can't fully capture. Through creative expression, whether that's drawing, collage, painting, or other media, you can access emotions and insights that often stay hidden in traditional talk therapy. You don't need to be "good at art" or have any artistic experience. This isn't about creating something beautiful; it's about using the creative process as a bridge to understanding yourself more deeply. For many people navigating eating disorders, body image struggles, or identity exploration, art therapy offers a gentler, more embodied way to process what feels too big or too tangled to simply talk through.
Are you someone who…
Feels overwhelmed when talking about certain topics or shuts down.
Is self-aware and needs more from therapy than just insight.
Rambles in session, and wishes there was more structure.
Struggles to remember details of the past.
Can’t fully open up in session because discussions feel too surface level.
Gets stuck in venting sessions rather than getting to the root of the issue.
What is art therapy?
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Whether you’re overwhelmed, shut down, or just don’t have the words, creative expression can help you move beyond the thinking part of your brain and connect with your feelings. It’s a powerful way to process your experiences, feel more grounded, and begin to heal at a pace that works for you.
Using simple tools like paint, collage, or clay, you can explore your thoughts and feelings without the pressure to do it perfectly.
Art therapy isn’t about skill or talent—it’s about using creativity to connect with who you really are. No art experience needed—just a willingness to be curious.
When making art, things have a way of coming out in honest and unexpected ways. You might not even realize what you’re feeling until it shows up on paper. Art therapy has a way of bringing things into awareness and gives you the space to gain new perspectives on your experiences.
If you’ve spent years hiding parts of yourself to fit in, having a space to be totally yourself can be life-changing. For LGBTQ+ folks who’ve had to tone themselves down or play it safe, art therapy offers a powerful way to reconnect with who you really are.
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Art therapy sessions are 60 minutes or 90 minutes long, and are offered a weekly basis or more frequently.
For in person sessions, you’ll have access to a variety of materials and techniques, but we won’t rush through the process. You don’t have to be "ready" or know what to create. Just showing up is enough.
For online sessions, you’ll provide the art materials yourself. I’ll guide you recommended art supplies for the session.
Initial Session
I’ll spend some time getting to know you and what’s bringing you to therapy at this time. Together, we’ll define what you want out of therapy and what healing looks like for you.
The first two sessions are a chance to see if it’s a good fit for both of us. So there’s no pressure to commit right away, and you always have the option to end therapy at any time.
What a Typical Sessions Looks Like
Sessions might begin with an art prompt that we come up with together. If you’re not sure where to start, I can suggest prompts that relate to your treatment.
Ice-Breaker Art Prompts
Photo Collage - You’ll have access to a bin of pre-cut images and words. This can be a great first step if you’re not sure how you feel about drawing. I might ask you to make a collage about your goals for therapy.
Engaging the Senses- Pick one of the 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) and take a minute to notice that experience. Show me what that looks like using line, shape and color.
Hand-Tracing - Trace the outline of your hand, and draw/write what you feel is within your control inside of the hand, and what you feel is outside of your control outside of the hand print.
Even in art therapy, talking is still important.
The second half of the session would be a conversation about your artwork. I would guide the discussion and make observations, while always centering what the artwork means to you.
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It’s not about making something beautiful or "doing it right." It’s about:
Learning to better cope with making mistakes without beating yourself up.
Exploring your identity and lived experience in a visual, embodied way.
Releasing feelings around past experiences.
Rewriting narratives that don’t serve you.
Putting your thoughts and feelings on paper, so you can gain distance from them and start to understand them more clearly.
Increasing mindfulness by staying grounded in the present moment through art-making.
You are in control of the process, and we’ll always go at your pace. I’ll frequently check in with you to see how you’re feeling throughout the process, and there will always be the option to take a break if things feel too overwhelming.
My Specialized Approach to Art Therapy
What makes my approach distinct is the integration of multiple therapeutic modalities with genuine cultural competency for LGBTQ+ experiences. During art therapy sessions, you might:
Create visual representations of the different parts of yourself
Use collage to explore different aspects of your identity
Work with clay to physically shape narratives about your body and self
Design masks representing how you present to the world versus your inner experience
Develop a visual journal to track your healing process
Use digital art or photography to document moments of gender euphoria or recovery milestones
What you make in art therapy can surprise you. The art created becomes both a mirror and a container—reflecting parts of yourself you might not have consciously recognized while safely holding emotions that feel too intense to manage alone. This symbolic expression often reveals insights that surprise even those who consider themselves verbally articulate.
Creative Healing for Gender Identity, Eating Disorders, and Mental Health
If traditional talk therapy hasn’t felt like the right fit, you’re not alone.
Art therapy offers a different path: one where creative expression becomes a powerful language for what’s hard to say out loud.
Art therapy offers a transformative approach to mental health care that goes beyond traditional talk therapy, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals navigating intersections of identity, trauma, and emotional wellness.
As a registered board certified art therapist specializing in queer-affirming care and eating disorders recovery, I provide a unique therapeutic space where creative expression becomes the pathway to healing and self-discovery.
Art therapy resonates deeply with queerness because it’s adaptable and supports you in expressing your authentic identity. Creating art can offer flexible structure—enough to guide the process without limiting who you are or forcing you to conform.
other therapeutic approaches
In my Philadelphia practice, I combine art therapy with Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic therapy, and when appropriate, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to create a comprehensive treatment approach tailored to your specific needs.
Art therapy blends beautifully with these modalities to help you break old patterns and shift the way you feel about yourself on a deeper level. Some people do just art therapy while others combine art therapy and talk therapy. It’s entirely up to you and your goals.
There is no right or wrong to make art and anyone can benefit from art therapy. You don’t need to have artistic skill nor to you need to be a trained artist. All you need to do is show up, and I will guide you throughout the process.
Whether you're a non-binary professional struggling with perfectionism, a trans individual navigating relationship changes, or someone working through gender identity and eating disorder recovery, art therapy services offer a powerful tool for transformation.
Who benefits from art therapy services?
LGBTQ Individuals and Gender Diverse Communities
Art therapy provides a non-verbal space to explore gender identity and expression without the pressure of definitive labels. Through the creative process, you can visualize your transition journey, express the complexity of existing beyond binary categories, or process experiences of discrimination and rejection. As queer therapist, I bring both professional expertise and personal understanding to this work.
Partners and Parents of Trans Individuals
When your spouse comes out as trans or your teen wants to begin hormone therapy, art therapy offers a judgment-free space to process complex emotions. You might create pieces exploring your fears, grief, excitement, and uncertainty about the future. This expressive therapy helps integrate seemingly contradictory emotions while building coping skills for navigating relationship changes.
People with Eating Disorders
Traditional eating disorders recovery models often center heteronormative assumptions that can feel alienating to queer individuals. My art therapy treatment approach acknowledges these differences, creating space for recovery that aligns with your authentic self. Body image work through art allows you to explore your relationship with your body without verbalizing experiences that might trigger dysphoria or shame.
Individuals Managing Anxiety, OCD and Trauma
For those dealing with anxiety and OCD, incorporating art into your treatment plan makes exposure work more tolerable and provides additional tools for managing intrusive thoughts. The non-verbal nature of art therapy also makes it especially valuable for processing trauma symptoms, allowing you to maintain emotional distance while still engaging with difficult material.
Unique Benefits of Art Therapy for Mental Health
Bypassing Verbal Limitations
When words fail to capture the complexity of your experience—particularly around gender identity, body image, or trauma—art provides an alternative language. This is especially valuable for experiences that transcend traditional narratives or feel too overwhelming to articulate directly.
Building Self-Esteem and Self-Awareness
The creative process inherently builds self-esteem as you witness your capacity to transform raw materials into meaningful expression. Each piece you create serves as tangible evidence of your resilience and ability to externalize and examine your inner world.
Developing Lasting Coping Skills
Art therapy teaches practical skills that become part of your expanded coping repertoire. Many clients find that maintaining a creative practice becomes an ongoing resource for emotional regulation and self-care long after formal treatment ends.
Processing Complex Identities
For those navigating multiple marginalized identities—being queer and dealing with eating disorders, supporting a transitioning partner while pregnant, or exploring gender while managing OCD—art therapy provides space to hold and explore these complexities without having to compartmentalize different aspects of yourself.
Integration with Evidence-Based Approaches
While powerful on its own, I integrate art therapy with other therapeutic approaches for comprehensive mental health care:
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Visual representations of different parts of yourself help understand internal conflicts around identity, recovery, or relationships.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Patterns in your artwork reveal unconscious conflicts or defenses, providing material for deeper exploration within the psychotherapeutic relationship.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Creating art after exposure exercises helps consolidate learning and build confidence in facing fears.
What we’ll work on
With Art Therapy, you can…
Connect to your body’s senses through the feel of clay or the motion of painting to calm your nervous system and ground you in the moment.
Let go of perfectionism in a safe, supportive environment so you can manage your anxiety better outside of the therapy room.
Release thoughts and feelings on paper, so they feel less overwhelming and more manageable. Externalizing your inner world helps increase self-awareness.
Clear the brain fog and connect to what actually matters to you, so you can move forward feeling more like yourself.
When talking isn’t enough, creating opens the door to change.
Art therapy helps you get unstuck in ways words never could.
Questions?
FAQs
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Artistic background is not required to experience the benefits of art therapy. You don’t need to be “artsy” or think of yourself as a creative person.
There is no right or wrong way to make art in art therapy. The artistic process doesn’t need to lead to something you would display (though you can if you wanted to!)
You don’t need to make art that is pretty, perfect, or even understand what comes up. The most effective work comes from unexpected places.
You may be offered the chance to try different art materials, but no skill is required.
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Yes! I offer in person sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at my office in Society hill, Philadelphia.
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Yes! Art therapy is offered for in person and telehealth. The only difference is you would need to provide your own supplies for telehealth. We can accomplish a lot in an art therapy session with basic drawing supplies such colored pencils and paper.
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For in person sessions, no. All supplies will be provided for you in session.
For online therapy, you will have to provide your own supplies. You only need basic drawing supplies like paper, pencils, crayons and markers.
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Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression as a tool for healing and self-discovery. Unlike an art class, the focus isn't on technique, skill, or creating something aesthetically pleasing. Instead, I use the art-making process to help you explore emotions, uncover patterns, and access parts of your experience that might be difficult to put into words. The artwork becomes a starting point for deeper conversation and insight, not the end goal.
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Absolutely not. Art therapy has nothing to do with artistic talent or ability. You don't need any prior experience with art, and there's no "right" way to create in our sessions. Many of my clients haven't picked up a crayon since childhood, and that's completely fine. The value is in the process itself, not the product. If you can make a mark on paper, you can do art therapy.
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I offer a variety of materials depending on what feels right for you and what we're exploring together. This might include drawing materials like markers, colored pencils, and pastels, as well as collage materials, paint, clay, or mixed media. Some clients gravitate toward one medium while others like to experiment. I'll introduce you to different options and we'll discover together what resonates with you and supports your therapeutic goals.
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Art therapy offers a unique way to explore your relationship with your body, food, and self-image without relying solely on words. Many people find that eating disorders and body image struggles are connected to emotions and experiences that are hard to articulate. Through art-making, you can externalize these internal experiences, gain new perspectives, and process difficult feelings in a way that feels less confrontational than direct conversation. It can also help you reconnect with your body in a gentle, creative way.
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Yes, and I often integrate art therapy with other modalities I offer, such as Internal Family Systems and psychodynamic therapy. The approach I take is always personalized based on what you need. Some sessions might be primarily art-based, while others might involve more talking, and many sessions blend both. We'll work together to find the balance that supports your healing journey most effectively.
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Every session is different depending on where you are and what you're working through. Sometimes we might start with a specific art directive or prompt that relates to your goals. Other times, you might create spontaneously and we'll explore what emerges together. We always leave time to reflect on the process and discuss what came up for you. I create a relaxed, nonjudgmental space where you can explore at your own pace.
What to Expect in Art Therapy Sessions
Getting Started
Your journey begins with a free 20-minute phone consultation where we discuss what's bringing you to therapy and whether my approach aligns with your needs. If we decide to move forward, I'll help you set up your client portal and complete intake paperwork.
During our first art therapy session, we'll explore your current mental health challenges, what motivates you toward change, and your hopes for recovery.
I'll explain how art therapy works and what you can expect in upcoming sessions. These initial meetings help us determine if we're a good therapeutic match—finding the right fit is crucial for effective therapy.
Ongoing Treatment
We usually meet once a week for an hour, but if you’re going through something big—like eating disorder recovery or a major life shift—we can meet more often or for longer sessions when needed. All materials are provided, and no art experience is necessary. In fact, if you’ve never made art before, you might find it easier to let go and just explore.
Between sessions, I might offer a few journal prompts or gentle challenges to help you keep the momentum going. If we’re working on OCD, that might include small, doable exposure exercises to help you face what feels hard. You won’t be doing it alone—you’ll be building skills and self-trust as we go.
Why Choose My Art Therapy Services?
As a credentialed art therapist with specialized training in both LGBTQ+ affirmative care and eating disorders treatment, I offer something unique in Philadelphia's mental health landscape. My personal connection to the trans community, combined with professional expertise in expressive therapies, creates a therapeutic space where you can show up fully as yourself.
Unlike approaches that pathologize uniqueness or force you into predetermined recovery models, my practice honors the richness of queer and trans experiences.
Art therapy becomes not just a tool for healing but a celebration of your authentic self—acknowledging that your queerness or transness isn't a problem to solve but an integral part of who you are.
The effectiveness of art therapy in my practice comes from this combination of professional skill, personal understanding, and genuine commitment to creating inclusive therapeutic spaces.
Whether you're dealing with the intersection of gender identity and eating disorders, supporting a loved one through transition, or simply seeking mental health support that aligns with your creative, authentic self, art therapy provides the framework for profound transformation.
Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Begin Your Creative Healing Journey Today
Taking the step to begin therapy requires courage, especially when navigating complex identities and experiences. If you're ready to explore how art therapy might support your journey toward improved mental health and well-being, I invite you to reach out for that initial consultation.
Together, we can create a therapeutic experience that honors who you are while supporting who you're becoming. Your story deserves to be told in all its complexity, and art therapy provides the canvas for that expression.
Contact me today to schedule your free 20-minute consultation and discover how art therapy can transform your path to healing.
