a mind-body approach to healing when words fall short
Art therapy in Philadelphia, PA
Through drawing, collage, or painting, art therapy helps heal trauma, disordered eating, body image issues and anxiety. Art therapy offers support to those looking to explore identity and life transitions.
You’re ready for a new approach to therapy.
Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or that words aren’t enough?
Maybe you’ve been to therapy before, but you feel like you’ve been hitting a wall. You’ve found some helpful tools, but something still feels missing. Perhaps there are some areas in life where you want to go deeper, but you struggle to find the words. Or possibly talking about it feels too stressful.
You might be curious about trauma therapy, but are worried about having to retell the story. Maybe you’re looking for an approach that helps you get out of your head and into your body. You might have heard of art therapy before and want to know more.
Art therapy is an embodied approach to therapy that can be a helpful addition to talk therapy or stand alone. Whether you're navigating body image, trauma, identity, or just trying to feel more connected to yourself, creative expression can help you explore, release, and begin to heal, without needing to have all the answers. Art allows you to go deeper to understand yourself without having to explain it through words.
I want you to truly hear this:
Every person has an inner artist waiting to heal.
Your deepest wisdom doesn’t always live in your thoughts—sometimes it lives in your body and your intuition.
I believe that healing doesn’t happen through words alone. Every person carries with them the capacity for creative expression that can unlock doors when traditional talk therapy feels limiting. Your experiences, your pain, your joy—they all deserve to be honored in whatever form feels authentic to you.
healing through creative expression
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Art therapy uses drawing, painting, and collage to help you explore emotions, regulate your nervous system, release stress, and visually explore the struggles that are making you feel stuck.
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Art therapy sessions are 60 minutes or 90 minutes long.
For in person sessions, you’ll have access to a variety of materials and techniques, but we’ll always move at your pace. You don’t have to be "ready" or know what to create. Just showing up is enough.
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 goals.
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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The Process is About Connection, Not Perfection.
It’s not about making something beautiful or "doing it right." It’s about:
Learning to better cope with making mistakes and feelings of uncertainty.
Exploring your identity and lived experience in a visual, embodied way.
Releasing feelings connected to trauma without needing to retell your story.
Rewriting narratives that don’t serve you.
You are in control of the process. We’ll always go at your pace. I’ll frequently check in with you to see how you’re feeling throughout the process and to allow space for pauses if needed.
Ultimately, what matters most is this:
Art helps you do deep, emotional work in a way that feels gentle and safer. You don’t have to remember all of the details of your past to find healing.
Is Art Therapy right for you?
Art therapy is a good fit for you if you…
Feel stuck when trying to articulate how you feel.
Feel overwhelmed and panicked when talking about emotional topics.
Experienced trauma, emotional neglect or have PTSD.
Are a teen who struggles to open up in talk therapy.
Are curious about creative ways to work through struggles including eating disorders or body image issues.
Want to explore gender identity, transition, or queerness in a visual, expressive way.
Prefer mind-body and relational approaches over cognitive, behavioral therapies.
What we’ll work on together
With Art Therapy you can:
Deepen your mind-body connection by engaging multiple senses. It can be an alternative way to explore mindfulness practices if deep breathing exercises don’t resonate with you.
Access hidden emotions. Art therapy allows you to explore feelings from a place of grounded awareness. If talking feels too overwhelming and/or you struggle to notice how your feeling, art can help you access emotions that are below the surface. Sometimes art becomes a bridge to insight, relief and words that you weren’t aware of before. It can offer a sense of control, choice, and creativity in the healing process. Visualizing emotions can make them easier to understand and address.
Heal your relationship with your body. Art therapy can be a tool to process body image stress and discomfort. Art offers a visual way to explore how you feel in and about your body. Through creativity, you can explore the origins of your body image struggles and rewrite harmful narratives.
you’re inner wisdom speaks through creativity
Embrace imperfection. Art therapy disrupts perfectionist tendancies. It allows you to explore feelings that come up with making mistakes in a safe and contained way. The use of art materials allows you to address rigid behaviors while increasing flexibility and spontaneity. Art can help you reduce feelings of failure and build self-confidence.
Discover your authentic self. Art is a visual way to reconnect wtih your true self. It can help you explore your identity beyond labels and expectations and discover what gives you a sense of meaning. Art therapy can help you find more confidence and clarity around your values and foster joy.
Process trauma. Art therapy is an embodied way to work through trauma at your own pace. Through art, you can heal trauma wounds without needing to remember the details or retell the story, unless you choose to. It can allow you to work through trauma in ways that feel grounded and contained. Art is an external way to rewrite narratives that don’t serve you.
You don’t need any artistic skill. You just need to show up.
Start your journey today.
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. Sometimes 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! Art therapy is offered for in person and telehealth. The only difference is you would need to provide your own supplies for telehealth. A lot can be done 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.