"What is art therapy?" is one of the most common questions I get as an art therapist and understandably so because it is not a traditional style of therapy, but it is a highly effective way to help people heal, integrate and process their emotions and feelings. Here is a short list of how art therapy can help.

1. Art is inherently therapeutic. This means that just the act alone of art-making, or some form of expression usually helps us feel calm, relaxed, and inspired. Art-making also helps with self-awareness, self-esteem and establishing skills to be proud of. 

2. Art-making helps to see the situation in a new way. Sometimes the solution to the things that are causing us distress can be difficult to understand. Art-making can be a way to see the same situation, but outside of ourselves through the use of metaphors and symbols. This helps the mind find solutions through non-verbal and non-literal forms.

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3. Sometimes words can't describe what we are feeling. We have a limited vocabulary of words to convey the human experience and the feelings we all possess. This can prevent us from understanding, or describing what is going on in our internal world. Art can be the bridge between emotions and our relationship to them. 

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