Art Therapy online - how does it work?

Often we get enquiries from our parents asking how can you do art therapy through a computer screen? The structure and delivery of the session is not that different from an in-person art therapy session. It just requires a little bit more pre-planning before the session and a dialogue between the parent and therapist. Art Therapy online is also a terrific alternative for our out of the area families who don’t want to travel too far but also want the experience of an art therapy session.

We start by having a quick chat with the parent of what art materials they have lying around the house and what they’d be happy to purchase, depending on the child’s requirements. You do not need artist quality art materials to have a successful online art therapy session - a piece of paper and pencil goes a long way!

All we ask from the parent is to provide a quiet and private space for the child and have some art materials ready on hand. Like our usual in-person initial appointments, we spend time experimenting with art materials and getting to know each other, before we start setting goals. And then we transition into sessions that are specifically tailored to the child’s needs and the art materials that can be provided for them.

We have seen some great results from kids engaged in art-making via telehealth despite the challenges of communicating through a screen. We’ve also had experiences where kids have struggled to engage and project stuff through the screen, unable to remain calm but then expend that energy into the artwork. This is a perfect example of the benefit of art therapy where it allows the child to express their feelings through non-verbal means.

-Alex

If your child or young person would benefit from engaging in Art Therapy, contact us to arrange a session with our Registered Art Therapist, Alex.