Virtual Online Art Therapy
Art therapy involves working creatively with emotions, feelings, and behaviors while engaging with art. The process is different for every individual; however, often sessions will involve talking about what comes up during the art making process, how you feel about your art, and how the art informs your experience.
What does it mean to be an Art Therapist?
Art Therapists are professionals trained in working together with art and the psyche.
Art Therapy is serious psychological work; however it is not regulated in many countries.
Professional art therapists will have intensive training in art therapy in addition to training in mental health (often in psychodynamic training).
When looking for an art therapist it is important to ask where they did their training and how long their training was. A 2 week course cannot prepare someone for work as an art therapist. Ideally the training should be done at masters or post masters level.
Cammi has a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology-Art Therapy and completed extra post-grad supervision hours to be voluntarily registered with the BCATA. For more information about Art Therapy in Canada and the requirements needed to be registered with the BCATA check out the British Columbia Art Therapy Association
Cammi’s original art therapy office started as a humble space in Vancouver, B.C. However, during Covid she began to see clients online from all over the world and found that art therapy can be just as effective online as in-person. She now offers art therapy in person in Europe and online with most clients coming from Edmonton, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.
“It might seem odd to think about engaging in art therapy online; however, it works quite well. Not only can we both look at images in detail through screen sharing, we can also explore larger pieces you might create that would have been hard to bring to the office. As an added bonus, you can show up in your PJ’s or with an animal friend. You can make your space as comfortable and as cozy as you need it to be. As long as you are in a confidential space we can work together wherever works best for you. “-Cammi
What does a typical art therapy session look like?
Every art therapy session is different, just like every client is different. Some sessions might be more talk based with an art assignment given at the end, while others might involve creating art in the session with minimal talking. Sometimes both the therapist and client might even create art together!
Regardless of whether physical art enters the space we will always look at your life with an eye to images and symbols.
How Does Art Therapy Help?
- Working with art in art therapy sparks creative thinking and creative problem solving.
- Art is meta-verbal. It has it’s own language. It allows you to process things that might be too hard to talk about verbally.
- Art gives us a physical and visual representation of our mental state. It might be hard to explain how you are feeling, so drawing the feeling might be a bit easier.
- Art allows us to play! How often do you let your inner creator out to play? Playing releases stress and cortisol and is important for mental well being.
- Art activates imagination. Our imagination is powerful, and like a garden requires tending.
- Art is deeply personal. What we create is unique and helps us connect to our authentic self.
- Sharing art in art therapy sessions with a trusted therapist allows for deep connection and moves us into a vulnerable state.
Working with art in art therapy can increase confidence. To create is to know your power.
Working with art can help with self-awareness. Everything we put onto paper is a choice (conscious or not). It is fascinating to explore why you used the colors or materials you did during your session.
When working from a depth perspective, art is an external representation of the internal. Unlike dreams, which are completely unconscious until remembered, art is a conscious connection to our unconscious.