Expressive Arts

Emotions and sensations can be hard to put into words.

Sometimes, we have ideas and feelings inside that we cannot form words for; let alone share out loud with another person.

Sitting in a room face-to-face with a therapist and using talk therapy can sound dull or uncomfortable. There is another way to be seen and ask for help. Expressive therapies provide a step between you and your talking voice. This therapeutic approach allows you to express what is within you through art, sand play, clay, lyrics, writing, or other dramatic expression.

Once those internal feelings take shape, we can discuss them as something separate from you. Separating your feelings, ideas, or experiences from you makes it easier to talk about them verbally.

Play helps us identify needs.

When engaging in creative expression, we often feel drawn to express similar themes and messages. Therapists trained in the expressive arts look for themes and know how to use developmentally appropriate play.

Play is our language before we can express ourselves verbally, and it is still very effective in communicating our needs. These themes and play styles help communicate those needs so we can address them. Signs of unaddressed needs may look like nightmares, daydreams, fantasies, songs that you love, images that you envision or feel drawn to, and flashbacks or preferred colors, shapes, and textures.

Finding ways to express these in play or art will benefit you and the therapist, helping you follow the path to healing.

Therapy needs to be effective.

Expressive arts in therapy benefit those who prefer the kinesthetic, hands-on learning style. Sometimes, worksheets or talk therapy don’t hit the mark. A good example is those struggling with relationships and interpersonal effectiveness skills.

Using role-playing to reenact social stories can be immensely beneficial. This form of expression allows you to experience the sensation in your body when you tell someone no or practice being assertive. It may look like theater, where we use our physical bodies and voices, drawing a comic strip, or creating clay characters that we make move and talk.

Therapy does not need to be boring.

Expressive arts meet the need to help get the point across as you explore the root of your emotions or process your life experiences in ways that allow you to grow.

There are endless possibilities for getting thoughts, feelings, experiences, and fears out of your brain and into the world. I will help you find a path out of the stuck place where you are alone, so we can explore what you are experiencing together.

Schedule a session today, and let’s take that next step together.