FOR CHILDREN & ADULTS

Evidence-Based Art Therapy

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Unlock the power of creativity in your healing journey with evidence-based art therapy.

Led by a qualified ANZACATA art therapist, we offer a fresh approach to mental health for both adults and children. Whether you prefer one-on-one sessions or the energy of group therapy, we’ve got you covered.

Struggling with trauma, anxiety, or emotional regulation? Our art therapy program provides a unique way to express yourself and grow. It’s not about being a great artist – it’s about using art to understand and heal yourself.

We combine art-making with proven frameworks like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the gold standard for treating anxiety and depression in psychology. This powerful mix can complement your current therapy or stand strong on its own.

Ready to paint your way to better mental health? Join us in a safe, nurturing space where you can explore your emotions, boost self-awareness, and develop new coping strategies.

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What we treat

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Trauma & PSTD

Art therapy offers a powerful approach to treating trauma and PTSD, providing a non-verbal pathway to process difficult experiences and emotions. By combining creative expression with evidence-based therapeutic techniques, we help clients navigate their trauma in a safe, controlled environment.

Somatic therapy, which focuses on the mind-body connection, integrates seamlessly with art therapy in trauma treatment. Here’s how we incorporate various materials:

Painting: Using paint allows clients to externalise their trauma through colour and form. The tactile experience of applying paint can be grounding, helping you stay present while exploring traumatic memories. Research shows that painting can reduce cortisol levels, lowering stress and anxiety associated with PTSD.

Clay: Working with clay engages the sense of touch, promoting a strong mind-body connection. Molding and shaping clay can symbolise gaining control over one’s experiences. Studies indicate that the repetitive motions involved in clay work can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, countering the hyperarousal common in PTSD.

Sand Therapy: Sand tray therapy allows clients to create and manipulate miniature worlds, providing a safe distance from traumatic events. This technique can help in processing fragmented traumatic memories, as supported by neurobiological research on memory reconsolidation.

In practice, a session might involve creating a series of paintings representing different aspects of a traumatic experience, followed by grounding exercises using clay. The therapist guides the client through mindful awareness of bodily sensations throughout the process, integrating somatic experiences with the art-making.

Evidence shows that this multi-modal approach can be particularly effective in treating complex PTSD. For example. a 2019 study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that art therapy combined with somatic techniques significantly reduced PTSD symptoms compared to traditional talk therapy alone.

Emotional Regulation

Art therapy offers innovative ways to understand, express, and manage emotions. Our approach combines various artistic mediums to help you build stronger emotional regulation skills. Here’s how we make it happen:

Emotion Sculptures: Using materials like clay, beads, wool, and paint, we create tangible representations of emotions. This hands-on process helps you:

Identify and name complex feelings
Understand the physical sensations associated with emotions
Develop a visual vocabulary for your emotional experiences

For example, you might sculpt anger using spiky clay forms, or represent calm with smooth, cool-toned paint strokes. This tactile experience deepens your emotional awareness and provides a concrete way to explore feelings.

Music-Inspired Art: We also harness the emotive power of music in our sessions. As you listen to carefully selected pieces, you’ll:

Draw or paint what the music makes you feel
Track how your emotions shift with changes in the music
Create a visual journal of your emotional responses

This process enhances your ability to recognise and articulate subtle emotional states, a key skill in emotional regulation.

Through these creative exercises, you’ll develop:

Greater emotional awareness
Improved ability to identify and name feelings
New strategies for managing intense emotions
A personalised toolkit of calming techniques

Research shows that engaging in art-making activates the brain’s reward centre, reducing stress and promoting emotional balance. By repeatedly practising these artistic approaches to emotional regulation, you’ll build new neural pathways, making emotional management more natural and automatic over time.

Whether you’re dealing with mood swings, intense emotions, or simply want to enhance your emotional intelligence, our art therapy approach offers a unique and effective path to better emotional regulation.

Anxiety and Depression

Our innovative art therapy approach offers a powerful way to tackle anxiety and depression. By combining creative techniques with proven cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies, we help you gain new perspectives on your thoughts and feelings.

Mindmapping: A Window into Your Inner World

One of our key techniques is mind mapping, a visual method that helps you explore and understand your thought patterns. Here’s how it works:

Cloud Creation: We start by drawing three clouds on paper. These represent different aspects of your experience:
- Thoughts
- Feelings
- Physical sensations
Filling the Clouds: Using colours, words, and images, you’ll populate each cloud with your current experiences. This process helps you:
- Identify recurring thought patterns
- Recognise how thoughts connect to emotions and bodily sensations
- Externalise internal experiences, making them easier to examine
CBT Integration: As you create your mindmap, we’ll use CBT techniques to unpack and challenge negative thought patterns:
- Identify cognitive distortions in your thought cloud
- Explore how these thoughts influence your feelings and physical sensations
- Develop alternative, more balanced thoughts
Visual Reframing: Using art materials, you’ll create visual representations of more balanced thoughts and coping strategies. This might involve:
- Redrawing parts of your mindmap with new insights
- Creating symbols or images that represent positive coping skills
- Developing a visual ‘toolkit’ of strategies to manage anxiety and depression

Benefits of This Approach:

Makes abstract concepts tangible and easier to work with
Engages both creative and analytical thinking
Provides a non-verbal outlet for complex emotions
Creates a visual record of progress over time

Research shows that combining art therapy with CBT can be particularly effective for anxiety and depression. A study in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association found that this integrated approach led to significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to traditional CBT alone.

By visualising your inner world through art, you’ll gain new insights into your anxiety and depression, develop more effective coping strategies, and create a personalized roadmap to better mental health.

FAQ

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What is art therapy?

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression to improve mental health and well-being. It combines art-making with psychological theory and counselling techniques.

Do I need to be good at art to benefit from art therapy?

Not at all! Art therapy is about self-expression, not artistic skill. Everyone can benefit, regardless of their artistic ability.

What kinds of issues can art therapy help with?

Art therapy can help with a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, emotional regulation, stress management, and self-esteem issues.

What happens in an art therapy session?

Sessions typically involve creating art and discussing your work with the therapist. You might draw, paint, sculpt, or use other art forms to express your feelings and experiences.

How is art therapy different from regular talk therapy?

Art therapy provides a non-verbal outlet for expression, which can be particularly helpful when dealing with complex emotions or experiences that are difficult to put into words.

Will the therapist analyse my artwork?

The therapist won’t interpret your art for you. Instead, they’ll help you explore what your art means to you and how it relates to your thoughts and feelings.

Do I need to bring my own art supplies?

We provide all necessary art materials. You’re welcome to bring your own if you prefer, but it’s not required.

Why Unbound Minds?

Holistic
Approach

Treating the whole person with comprehensive, integrative care.

Specialised Expertise

Qualified psychiatrists with specialised experience and training.

Client-Centred Philosophy

Your well-being and empowerment are our priorities.

Tailored Treatment Plans

Customised treatment plans to meet individual needs.

Take The First Step

Taking the first step can be tricky. You might’ve had a few false starts. That’s okay! We’re here to help.

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