Structure of a Typical Art Therapy Session (50 mins)
What does a session look like?
There is no single way to provide art therapy, as a result it can look different according to the needs of a client.
1. Welcome and check-in (5–10 minutes)
- The therapist greets the client and creates a safe, predictable environment.
- Brief discussion about current feelings, mood, or experiences may occur.
- Grounding or warm-up exercises may be used, especially for children or neurodiverse clients (e.g., deep breathing, stretching, or a sensory activity).
2. Introduction of art making (5 minutes)
- The therapist invites the client to be creative through either structured, semi-structured, or open-ended art making, depending on therapeutic goals.
- Materials might include paints, clay, collage items, markers, slime, or mixed media.
- The therapist explores the potential art making in a way that emphasises choice, safety, and self-expression.
3. Art-making process (20–30 minutes)
- The client then engages in the creative process, guided by the therapist but maintaining autonomy over choices.
- The therapist observes, reflects, and may facilitate expression through prompts or gentle questions or create alongside them.
This stage encourages emotional processing, self-regulation, and exploration of themes in a nonverbal or symbolic way.
4. Reflection and discussion (10–15 minutes)
- The therapist invites the client to be curious about their artwork and the process.
- Reflection focuses on feelings, thoughts, or experiences evoked during art-making.
- The therapist may use verbal dialogue, storytelling, or nonverbal cues to help the client process emotions safely.
5. Closure (5 minutes)
- The therapist guides a closure routine to help the client transition out of the session.
- Activities may include cleaning up materials, a grounding exercise, or summarising insights from the session.
- Closure reinforces safety, predictability, and a sense of completion.
- Any artwork produced is then stored safely each week in the therapy room. If the session is online, the client will store the artwork.