Art Therapy

Art therapy can help you cope with and heal from emotional and physical challenges caused by cancer and its treatments. Learn how to gain a new source of strength and healing with art therapy.

What is art therapy?

Art therapy is a mind-body therapy that uses art to help you process feelings and emotions so you can cope with life challenges. It helps with mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and pain. Artforms such as visual art creation, dance, and others may be used.

Who should consider art therapy?

Art therapy is a treatment that can be helpful for people of all ages, at any stage of care for cancer, and all artistic skill levels,.

Beyond supporting those with cancer, art therapy helps support connections, foster health, and restore balance. It can be used for teambuilding in the workplace, to promote healing in a health care setting, or to improve self-esteem in your own space.

Sometimes, art therapy might bring up difficult emotions or experiences. Be sure to talk to your care team, primary care provider (PCP), or art therapist about whether art therapy is right for you.

Who are art therapists?

Art therapists are trained mental health professionals who use art to help you cope with challenges you might face. Some cancer care centers have survivorship programs that offer art therapy. If the cancer care center doesn’t have this offering, you can ask your care team or PCP to help you find an art therapist. Also, you can search for a therapist by looking for titles with ATR (art therapist registered) or ART-BC (board-certified).

Types of art therapy

Some types of art therapy are guided by an ATR, while others are self-guided. Art therapy can be done alone or in groups in places like art studios, hospitals, homes, or community centers.

Expressive art therapies engage your mind, body, or spirit through movement. Examples include:

• Dance – body movements to music that can help improve mood and body control
• Somatic movement practices – guided body movements to release stress or muscle tension and increase body awareness
• Yoga – movement that connects the mind, body, and breath. It can improve your focus, flexibility, strength, and balance.

Visual art therapies engage your mind and emotions through creative artmaking. Examples include:

• Drawing or coloring – using pencils, markers, crayons, or apps on devices
• Painting – using paintbrushes or fingers
• Making collages – gluing together different materials, like paper or cloth, on a surface
• Visual journaling – creating art with a mix of pictures, drawing, and writing
• Making a memory box – decorating a box with mementos from special memories

Does insurance cover art therapy?

Some insurance plans might cover some art therapy sessions as treatments. The coverage might depend on the type of license your therapist has. Check with your insurance company to find out if art therapy is covered.