Art Therapy
Art therapy works by engaging both your mind and your body in the process of creating. Often, what shows up on the page isn’t something you consciously decided—it’s something that emerges. This can bring forward emotions, memories, or patterns in a way that feels more direct and meaningful than talking alone. Once it’s visible, you can begin to explore it, make sense of it, and relate to it differently. At the same time, the act of creating can feel regulating and steadying, offering a sense of relief even before anything is fully understood.
About Art Therapy
What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy uses the creative process to explore thoughts, emotions, and experiences. In sessions, you might work with a range of materials—such as drawing, painting, or collage—to create images that reflect what’s going on internally. The focus isn’t on making something “good” or artistic, but on the process of creating and what emerges from it. At times, we may talk about what you’ve made and what it means to you; other times, the experience of creating itself is where the work happens. Art therapy offers a way to express and understand experiences that may be difficult to put into words, while also providing a more active, hands-on approach to therapy.
Who is Art Therapy for?
Art therapy can be helpful for children, adolescents, and adults—no artistic skill or experience is needed. It’s a good fit for people who are looking for a more active, hands-on way of engaging in therapy, or who find that talking alone doesn’t always capture the full picture of what they’re experiencing.
This approach is often used to support anxiety, emotional overwhelm, difficulty expressing feelings, life transitions, and experiences that feel hard to put into words. It can also be helpful for those who feel stuck, disconnected, or unsure how to access what’s going on beneath the surface, offering another way to explore and understand their inner experience.
How does it help?
Art therapy helps by putting your experience into images, rather than relying only on words. As you create, you may notice metaphors, symbols, or patterns that reflect something meaningful—sometimes in ways that feel unexpected. Being able to see something outside of yourself gives you something to respond to, making it easier to understand and relate to what you’re experiencing. The act of creating may help you feel less scattered and more organized, creating space for clarity and reflection. In this way, art therapy supports both insight and regulation—helping you make sense of your experience while also feeling more steady and connected in the moment.
Approach To Art Therapy
This video from the American Art Therapy Association offers an overview of the approach and how it supports emotional health and well-being
Common Questions About Art Therapy
Meet The Practitioners
Ariana Gangloff, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC
Gangloff Therapy Services, LLC
Ariana has over a decade of experience in a range of outpatient settings, where she has provided individual, family, and group therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. She now works primarily with older adolescents and adults, focusing on issues of trauma, life stressors & transitions, anxiety, and depression. Ariana is also a Board-approved clinical supervisor for art therapists and counselors, and serves as an adjunct professor of art therapy and counseling.
Lauren Kim, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC
Lauren Kim Therapy, LLC
Lauren has a decade of experience across diverse clinical settings, specializing in helping adolescents and adults navigate trauma, anxiety, and major life transitions. As a Native Hawaiian and Asian American clinician, her work is deeply informed by her heritage and her journey as a mother, centering on cultural identity and intergenerational resilience.
A Maryland Board-approved supervisor and former adjunct professor of art therapy, Lauren bridges clinical expertise with a holistic, authentic approach to support lasting growth.
Ali Piacente, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC
Ali Piacente Counseling, LLC
Ali understands the messy, beautiful and often overwhelming realities of raising kids.
As a mom herself, she works alongside parents to build steadiness and connection as they
navigate the ups and downs of raising children. Ali has supported new and expecting parents as
well as those raising school-age children and adolescents facing struggles at home, at school,
and through the challenges of growing up. She also cares deeply about supporting adults
navigating major life transitions – offering a space to pause, reflect and feel less alone.