Why Online Art Therapy?
It’s An Exciting Way to Do Online Therapy!
Online Art Therapy is exciting because it adds a wider dimension. You get to express your feelings and experience through images, not just words. And it can be very calming and containing to work on something creative during your online therapy session.
If you’re an imaginative, creative, and sensitive kind of person, what an asset that can be when it comes to connecting and integrating the different parts of yourself in therapy. Your creativity and imagination can help you find shortcuts (as well as fascinating and worthwhile detours!) on your path to self-understanding, transformation and growth.
It’s Great for Creative People
If you’re a writer, performer, or visual artist, you know that your creativity is central and vital to who you are. And if you are looking for online art therapy you need a therapist who understands that. A therapist who can help you include your creativity and sensitivity as you work to get through the tough stuff you’re dealing with right now. I have sometimes been told by clients that they felt a previous therapist or counsellor didn’t “get” the creative, sensitive, imaginative part of them. Sometimes that made them feel that there were areas that the therapy couldn’t go.
It’s Great if You Want to Connect to Your Creativity
If you’ve been out of touch with your creative side for many years, you might wonder how on earth to get in touch with that part of you. Online art therapy can help you connect to your creativity. In tandem with this, online art therapy aims to help you find ways to untangle muddled emotions and open up your feelings in a manageable, safe, grounded way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Art Therapy:
Q: How would I use the arts in online art therapy?
During your online session we will find we come up with imagined images and metaphors as we talk. You may also choose to use your own art materials as you wish, such as crayons, pencils, pens, paints, play-dough, etc. Using metaphors and the arts is such a powerful way of communicating your experience, and exploring your hopes for how you’ll grow and heal. You might also like to use art materials in between sessions, sparked by what comes up in the session. You could email me your images for us to discuss in the following session (or just hold them up to the camera!)
Q: I have heard that therapists offering online counselling or therapy should have specific additional training in working online; do you?
Yes. I have a Diploma in Online Therapy.
Q: How much does it cost?
My fee for online therapy is currently £90 per 50-minute session.
Q: Do you use Skype?
I usually use Zoom, but FaceTime is another option. Skype isn’t suitable for therapy.
Q: Do you work with clients anywhere in the world?
Most of my clients are in the UK, as I am. But I work with clients overseas too. I find that for me, online art therapy works better if you are a relatively fluent English speaker. Note: Due to State licensing restrictions, I do not work with clients in the USA or Canada.
Q: Do you work with children or young people?
I only work with clients over the age of 18 years.
Q: Is online art therapy suitable for anyone?
It depends on the therapist, and also on your circumstances. Working online with me probably isn’t the best fit for your needs if you have a diagnosed mental health condition, a diagnosis of Personality Disorder, active suicidal ideation, an addiction to substances or alcohol, or a chaotic lifestyle. Online therapy in general is not suitable for someone who is living with an abusive partner. I work with clients on a weekly basis (If you would like an ad-hoc arrangement, having sessions on an occasional or infrequent basis, I am not the right therapist for you). However, there may be another online therapist who is able to work with you if I cannot, so please don’t give up. See the ACTO website for a list of online therapists.
Q: Would I have to use the arts?
No. Some clients like to use the arts in some sessions but not in other sessions. And some clients don’t want to use the arts at all, ever. This is absolutely fine – I am an AEDP therapist, so we can just stick to AEDP, which is a kind of talking therapy (and it’s very creative in how we can use the imagination). You can read more about AEDP here.
Ask About Working with Me in Online Art Therapy
Email me on espcameron[at]protonmail[dot]com and let me know something about what’s going on for you, and I’ll get back to you. We may be able to arrange a free 15-minute telephone or online consultation so that we can see whether working together might be a good fit. My page containing further information for new and existing online therapy clients can be accessed here.
Are You an Art Therapist Wanting to Work Online?
Check out my list of the most important things that art therapists need to know about providing online art therapy, ‘Can Art Therapists Work Online?’