Colleen Jordan (she/they) M.A. LMHC
What is art therapy?
Art-making stimulates a different part of the brain than the language center focused on by traditional talk therapy. Images lead to a variety of insights and representations of the inner world. The best part, you don't have to consider yourself a talented artist to benefit from art therapy. The therapy focuses on the process, not the product.
A child creates a physical version of what happens inside their body when they are having a "bad day."
Create a visual for your own inner strength. Write your achievements on the branches and your positive qualities on the roots.
Using scratch art paper to reveal the brilliant colors underneath, write a positive motivational mantra as a visual reminder.
A child creates a physical version of what happens inside their body when they are having a "bad day."
Examples of Art Created From Therapeutic Directives
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- Bad Day Monster
- Strength Tree
- Positive Mantra

All images created by the Colleen Jordan, LMHC as examples.
Beads, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, rocks, thread, string, wooden shapes, confetti shapes, googly-eyes, shells, mosaic tiles, tiny clothes pins, metal rings
Markers, oil pastels, fabric markers, crayons, glitter glue, Elmer's glue, tacky glue, glue sticks, Model Magic clay
Beads, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, rocks, thread, string, wooden shapes, confetti shapes, googly-eyes, shells, mosaic tiles, tiny clothes pins, metal rings
Art Materials
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It is important to have a variety of materials available for the creative process. Materials with different textures, smells, and sizes evoke a variety of memories, associations, and emotions for different people. Art is not just drawing a 2D image on paper. Art can be: collage, sculpture, writing. movement, or any combination of creative expressions.