Who is art therapy for adults suited to, and do you need to be able to draw? Read what happens in a session, what research says and where its limits lie.
"The last time I held a paintbrush was in art class at secondary school, and the teacher told me, 'You'll never be a painter.'" When it comes to art therapy for adults, this is one of the sentences heard most often. Many adults stopped drawing somewhere in childhood, leaving paper and pencils behind along with school assignments, worries about marks or the embarrassment of "I can't draw nicely". This article is for exactly those people: adults who have not picked up paints for years and who ask, "What use would art therapy be for someone like me?" We calmly explain how art-based work with adults proceeds, who it might be considered for, what research says today and what it cannot yet say.
What Is Art Therapy for Adults?
Art therapy is an approach in which materials such as paint, pastels, clay and collage, together with the process of creating, help a person within a therapeutic relationship to express their feelings, notice them and build a new relationship with them. With children it often stays close to play; with adults it is used as a way of giving shape to experiences that are hard to put into words, and of looking at them from a little distance.
The essence of art therapy for adults is very different from an art class. In an art class the aim is to learn a technique and to develop perspective, shading and colour mixing. In therapeutic work, the beauty of the finished product is not the measure. What matters is what is felt while working with the materials, what is noticed, and what the work says to the person.
We have described the general framework of this approach in detail in our article what is art therapy. Here we focus in particular on the hesitations and experiences of adults.
A short history
It is reported that the term "art therapy" was first used in the United Kingdom by the painter Adrian Hill, drawing on his experiences with adult patients in a tuberculosis sanatorium; Hill's book Art Versus Illness was published in 1945. In the United States in the 1940s, Margaret Naumburg framed art therapy as a form of dynamic psychotherapy based on spontaneous drawing and free association. Edith Kramer, on the other hand, emphasised the process of creating itself rather than the interpretation of the work. These three perspectives still guide work with adults today: making creative space during periods of illness and strain, talking about drawings, and valuing the process of creating itself.
The "I Have No Talent" Worry: Why Do Adults Hesitate?
There are several familiar reasons why adults keep their distance from art-based work:
- School experiences: worries about marks in art class, pictures that never made it onto the classroom display, or a teacher's negative comment can persist years later as the belief that "I can't draw".
- Perfectionism: adults who are used to everything being "right" at work and in the family can feel very exposed in an area where they are not skilled.
- Finding it "childish": working with paint and clay can seem to some people like play that is not fitting for a serious adult problem.
- Fear of losing control: when we speak, we can choose what we say; a picture, however, can sometimes reveal something we did not expect.
All of these hesitations are understandable, and they can be addressed as part of the work. Art therapy does not require artistic talent; stick figures, scribbles, random patches of colour and torn pieces of paper are entirely valid forms of expression. We have covered this in more detail in our article on talent and art therapy.
The question asked in art therapy is not "Is this picture beautiful?" but "What is this picture telling you?"
What Happens in an Art Therapy Session for Adults?
Sessions can be individual or in a group and are shaped around the person's needs. Even so, a rough flow can be described:
- A short conversation: the person's state that day and the issues on their mind are talked about.
- An invitation to the materials: the person is offered different materials such as paint, pastels, clay and magazine pages. Sometimes an open-ended invitation is made: "If you showed this week as a colour or a shape, what would it look like?" Sometimes no direction is given at all.
- The creative process: the person works at their own pace. The professional observes the process, offers support if needed, but does not direct it.
- Looking together: the finished work is looked at together. The person does the interpreting; the professional does not impose readings such as "This black shows your depression". Instead, curious questions are asked, such as "What's happening in this corner?" or "How does the distance between these two figures make you feel?"
- Closing: the session ends with a closing that allows the person to return calmly to daily life.
Imagine a woman in her forties who works as a finance manager at a large company and begins seeking support because of tiredness and tension she has been experiencing for a long time. When she talks, she describes everything in a very orderly, logical and controlled way. In one session she is given clay and told, "Just play with it using your hands." After a few minutes she notices that she has been squeezing and crushing the clay and then trying to shape it back into a ball. "I think that's what I always do: I crush everything and then struggle to fix it," she says. This sentence opens the door to conversations over the following weeks about her workload, the high standards she sets herself and her refusal to allow herself rest.
The language of materials
Different materials offer different experiences. Pens and pencils allow more control; watercolour is fluid and does not always go where you want it to. Clay involves the hands and the body more in the process. Collage, working with images cut from magazines and newspapers, can be an easy start for people who say "I can't draw". The professional may suggest materials according to the person's needs and how they are that day; for example, with someone who has a very high need for control, starting with more structured materials and then moving step by step to freer ones.
The difference between a workshop and therapy
In recent years many events have been held in big cities under names such as "relaxing with art", "painting workshop" or "art therapy workshop". These gatherings can be enjoyable, sociable and relaxing; they can offer a lovely opportunity to take up a new hobby or unwind after work. However, a one-off workshop is not the same as a process carried out within a specific therapeutic framework, in a safe relationship and according to the person's needs. In a workshop the aim is mostly enjoyment and experience; in therapeutic work, the person's difficulties, feelings and relationships are reflected on regularly.
In Turkey, a separate postgraduate programme under the name "art therapy" is not common, and the field is still developing academically; there also does not appear to be a separate, legally defined professional title for art therapy. For this reason it is important that art-based work is carried out by people who are trained and competent in the mental health field, together with psychotherapy or medical treatment where necessary.
Who Might Art Therapy for Adults Be Considered For?
Art-based work can be a supportive path for many different adults:
- People who find it hard to put their feelings into words: for those who say "I don't know what I'm feeling" or "When I start talking, words aren't enough", a visual language can open a new door.
- People who think and analyse a great deal: people who try to solve everything in their heads may have a different experience when working with their hands.
- People experiencing loss and grief: putting feelings and memories of someone who has died into a picture or collage can be meaningful during grief.
- People going through serious illness or difficult medical processes: remembering that the history of art therapy began in a sanatorium shows that the field can also have a place during periods of illness.
- People in life transitions: for exploring questions of identity and meaning during periods such as retirement, children leaving home, migration or divorce.
In some situations, however, care is needed. In people who have experienced severe trauma, creative methods can open up unexpectedly intense feelings. It is therefore important that the work proceeds slowly within a safe framework and that each session ends with an appropriate closing. In serious mental health conditions, art-based work is not a treatment on its own; it should be considered together with a psychiatric assessment and appropriate treatment.
What Does Research Say About Art Therapy for Adults?
Research on art therapy for adults is promising, but most studies are small and methodologically limited.
A review published in 2015 in the journal Health Technology Assessment, which examined art therapy for adults with non-psychotic mental health difficulties, found that in 10 of 15 randomised controlled trials, the art therapy group showed a significant positive change in mental health symptoms compared with the control group. However, the researchers stressed that the quality of the studies was generally low.
Another review, published in 2018 in Frontiers in Psychology, examined 27 quantitative studies conducted with adults between 2000 and 2017. The studies cover different areas such as cancer and other medical conditions, mental health problems, trauma, prison settings, older people and everyday difficulties. The review's overall conclusion is that the findings are promising, but that more research is needed because of methodological limitations.
The common limitations of research in this field are:
- Participant numbers are usually small.
- Blinding is impossible, because participants know what they are taking part in.
- Results mostly rely on self-report.
- Follow-up periods are short.
In short, art-based work should be regarded as a supportive approach that can be added to usual treatment; it should not take the place of psychotherapy, medication or medical care.
Simple Creative Exercises You Can Try at Home
The suggestions below are not a therapy process; they are self-care exercises you can try to get reacquainted with creative expression as someone who has not held a paintbrush for years. You do not need expensive materials; a notebook, a few coloured pencils or your child's pens are enough.
- The colour of the day: in the evening, choose one or more colours that describe today and put them on the paper only as patches and lines. Do not try to draw shapes.
- Drawing with your other hand: if you are right-handed, draw something with your left hand. The pressure to make it "nice" disappears by itself.
- Magazine collage: cut out images that appeal to you from old magazines and stick them on a sheet of paper. Afterwards, be curious about why you chose them.
- Tea-break doodling: doodle freely on paper while you are on the phone or drinking tea. Look at the doodles after a week: what do you notice?
- Giving a feeling a shape: think of a feeling that has been troubling you lately as a shape, texture or colour, and put it on paper. Then set the paper aside.
Think of these exercises not as a performance but as a small slice of time you set aside for yourself. Once or twice a week, even fifteen minutes can be enough; being regular matters more than working for a long time. You do not have to show anyone what you make. If unexpected sadness or restlessness rises during these exercises, stop, return to your breathing and be gentle with yourself.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Creative activities do many adults good; but in some situations they are not enough on their own. It may be helpful to speak to a mental health professional in the following situations:
- Low mood, lack of motivation or an inability to enjoy anything lasting for weeks
- Anxiety, tension or burnout that is disrupting your work, family or relationships
- The impact of a loss, separation or traumatic event not easing even months later
- Serious difficulty recognising and expressing your feelings
During psychological support, creative tools such as drawing or a sand tray may be used according to the person's needs. In individual therapy, research-supported methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy form the basis, and where necessary an assessment by a psychiatrist also becomes part of the process. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, call 112 (emergency services) in an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone who has never drawn benefit from art therapy?
Yes. Art therapy does not require artistic talent or experience. Simple forms of expression such as scribbles, patches of colour, collage and clay are entirely valid. What matters is not the beauty of the finished product but how the process makes the person feel.
Will my pictures be interpreted and used to give me a diagnosis?
No. Pictures are not a diagnostic tool, and the professional does not impose interpretations. The work is looked at together, and the person discovers its meaning themselves. A psychological assessment is carried out in a rounded way, through interviews, observation and, where needed, standardised tests.
What happens to the pictures I make in sessions?
Work produced in sessions belongs to the person. It is kept, photographed or shared with others only with the person's explicit permission, and it falls under confidentiality.
Does art therapy replace talking therapy?
No, but it can accompany it. Creative methods can open doors where putting things into words is difficult; they are usually used together with talking, as part of a holistic process.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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