Drawing Therapy: How Drawing Helps You Express Your Feelings

What is drawing therapy, do you need talent, and how is it different from drawing at home? Learn how drawing helps express feelings and the limits of research.

Imagine sitting down at the kitchen table after a long working day and drawing random lines on whatever piece of paper is to hand. First some meaningless shapes, then a few colours, perhaps a tree or a window. When you get up half an hour later, you notice that some of the tension that built up during the day has passed onto the paper. After an experience like this, many people wonder: Is there an explanation for this relief, and does drawing therapy really exist? In this article we look at the idea of drawing therapy, how drawing can help with expressing emotions, how drawing on your own at home differs from therapy, what research says, and when professional support is needed.

What Is Drawing Therapy?

In everyday language, "drawing therapy" (or "painting therapy") is usually used to describe the form of art therapy that focuses on drawing and painting. In this approach, materials such as paper, pencils, oil pastels and watercolours are used as tools to help a person express their emotions, thoughts and experiences. The aim is not to create a beautiful picture but to make visible what is hard to put into words.

The English painter Adrian Hill is remembered as one of the first people to use the term "art therapy". While being treated for tuberculosis in a sanatorium, Hill noticed that painting did him good and began to share this experience with other patients. His book Art Versus Illness, published in 1945, is one of the early examples of this idea. In the same period in the United States, Margaret Naumburg developed an approach close to psychotherapy that combined spontaneous drawing with free association. Edith Kramer, on the other hand, emphasised the importance of the creative process itself rather than the interpretation of the picture.

Both perspectives remain relevant today: on the one hand, a picture is a bridge that starts a conversation and helps in the search for meaning; on the other, making a picture can be a regulating and calming process in its own right, regardless of the result. We describe the general framework in more detail in our article what is art therapy.

How Does Drawing Help You Express Emotions?

Putting emotions into words is not always easy. Sometimes we do not know exactly what we are feeling; sometimes we know but do not dare to say it; and sometimes, the moment we say it, the weight of the emotion overwhelms us. Drawing can help at these points in several different ways:

• It creates distance. When you put an emotion on paper, it no longer sits only inside you but also in front of you. You can look at it from a little further away and reflect on it.
• It does not require words. Someone who cannot say "there is a weight in my chest" can draw that weight as a dark smudge. Colour, shape and the thickness of a line form a language of their own.
• It involves the body. Pressing down with a pencil, colouring with broad movements or focusing on fine detail can also bring a sense of regulation through the body.
• It draws attention to the present. While drawing, the mind focuses not on the past or the future but on the line on the paper. This can give anxious thoughts a short break.
• It leaves a tangible trace. Looking at a picture weeks later can help a person see how far they have come.

Imagine a woman in her thirties who struggles to describe how she feels after an argument with her mother. When she is asked, "If you drew this argument as a weather forecast, what would it look like?", she draws grey clouds on the paper, a thin ray of sunlight seeping between them and a small umbrella at the edge. Looking at the picture, she says: "Actually I'm very hurt, but there's still some hope, and I suppose the umbrella is my attempt to protect myself." A conversation she could not begin with words has begun with a drawing.

In drawing therapy the picture is not an end result but a doorway; the person decides for themselves what passes through it.

Do You Need Talent for Drawing Therapy?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions, and the answer is clear: no. Drawing therapy is not an art lesson; technical skill, perspective or the "right" use of colour are not assessed. Stick figures, scribbles and abstract blots can be just as meaningful as a detailed landscape.

In fact, people who say "I can't draw" sometimes work more freely, because they are not worried about producing something beautiful. People with perfectionist tendencies, by contrast, may struggle at first in front of the paper: thoughts such as "It's ugly" or "That's not how it should look" may kick in. Even noticing these thoughts is valuable material to work with.

Some basic principles of the work are:

1. There is no right or wrong picture. Every line is part of the person's experience in that moment.
2. The person does the interpreting. The professional does not impose interpretations such as "This tree is your father"; what the picture conveys is explored together, in the person's own words.
3. The artwork belongs to the person. The picture belongs to the client; it may be kept, photographed or shared with others only with explicit permission.
4. The process matters more than the result. How the picture was made, where the person paused and what they erased can also be meaningful.

The Difference Between Drawing at Home and Drawing Therapy

Drawing on your own at home can be a valuable self-care activity that lifts your mood. It is not, however, the same as therapy. Knowing the difference is important both for keeping expectations realistic and for turning to the right support when needed.

Drawing on your own:

• Is done for relaxation, focus and enjoyment.
• Is not tied to a structure or a goal.
• Leaves the person alone with their emotions; there is no guide to help work through difficult feelings that come up.

Working with drawing as part of psychological support, by contrast:

• Takes place within a safe framework set up by a trained mental health professional.
• Is tied to specific goals, such as understanding anxiety, working through a loss or noticing patterns in relationships.
• Means that the emotions that surface are discussed and made sense of together with the professional, and care is taken that the person is settled again by the end of the session.

If you would like to try on your own, here are a few simple ideas for starting without judgement:

1. Colour of the day: In the evening, express the day with a single colour or a few patches of colour. Note down in one sentence why you chose that colour. Looking through the pages together a few weeks later can help you notice the ups and downs of your mood.
2. Breathing with a line: Draw a wavy line from one edge of the paper to the other, going up as you breathe in and down as you breathe out. Keep it going for a few minutes. The aim is not to draw something but to notice the rhythm of your hand and your breath together.
3. Safe place: Draw a real or imaginary place where you feel comfortable. The details do not have to be perfect; thinking about what you can hear and smell in that place is also part of the exercise.

The aim of these exercises is not to produce a work of art but to open up a few minutes of calm space for yourself. If any of them makes you uncomfortable, you can stop and move on to a more neutral drawing.

The distinction between therapy and working on your own matters, because drawing can sometimes bring up unexpectedly strong emotions. When drawing something related to a loss or a traumatic experience, for example, a person may find themselves in the middle of intense sadness or fear. In such a situation, getting support is safer than staying alone with it. You can find other exercises to try at home in our article on art therapy activities.

What Does Research Say About Drawing Therapy?

Research on drawing and arts-based work is promising but limited. It is important to be honest about this.

A comprehensive health technology assessment report published in the United Kingdom (Uttley and colleagues, 2015) reviewed 15 randomised controlled trials examining art therapy in adults with mental health problems other than psychosis. In 10 of these studies, participants in art therapy showed significant positive change in mental health symptoms compared with the control group. The researchers stressed, however, that the quality of the studies was generally low.

Another review published in 2018 (Regev and Cohen-Yatziv) examined 27 quantitative studies carried out with adults between 2000 and 2017. Promising results were seen in a range of areas, including cancer and other medical conditions, mental health problems, trauma, prison settings, older age and everyday difficulties; methodological limitations, however, were notable.

The common difficulties of research in this field are:

• The number of participants is usually small.
• Blinding is not possible, because participants know what they are taking part in.
• Measurements are mostly based on people's own reports.
• Follow-up periods are short; long-term effects are unclear.

These findings mean the following: working with drawing can be supportive and meaningful for some people. It should not, however, replace medication, evidence-based psychotherapy or medical care. Used alongside them, it can help a person express themselves and engage with the process.

Who Might Working With Drawing Suit?

Working with drawing can be an option for many people who find it hard to express themselves in words. For example:

• Adults who find it difficult to name their emotions
• Teenagers who are reluctant to talk or shy
• People going through a loss, a separation or a major change
• People who have lived with anxiety or tension for a long time and whose minds never seem to go quiet
• People who want to make room for their emotions during a serious illness

For children, drawing and play are already natural means of expression. An important caution is needed here, however: a diagnosis cannot be made from a child's drawing alone. Stock interpretations such as "if they use black they must be depressed" or "if they draw a person without hands there must be a problem" are not supported by science. A drawing is a tool for opening a conversation with a child; assessment is carried out from several angles, through observation, interviews with the family and, if necessary, standardised tests.

In Turkey, many adults may have heard remarks in art lessons as children such as "You'll never be a painter" or "What kind of drawing is this?". Even years later, this experience can return as shame or hesitancy in front of a blank sheet. Working with drawing can also offer an opportunity to notice these old judgements and make peace with one's own creativity again.

On the other hand, working with drawing may not suit everyone equally. Some people may find working with paper and paints childish, or may feel more comfortable thinking in words. That is perfectly natural. Creative tools are an option, not an obligation; a person does not have to try a method they do not want, and the direction of the sessions is shaped by their preferences.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

If drawing does you good, keeping it up is a valuable self-care habit. In some situations, however, it may not be enough on its own. If you notice the following signs, it may be helpful to talk to a mental health professional:

• If emotions come up while you are drawing, or afterwards, that are too intense for you to cope with
• If anxiety, sadness or tension has been affecting your daily life for weeks
• If there are marked changes in your sleep, appetite or energy levels
• If a difficult experience from the past keeps coming to mind and unsettling you
• If thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life cross your mind

If the last point applies, call 112 (emergency services) without delay or go to your nearest emergency department.

In psychological support, drawing and other creative tools can be included in sessions according to the person's needs. In cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), for example, drawing what the body feels during a moment of anxiety, or expressing emotions through a picture after a loss, can be a step that deepens the conversation. The core work, however, is a structured process focused on the person's thoughts, feelings, behaviours and relationships. In individual therapy, tools of this kind can be used with the person's own preferences in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are drawing therapy and art therapy the same thing?

In everyday language, "drawing therapy" is usually used to describe the form of art therapy that focuses on drawing and painting. Art therapy is a broader concept that also includes different materials such as clay, collage and sculpture alongside drawing and painting.

Will my drawings be interpreted? That makes me uneasy.

In well-conducted work, your drawing is not interpreted by having a meaning imposed on it from outside. You are the one who explains what the picture means to you; the professional simply accompanies that exploration by asking questions.

What materials do I need to start?

A few sheets of paper, a pencil and some pastels or colouring pencils are enough to begin. There is no need for expensive materials. What matters is setting aside a calm time in which you can draw without judging yourself.

Is it possible to work with drawing in online sessions?

Yes. The person can draw at home with their own materials and, if they wish, share the drawing in the session by holding it up to the camera. Here too the principle applies that the drawing belongs to the person and that sharing it is their choice.

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• #arts-based work
• #emotional expression
• #creative activities

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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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