Online Art Therapy: Is Creative Work Possible Through a Screen?

How does online art therapy work and how is it different from in-person work? Read about the materials, setting up your space, privacy and its limits.

Think of a young teacher who has been posted to a small district in the east of Turkey. In the evenings she is alone in her staff housing, and the nearest city centre is hours away. Or a mother living in Germany who is left alone at home once her children go to school and who is looking for support in which she can speak Turkish. Both may find themselves asking the same question: does online art therapy really work, and is it possible to work with paint and paper in front of a screen? In this article we explain how creative work is carried over into an online setting, what you need for it, what it makes easier and harder compared with in-person work, and who it may be more suitable for.

What Is Online Art Therapy?

Online art therapy is creative work with materials such as drawing, painting, collage and clay, carried out via video call and accompanied by a trained professional. The person works at home with their own materials; the professional, on the other side of the screen, follows the process, asks questions and makes room for looking together at what emerges.

The underlying logic is the same as in-person work. The aim is not to produce a beautiful object, but to reach, through colour, shape and texture, feelings that words have not yet reached. We have explained the general principles of this approach in detail in our article what is art therapy.

What changes is the place where the work happens. Instead of a therapy room, the person uses their kitchen table, a work corner or a balcony. As we will see below, this change brings both certain opportunities and certain limits.

How Does Online Art Therapy Work? The Flow of a Session

An online creative session might proceed roughly as follows:

1. Connecting and settling in: Picture and sound are checked, the person puts their materials in front of them, and the day's mood is talked about for a few minutes.
2. Invitation: The professional may suggest an exercise. For example, "If you wanted to describe this week with three colours, which would you choose?" or "Draw a place where you feel safe right now."
3. Working: The camera can stay on while the person works. Sometimes the camera is set up to show only the hands and the paper; at other times the person briefly turns the camera towards themselves so they can work more comfortably.
4. Looking together: The work is held up to the camera. The professional does not interpret; with questions such as "What do you feel when you look at this picture?" or "Which part was difficult to make?", they help the person find their own meaning.
5. Closing: The feelings that came up are gathered together, and where and how the work will be kept is discussed.

Some exercises can also be done with digital tools, such as drawing on a tablet, a shared digital canvas or collages made from photographs. For many people, however, paper, paint and materials they can hold in their hands provide a warmth that balances out the coldness of the screen.

What is discussed in the first meeting?

The first meeting before starting online work is usually about getting to know each other and setting the framework. In this meeting, why the person is seeking support, what they expect and what is going on in their daily life are discussed. In addition, some practical matters specific to online work are clarified: what to do if the connection drops, whom to contact if an emergency arises during a session, which city or country the person is in, how the work will be stored and so on. Discussing these matters at the outset means the person's mind does not stay on these questions in later sessions, and they can give their attention to the work itself. Some people do not work with materials at all in the first meeting; that is perfectly normal too.

Although the screen may seem to separate two people, the paper and paints on your table make sure the work still happens in your hands and in your own space.

What Materials Do You Need at Home?

You don't need expensive or professional materials. Most of the time, things you already have at home or can easily get hold of are enough:

• White paper in different sizes, and a few sheets of coloured paper if needed
• A pencil, an eraser and coloured pencils or pastels
• Watercolours or gouache and a few brushes (optional)
• Old magazines and newspapers, scissors and glue (for collage)
• Play dough or clay (optional)
• A newspaper or cloth to protect the table, and a rag to wipe your hands

In the first meeting, the professional can work out with you which materials will be useful. Having only a few materials is not an obstacle; sometimes a single pencil is enough. What matters is having your materials ready before each session so that you don't have to get up to look for something during the work. Keeping your materials in a box set aside just for these sessions can also be a small but meaningful habit; opening the box helps your mind receive the message, "the time I've set aside for myself is starting now."

Preparing Your Space: Privacy, Light and Camera

When creative work is done online, preparing the setting becomes even more important than in an in-person meeting.

Privacy: Choose a place where nobody will overhear you or come into the room during the session. If you live in a busy household, with extended family or with small children, this may not be easy. A closed room, headphones or a time when the others are out of the house can ease this problem. Some people prefer to have their session in the car, others in an empty meeting room at work; however, it is worth remembering that drawing requires a table and a comfortable space.

Light and camera: For your paper to be clearly visible on camera, it is best for the light to come from the front or the side rather than from behind. If you are using your phone, placing it in a fixed position leaves your hands free.

Keeping your work safe: The pictures you make belong to you. Screenshots, photographs or storing them anywhere else should happen only with your explicit permission. Think too about where you will keep your work at home; if you don't want housemates or family members to have access to it, you can use a closed folder or box. For more information about the security of the platforms used in online sessions, you can take a look at our article on privacy and security in online therapy.

Leave yourself some transition time after the session

Someone leaving an in-person session has the chance to collect their thoughts on the way home. In an online session, however, the moment the screen goes dark you may find yourself in the middle of the washing-up, your children's questions or work emails. This sudden transition can be jarring, especially after emotionally intense work. Planning a few minutes' break after the session helps: slowly tidying away your materials, drinking a glass of water, opening the window and taking a few deep breaths, or going for a short walk. Looking at the work you made for a few minutes, rather than putting it away immediately, can also be a natural close to the process.

The Advantages and Limits of Online Art Therapy

While online creative work opens doors for some people, in some situations it cannot fully take the place of in-person work.

Possible advantages:

• Accessibility: It is an important option for people living in small places, people with limited mobility and people living abroad who are looking for support in their mother tongue.
• Creating in your own setting: Some people can work more comfortably and freely in a familiar environment. Someone painting in their own kitchen may feel less uneasy than they would in an unfamiliar room.
• Continuity: It can reduce the risk of sessions being interrupted because of a move, a change of job or a busy period.
• Everyday contact with the work: Because the work stays at home, the person can look at it again during the week and bring their thoughts to the next session.

Limits:

• Range of materials: Not every home has as wide a range of materials as a therapy room.
• Loss of detail: Colours, textures and small details may not show fully on screen. The professional may also not be able to observe how the person moves over the paper as well as they could in person.
• Young children: Creative work through a screen is often difficult with preschool children; their attention span is short and they need close support from an adult while working with materials. For this age group, in-person work is generally more appropriate.
• Crisis and severe trauma: For people in an acute crisis, at risk of self-harm or experiencing strong emotional reactions after severe trauma, in-person support with closer monitoring may be safer.

For people living abroad, there is one more dimension. Even where it is possible to get support in the local language of the country they live in, many people express their feelings most comfortably in their mother tongue. Childhood memories, the idioms used in the family, lullabies or the words of a folk song are part of a person's inner world, and something can be lost when they are translated into another language. Creative work can help here in two ways: it opens up a space for expression that does not need words, and when words are needed, it allows the person to speak in their own language. Matters such as time differences, connection quality and differing regulations between two countries need to be discussed from the start.

Research on the effectiveness of online creative work is still limited, and the field is still developing. As with art-based approaches in general, this work should be regarded as a supportive method; where necessary, it should not take the place of psychotherapy and medical treatment.

Who Might Online Art Therapy Be More Suitable For?

Like any method, this way of working does not suit everyone equally. It may work more easily for:

• Adolescents and adults who feel comfortable communicating via a screen
• People who can create a quiet, private space at home, even for a short while
• People organised enough to prepare their materials and keep the work going on their own
• People who face geographical, physical or time-related barriers to reaching in-person support

Let's say a young woman who moved to another city after the earthquake and doesn't yet know anyone in her new city finds it hard to talk about her feelings. Talking on video calls tires her out; but when, in one session, she starts drawing her old neighbourhood with a simple exercise that was suggested, she talks for a very long time, surprising even herself. Here the screen is not an obstacle but a tool that lets her work at her familiar kitchen table. Of course, this example is not a generalisation; the same method may fall short for someone else.

When Is In-Person or Different Support Needed?

In the following situations, online creative work may not be enough on its own, and a different assessment may be needed:

• If you feel scattered, alone and unable to hold yourself together for a long time after sessions
• If you cannot open up because you cannot get privacy at home
• If there is a marked disruption to your sleep, appetite and daily functioning
• If you frequently experience losing touch with reality, intense anxiety or panic attacks

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, call 112 (emergency services) in an emergency.

In online therapy, although the basic structure of sessions relies on talking, simple drawings, emotion maps or imagery exercises can sometimes be used to recognise and express feelings. Structured approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can also be delivered online. Where considered necessary, in-person support or an assessment by a psychiatrist may be recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a tablet or special software for online art therapy?

No. Most of the time, paper, a pencil and a few colours are enough. Digital drawing tools can be an option for those who want them, but they are not essential; many people find working with materials they can hold more satisfying.

What if I don't want to show my picture to the camera?

You don't have to show it. Sometimes simply describing what you went through while making the picture is enough. You decide how much you want to share; this boundary can also be discussed as part of the work.

Is online art-based work suitable for my child?

It depends on your child's age and needs. Older children and adolescents can adapt to online work; with preschool children, in-person work is generally more appropriate. It is wise to make this decision together with a professional.

What should I do if someone at home comes into the room during the session?

You can pause the session briefly or turn off your camera. Agreeing on a signal or code word in advance for such situations is helpful. If it happens often, you can talk about changing the time or place of your sessions. It is also possible to finish an interrupted piece of work later at a quiet moment and bring it to the next session.

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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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