Art therapy

Modern art therapy was structured in the 1940s in the United States and United Kingdom, heir to the observations of Freud, Jung and Margaret Naumburg on the therapeutic power of creative expression. In Quebec, profession recognized by AATQ. In France, by FFAT.

Artistic creation (painting, drawing, modeling, music, dance, writing) allows expressing and transforming what words cannot say. The creation process — more than the result — is therapeutic. The art therapist accompanies without judging or mechanically interpreting.

60 to 90 minutes individual, 90 to 120 minutes group. The therapist proposes a medium or leaves the choice. You create freely or around a theme. Open discussion on the feeling during and after creation. No artistic talent required.

Trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, burnout, eating disorders, chronic pathology support (cancer, Alzheimer's), children in difficulty, people who struggle to verbalize their emotions.

Art therapy benefits from growing scientific research: documented effectiveness on depression, anxiety, PTSD, dementia, chronic pain. Recognized and integrated in many hospitals (oncology, palliative care, psychiatry).

In Quebec, verify AATQ affiliation (graduate university training required). Beware of "art therapy workshops" led by people without serious therapeutic training. Typical fees: $80 to $130 per individual session.