Art Therapy

Inclusive Online Therapy Across Ontario

“Art is my cure to all this madness, sadness, and loss of belonging in the world, and through it I’ll walk myself home.”

– Nikki Rowe, Author & Artist

Art Therapy Can Help You:

  • Break free from creative blocks, stress, burnout, and feeling “stuck”.

  • Heal from shame, grief, loss, and painful moments that are holding you back.

  • Learn to express yourself in a way that feels freeing and fulfilling.

  • Process your underlying emotions, trauma, and childhood experiences in an accessible space.

  • Create a space where you can slow down, breathe, and take care of yourself in a fun and enjoyable way.

Our art therapists are experts in helping you find creative flow, reduce stress and burnout, heal from trauma, and finally find a space to slow down, breathe, and enjoy yourself. Take the first step towards the freedom you deserve.

You just don’t know how to talk about it.

You know you need to process what happened to you, but you just can’t seem to get the words right.

You’ve tried talking to friends, and even done talk therapy, but you can’t get past how you think you “should” feel to actually process your real emotions.

Sometimes you feel completely blocked, like you don’t know or understand yourself. You wish there was a safer way to actually experience what’s going on with you, but everyone just keeps telling you to talk it out.

There has to be another way.

What if self-expression wasn’t so scary?

Imagine the feeling of letting things go.

Exploring all those memories and emotions, without having to say a word.

You have the freedom to tap into your creativity and create something that feels like you. Your body and mind are moving as one, and you feel unstuck for the first time in forever.

You forgot how much you loved art as a kid, but it’s all coming back to you. Your inner child alive and well, like a new best friend within yourself.

Best of all, you’re learning to create without judgment. You don’t have to be anything you’re not.

Finally, healing feels accessible.

Create your path forward.  

When words fail, art speaks.

Together, we’ll help you create art that feels authentic to you and helps you process your experiences: zero skill required!  

We’ll offer a non-judgmental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings openly. Nothing is too messy or complicated, and we’ll never judge.  

You’ll build trust between yourself, your therapist, and your art, offering a depth of self-knowing you never thought possible.

You’re doing all this healing work…and it’s actually fun?

If you’re stuck in a spiral, art therapy could be the key you’ve been missing.

Who this type of therapy is for:

 → You crave connection, but you’re not a big talker. You’d rather express yourself in a way that has nothing to do with words.

→ You’re a creator experiencing burnout or creative blocks. All types of creators are welcome here!  

→ You’re neurodivergent and would love a more accessible healing method that aligns with your interests.

→ You’re struggling with chronic pain, illness, or grief that you just can’t seem to get past.

→ You care about engaging your whole self in therapy: mind, body, and soul.

What Is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is a creative and embodied approach that makes healing more accessible. By creatively expressing your thoughts and feelings through paint, drawing, colour, and shapes, you open a world of possibilities for self-knowing and personal growth.

By engaging the body and mind in tandem, art therapy provides a unique whole body experience to healing where processes can occur at multiple levels simultaneously. Your therapist will offer specific guidance for your art in support of your therapeutic goals, but you will always have autonomy and creative freedom through the process.

Art therapy can be an especially useful tool for anyone who struggles to talk about their experiences or who prefers non-verbal methods of communication. All ages can benefit from art therapy, and no previous artistic experience is required! You will never be judged for the quality or appearance of your art. It’s all about letting out what’s inside, and there is no wrong way to do it!

You won’t need anything fancy to participate in art therapy. Some clients love to bring in paints, pastels, and collage materials, but plenty of others use a simple paper and pencil to begin their journey. We’ll make things work with whatever you have available to you — getting creative with it is all part of the fun!

Therapy doesn’t have to be intimidating. If you’re looking to feel better and feel good in the process, art therapy might be for you!

Is Art Therapy for me?

Like any therapy, art therapy will not be the best fit for everyone. Here are a few issues that art therapy is especially well-suited for:

  • ADHD, autism, & neurodivergence

  • Anxiety, panic attacks, & phobias

  • Children and teens’ issues

  • Chronic pain or illness

  • Creative people experiencing burnout or blocks

  • Depression

  • Grief & Loss

  • Relationship challenges

  • Self-esteem, self-confidence, & personal growth

  • Stress & burnout

  • Trauma & PTSD

Your therapist may pair art therapy with other forms of talk or somatic therapy to best support your treatment. If you have any questions about how art therapy is being used to support your therapeutic goals, just ask!

If art therapy doesn’t feel like your best fit, no problem! Our therapists use a range of methods to support you, and we’ll work together to customize therapy in a way that actually does fit. Check out a few of our other therapy styles here!

Why Choose Counterspiral?

Our team is a unique group with some important things in common.

  • We all deeply care about social justice, equity, and making the world a better place. We are actively anti-racist, queer and trans affirming, and we celebrate neurodiversity.

  • We are compassionate, supportive, and educated therapists who use evidence-based best practices to customize each session, just for you. And we’re also real people who will laugh with you, hold space for you, and authentically connect with you. We fully show up in session so that you have a brave and safe space to let it all out.

  • We know that therapy is really about you, so we’ll always do our best to match you to a team member who is a great fit.

  • You can get to know us better by visiting our Meet the Team page. We can’t wait to meet you!

Healing requires safety. Here are a few ways we offer it.

Let’s get started.

Submit this form to receive a free art therapy consultation with our team. We’ll be in touch by phone or email within 24 hours. We can’t wait to meet you!