By Julianne Jardine | Adapted for Buzz About Town, March 2026
Sometimes feelings do not come out in neat sentences. Stress, grief, illness, trauma, and major life changes can leave people searching for words that just are not there. That is one reason art therapy can be so powerful: it offers another way to express what is difficult to say out loud. The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as a mental health profession that uses active art-making, creative process, and psychological theory within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
One of the most reassuring things about art therapy is that you do not need to be “good at art” to benefit. This is not about talent or creating a perfect final piece. It is about using color, shape, texture, and imagery to explore emotions, experiences, and thoughts in a safe, supported way. Art therapists are credentialed mental health professionals with master’s-level or higher training, and they work in places such as hospitals, schools, cancer centers, psychiatric settings, wellness centers, and private practices.
Research suggests art therapy can be especially helpful as a form of supportive care. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found moderate-quality evidence that art therapy improved overall quality of life and reduced anxiety and depression in women with cancer, though the same review did not find strong evidence that it significantly improved physical symptoms such as pain or fatigue. That is an important distinction—and a helpful reminder that art therapy is best understood as a supportive tool, not a replacement for medical treatment.
In veteran care, creative arts therapies are also used to support emotional expression and coping. VA Boston says art and music therapies can provide safe outlets for people with PTSD, and VA research has shown reduced hyperarousal symptoms and improved emotional coping among veterans engaging in creative arts. At the same time, a VA evidence map found that while there is a meaningful body of research on art therapy, much of the evidence is still limited by study quality and inconsistent methods.
That balanced view matters. Art therapy does not need to be overpromised to be meaningful. For many people, the value is simple and deeply human: it can make space for reflection, offer a sense of control, and help someone begin to process what feels overwhelming. It can also be helpful when verbal communication feels exhausting, frustrating, or incomplete.
If you are curious about art therapy, look for a credentialed professional such as an ATR or ATR-BC. And if you are supporting a child, an older adult, or someone moving through illness, grief, or trauma, know this: healing does not always begin with the right words. Sometimes it begins with making a mark on paper.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice or a substitute for mental health treatment.
Originally published in The Buzz Book Spring 2026, Health and Wellness Focus Section