Unveiling the many myths in art therapy

Art therapy often wears a mysterious cloak. People whisper that it is only for children, or that you must be good at art, or that it is simply craft with candles. Let us lift the cloak together. Think of this as opening the studio door, sunlight on the workbench, brushes in a jar, a gentle invitation to look again.

Myth 1: “Art therapy is only for kids.”

Reality: Art therapy supports people across the lifespan. Children, teens, adults and elders all benefit. The language of image and gesture is human, not age bound.

Myth 2: “You must be good at art.”

Reality: You do not need to be good at art for art to be good for you. The process is the medicine. A smudge can hold a feeling. A simple line can steady the breath. Your artwork is a container, not a performance.

Myth 3: “It is just arts and crafts.”

Reality: Art therapy is a professional mental health practice and art psychotherapists are trained professionals. It blends psychological knowledge with creative process. Sessions are purposeful, ethical and responsive to your needs. In our region, creative arts therapists may be members of ANZACATA, which sets training and practice standards.

Myth 4: “The therapist will interpret my art and tell me what it means.”

Reality: You are the expert on your images. A competent art therapist will never impose meaning. Instead, we wonder with you. We notice colour, shapes, lines, forms and space. We ask, “What do feel as you look at the image .”

Myth 5: “It is not evidence based.”

Reality: There is a growing research base for art therapy in areas such as trauma, anxiety, depression, grief and medical settings. Art therapy works through multiple pathways, including regulation of the nervous system, symbolic expression and meaning making. We also evaluate progress with you, using outcomes that fit your life. Art therapy is practised in hospitals, schools, mental health and community settings. Art therapists work with other professionals such as social worker, counsellors, case managers, nurses, doctors in multidisciplinary teams that honour evidence based methods of working.

Myth 6: “It replaces talk therapy.”

Reality: It can, and it can also sit beside it. Many people weave both. Art helps you land in the body, then words name what is found. Others speak first, then make images to deepen the work. The order can change as you do.

Myth 7: “It will push me into painful material too fast.”

Reality: Materials can slow exposure and widen safety. When words feel scorching, the page can hold the heat. We pause, we ground, we let the art maker decides the rhythm and pace.

Myth 8: “It is messy and expensive.”

Reality: Art therapy can be simple, tidy and inexpensive. A pencil, a glue stick and recycled magazines are enough. Clay can stay in a tray. Messy paint play can be easily cleaned by setting the table or the floor with a big sheet. Found objects like flower petals, seeds, tree bark and sea shells are nature’s freebies waiting to be woven into an art piece.

Myth 9: “It is only for trauma.”

Reality: Trauma healing is one pathway. Art therapy also supports stress, perfectionism, identity work, grief, relationship patterns and life transitions. It can be practical, reflective or restorative, depending on what you need. Art is versatile, fluid, flexible.

Myth 10: “Online art therapy (telehealth) does not work.”

Reality: It can work seamlessly. The studio table can be set up so both the art therapist and the person making the art can share the creative process. With clear arrangements and thoughtful set up, online sessions can be focused, safe and effective.

Myth 11: “Art therapy is neutral about culture.”

Reality: Culture is central. Images carry language, memory, Country, land, family, community and more than human relationships. A respectful practice welcomes your ways of knowing. Art therapy can sit alongside story, song and ritual, creating a third space where your voice leads.

Myth 12: “The therapist keeps my art and analyses it later.”

Reality: You choose what happens to your artwork. Some people take it home, some leave it in safe storage, some ritualise letting go. There is no secret analysis. Consent and transparency are core.

Myth 13: “NDIS will not consider art therapy.”

Reality: Art therapy may be included when it clearly supports your plan goals, for example capacity building, communication, daily living or social participation. Speak with your planner or support coordinator to see how this fits your specific plan.

Myth 14: “It is all paint and pastels.”

Reality: Materials are varied. Clay, collage, textiles, natural objects, writing with image, flower arrangements, even mindful photography. We choose tools that match your goals and sensory needs.

Myth 15: “It gives instant breakthroughs.”

Reality: Sometimes a catharsis happens swiftly, like finding a key you thought was lost. More often, art therapy is a steady practice. Small, consistent moves that add up. The work respects your timing, energy and pace.