Art Therapy: Expressing What Words Cannot Hold
A deeply personal, creative path to healing trauma, anxiety, grief, depression, and ADHD, offered by one of the few Board Certified Registered Art Therapists℠ (ATR-BC®) in Dallas at Montgomery Behavioral Health Institute.
What Is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the creative process, painting, drawing, collage, and other art media, as a vehicle for expression, exploration, and healing. It is not about artistic skill or talent. It is about what emerges when we create.
Some of our deepest experiences, painful memories, grief, shame, fear, live beyond the reach of language. They are felt in the body, held in images, and expressed through color, shape, and form long before they can be put into words. Art Therapy meets you there.
Through the creative process, clients are able to explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem, often accessing insights that talk therapy alone cannot unlock.
Art Therapy May Be Right for You If…
- Painful or overwhelming experiences have left you feeling disconnected from yourself or your story.
- Anxiety or depression makes it hard to articulate what you’re feeling.
- You’re navigating grief and need a non-verbal outlet for what you’re carrying.
- ADHD makes traditional talk therapy difficult to engage with.
- Early childhood experiences have shaped patterns in how you connect, trust, or see yourself.
- You’ve always felt more comfortable expressing yourself creatively than verbally.
- You’ve tried talk therapy and feel like something important remains unexpressed.
What an Art Therapy Session Looks Like
You do not need to be an artist. You do not need any prior experience with art. All you need is a willingness to show up and engage with the process.
Painting, drawing, or collage as a primary mode of expression.
Art-making integrated alongside talk therapy or Brainspotting.
Guided creative exercises designed to access specific emotions or experiences.
Reflection on the artwork created, exploring what emerged and what it means to you.
Art Therapy can serve as the primary mode of treatment or as a powerful complement to other modalities. Together, we will determine the approach that best fits your needs and goals.
Working With One of the Few Board Certified Registered Art Therapists℠ (ATR-BC®) in Dallas
Not all therapists who use art in sessions are Art Therapists. At MBHI, Art Therapy is offered by a Board Certified Registered Art Therapist℠ (ATR-BC®), one of the highest credentials available in the field, with over 30 years of clinical experience.
This matters. Board certification ensures rigorous training, ethical standards, and a deep, specialized understanding of how the creative process intersects with psychological healing. It is the difference between art as a casual activity and art as a clinically informed, evidence-based therapeutic modality.
Art Therapy at MBHI is frequently integrated with Brainspotting, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and Animal-Assisted Therapy with Sir Garvey Ross, CGC, creating a rich, individualized healing experience unlike anything else available in Dallas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely not. Art Therapy is not about the quality of what you create, it is about the process of creating it. Clients of all artistic backgrounds and abilities benefit equally.
Sessions may include paint, markers, colored pencils, collage materials, and more. All materials are provided. You will never be asked to bring anything or prepare in advance.
Yes. Research supports Art Therapy’s effectiveness for trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and a range of other concerns. It is recognized by the American Art Therapy Association and practiced by credentialed professionals worldwide.
Absolutely, and at MBHI, it frequently is. Art Therapy integrates beautifully with Brainspotting, Clinical Hypnotherapy, and Animal-Assisted Therapy for a truly whole-person approach to healing.
Ready to Explore a Different Kind of Healing?
If you’ve ever felt that something important lives inside you that words just can’t reach, Art Therapy may be exactly what you’ve been looking for. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation and let’s explore whether it’s the right fit for you.
Or call directly: 214-356-0335