Art Therapy
Art Psychotherapy is a type of therapy that uses the creative process and art to help communication. Making art can help us to explore and express difficult and confusing feelings. It can bridge the communication gap when words can’t be found or are not enough.
Art Psychotherapy is a very flexible type of therapy and can be tailored to meet the needs of people of all ages, whether children or adults. Avenue provides Art Psychotherapy for young people and adults, from the age of 10 upwards. Please note that, except where we have safety concerns, Art Psychotherapy sessions are confidential for the people who attend. This includes children and young people. The content of sessions is not shared, and can form no part of any legal or mediation proceedings.
Art Psychotherapy is not a recreational activity or an art lesson. It is an excellent choice for those who find other types of therapy daunting or unsuccessful. You do not need to have any previous art experience or creative skills. Art Psychotherapists are trained to detect non-verbal symbols and metaphors that are often communicated through art and the artistic process, ideas that can feel impossible to convey
Express yourself when words can’t be found or are not enough
During your sessions you will experiment with the art materials and create your art piece. With the support of the Art Psychotherapist, you will then look at your artwork and talk as much or as little as you want to about what your art might mean to you. The Art Psychotherapist is there to help you process any difficult challenges or emotions that may arise
Avenue’s Art Psychotherapist works within the BACP and COSCA ethical frameworks. Our Art Psychotherapist has a recognised qualification in Art Psychotherapy and also has specialised training to work with children and young people. All of our Young Person’s therapists have enhanced disclosure/PVG checks, adhere to Avenue’s safeguarding and child protection policy, and participate in regular clinical supervision.
Sessions
Sessions are 50 minutes long and are usually delivered by zoom. If you need a face-to-face appointment, please let us know. You can use whatever art materials you like, though we recommend that you have a separate sketch pad specifically for the work you will do in your Art Psychotherapy sessions. If you don’t have art materials at home, Avenue can post a basic art pack to you before you start your sessions. Just let us know when you make your referral.
How many sessions you will need will depend on your particular circumstances, but we typically start with the expectation that you will have 6 sessions. We can review this with you as the therapy progresses.
Cost
Art Psychotherapy is free if you are aged under-18 and live in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire or Moray.
For adults, when you speak to our administration team to arrange your sessions, they will ask you what donation you would like to make towards the cost of your Art Psychotherapy.
Our suggested donation is £60 per session as this is what it costs us to deliver Art Psychotherapy. There is no expectation for people on benefits or a low income to make a donation. However, please consider contributing what you can. We are a charity and we work hard to make sure that anyone who needs our support can access our services. Any donation you can make will help us to ensure that we can get help to the people who need it most.
Please be aware that we can only offer Art Psychotherapy to people who live in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire or Moray.
We are able to offer free Art Psychotherapy to under-18s thanks to the support of a range of funders, including: Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership, Fairer Aberdeen Fund, Aberdeen City Common Good Fund, Aberdeenshire Council, BBC Children in Need, John Gordon’s Charitable Fund and the Scottish Government.
If you would like more information, or would like to refer yourself or someone you know to Art Therapy, please call our Service Administration team on 01224 587571, or email us
Our online referral forms can be completed here
Self Referral
Professional Referral
