Who can benefit from Art Therapy?

Marie Bajada
Aug 30, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Art therapy is for everyone — children, teens, and adults. It isn’t about being an artist, and there are no “rights” or “wrongs.” Your feelings, not your skills, drive the creative process.

Children (3 years and up) -

Play is a child’s work. Soft toys, dolls, dramatic play, sandplay, sensory and messy play, (playdough, plasticine, clay), all kinds of painting brushes and fingers/ hands, drawing with oil or chalk pastels, pens, pencils, construction with boxes and repurposed junk, all provide pathways for children to express themselves, feel safe, and build trust.

IS was the happiest when their hands were playing in the paint, squishing and moving it around the paper and making new colours. Permission granted to use this image- 22.10.2023

Young People (11–17 years) -

Young people benefit from art therapy as they navigate identity, anxiety, grief, transitions, relationships, or school pressures. Modalities might include sandplay, painting, collage or digital creativity. Art therapy offers a safe space to explore resilience, mindfulness, and emotional literacy.

Adults -

Art therapy can help adults process trauma, loss, or life transitions, while also offering balance, relaxation, and a way to reconnect with creativity. Adults are free to use any modalities they want to experiment with and the therapist will also suggest suitability.

LC's favourite sessions were Nature based Art therapy in the Ballarat Botanical gardens. Permission granted to use this image. Jan 2025

Schools & Groups -

Through programs like Kreative Kidz and the Victorian Education Department’s Schools Mental Health Menu, art therapy can support students in building confidence, emotional literacy, and resilience. Group sessions provide connection, fun, and a sense of belonging.