San Diego Art Therapy online: The good and the not-so-good.
As a credentialed San Diego Art Therapy professional, I know that for many busy adults, making time for therapy is challenging. Since the explosion of online therapy and telehealth, most therapists provide therapy sessions through a secure video platform. Art Therapy is no different.
However, in my experience, there are pros and cons to meeting for online Art Therapy sessions versus attending in person.
Pros of Online Art Therapy in San Diego
This is not an exhaustive list, but these are some of the good things I have witnessed as I have provided Art Therapy online.
Safe Space for Self-Expression
Providing a psychological safe place is paramount in any therapy, whether you’re in person or online. If you feel judged by or unsafe with the therapist or the therapy, it’s not a good fit.
When you choose online art therapy, you are also choosing the physical space. This can add to the feeling of privacy you want and need to express your emotions and experiences creatively.
When people first begin therapy, it’s common to feel unsure. This is especially true when making art in sessions. The virtual format provides distance from the therapist that can also help you feel less vulnerable as you make art.
Integration of mind and body, as you deal with personal challenges
One of the benefits of art therapy over talk therapy is that it is hands-on, incorporating several of your senses at the same time. This is important when you are seeking online therapy, because video is two-dimensional and the experience can feel flat and disconnected. Working with art materials and processes helps you be present in the moment, grounded through the sense of touch, vision, and sometimes sound and smell. This helps your body and mind to be engaged in the therapy for a more holistic healing approach.
Just as in an in-person art therapy session, you can deal with specific life challenges such as a career transition, parenting, relationship issues, or trauma recovery. Art therapy is a way for you to process these issues more deeply, beyond words, because it integrates both the mind and the body.
If you are seeking healing beyond traditional talk therapy and desire something that feels more experiential, Art therapy fits.
More Convenient and Efficient
The fact is that driving to and from a therapy session, in traffic, takes a big chunk of your time. Many adults, especially parents, have precious, limited time. With Virtual Art Therapy, you can choose to attend at a time when your children are at daycare or school, or over your lunch break. Sessions can be as short as 45 minutes, or you can choose to work in extended sessions of 60 or 90 minutes.
Choosing to attend Art Therapy sessions virtually saves time, but also the cost of transportation. Because you are not leaving home or work, a session can more conveniently fit into your schedule, providing more flexibility.
Cons of Online Art Therapy in San Diego
While I have seen many good things about virtual therapy, I have also seen a few things that can be not-so-good. Below are things to consider before you move forward with online Art Therapy.
Being and Feeling disconnected
This point mirrors the first point of the pros, in that some people benefit more from being in person with a therapist. You may need the extra support and safety. You may need that felt sense of another person, the therapist, to help you feel seen and heard in working on the issues bringing you to therapy. You may also want and need the in-person guidance, especially initially, to help guide you with art materials.
If you are struggling with more severe issues, being in person with a therapist is protective for you. A therapist is trained to observe and assess for indicators that you may not be doing so well. It can be a bit more challenging to observe and assess you through a video.
Technology issues
Throughout providing video sessions, one of the main not-so-good things about online therapy has been technology issues. It can be frustrating, but it happens.
You could be in the middle of sharing, and your wi-fi goes down, or the other person freezes up. You’ve probably experienced this in a virtual meeting, however, when it’s a therapy session, it may interrupt you just as you’re trying to share something from your heart.
If you don’t have a strong Wi-Fi signal from your location, the session may have problems with the audio, the video, or both. I use a platform designed for telehealth and find that the platform provides consistent service; however, it’s imperfect, and I can experience issues on my end as well.
Documenting the Artwork
One other thing that is not my favorite about Online Art Therapy versus in-person Art Therapy is not being able to see your artwork in the office. With Art Therapy in general, part of the ethics of the license is documenting. The documenting includes things like your choice of art materials, how you worked with the materials, themes, what you share about your artwork, and photographing the art.
This last one, photographing your art, is not about sharing your work publicly in any manner. It’s about how your artwork is part of what you’re expressing in therapy, much like what you talk about in talk therapy. In online Art Therapy, the artwork is not as easily captured. It’s either documented through a screenshot or photographed and uploaded by clients.
A free consultation for Virtual Art Therapy in San Diego and throughout California.
If you’re interested in the good that Online Art Therapy can provide and you’re ready to learn more, I’d love to talk.
My name is Tami, and I come alongside my clients in deeply supportive ways, facilitating healing and addressing issues through the mind and body connection of Art Therapy.
My specialties include anxiety, trauma, grief & loss, and using Art Therapy and also Traditional Talk Therapy to help clients with those issues. As a Therapist in San Marcos, CA, I meet with my clients in person and online.
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