Generally, we have witnessed the magic power of art therapy help people achieve their therapeutic goals transformatively in sessions, leaving us in awe, speechless, and tearful (the kind of rewarding, fulfilled, and happy tears). 

Without vague subjective descriptions of our experiences working with clients, without sharing only our own healing results from art therapy, we want to reveal some research-backed evidence, with numbers and data, to more concretely get a sense of the efficacy and effectiveness of art therapy in real-world therapy sessions.

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Multiple peer-reviewed studies and systematic reviews provide strong evidence that art therapy effectively improves emotional and behavioral issues in school-aged children, improving emotional and behavioral health, reducing anxiety, stress, hyperactivity, and boosting self-concept, social skills, and emotional regulation (e.g., PTSD symptoms). Teachers and parents often report positive changes in student conduct and well-being. A systematic review indicates that approximately 78% of college students participating in art therapy reported reduced anxiety, and 83% of participants indicated that artistic activities helped them better express emotions (Kaimal et al., 2022). Meta-analyses and systematic reviews provide strong evidence that art therapy is effective for women in the process of becoming a mother, significantly reducing anxiety, depression, and parenting stress while improving self-esteem, emotional resilience, and parent-infant bonding during the perinatal period and beyond. Many studies indicate that art therapy supports ADHDers, LDers (Learning Disorder), and people on the spectrum of Autism at any age to manage distractibility, enhance executive functioning, regulate emotions, improve social skills, and extend emotional outlets.

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This evidence keeps going. People who are suffering from chronic illness, terminal illness (e.g., cancer, etc), dementia, veteran PTSD, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and people who need clarity on their future, next step in life, or their identity.

It works with anyone open to trying art therapy.