Therapeutic art supports students in identifying and expressing their thoughts, feelings, memories and hopes through a person-centred approach that responds to individual needs and helps establish a feeling of inner harmony. Creative processes such as drawing, painting, and clay modelling, balance and strengthen the sense of the self, by bringing form and order to students experiencing uncertainty or confusion, or alternatively, by bringing fluidity to release frozen or rigid inner states. Working one-to-one, the counsellor and student develop a therapeutic relationship that provides a safe and secure environment for students to explore complex emotional issues that may be affecting them, while also providing support to students who struggle to express their feelings verbally. While specific exercises may be offered to help students feel more grounded, present, and self-aware, artistic practice naturally promotes flexibility, sensory integration, a sense of playfulness, coordination, and concentration. 

• Promotes change and growth on a personal level through self-expression
• Offers sensory experiences which elicit emotions in students who have difficulty accessing, labelling,                       
  and expressing their feelings 
• Development of hand-eye coordination
• Practice making small decisions and cultivating purposeful action
• Coordinating attention on a shared object of interest, such as a drawing or an element in nature, promotes nonverbal social skills and relieves the pressure of direct focus