Art Therapy Blog

Discover gentle grounding practices and reflective journalling prompts to help you transition after an art therapy session. Written by an Art Psychotherapist in Manchester, this blog supports integration, emotional settling, and making the most out of online and in-person art therapy.

Discover how art therapy in Manchester can help you explore and soften your inner critic. Learn what happens in sessions, how creative expression builds self-compassion, and why you don’t need to be good at art to start therapy.

A gentle exploration of how anger appears in art psychotherapy sessions. Learn why anger isn’t a “bad” feeling, how creative processes help you regulate it, and what art therapy can offer. Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy for Adults in Manchester.

Thinking about becoming an art therapist? Learn what training involves, what the early days after qualifying are like, and practical tips for starting your career.

by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within On the table: some paper, soft pastels, and a small stack of case notes. A supervisee exhales as they sit down, shoulders still carrying the weight of the last client session. We pause. Sometimes, we talk first. Sometimes, we draw. Occasionally, a supervisee chooses to collage the dynamic they’ve been holding all month. This is supervision, a place to think, fe

Art therapy is more than creative expression. It’s a powerful way for adults to explore emotions, access the body’s wisdom, and reconnect with themselves. Whether through guided drawing, clay, or mindful presence, this blog explores the benefits of art therapy for adults in Manchester and beyond, and how creativity can support nervous system regulation, emotional processing, and inner resilience.

by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within They arrive holding so much. Sometimes it’s in their shoulders .... high and guarded. Sometimes it’s in the eyes that glance everywhere but here. Sometimes it’s in the way they hover at the edge of the room, sizing up the paper, the paint, the person holding space. There’s often tension at the start. Unsure. Quietly bracing. And then .... a brush dips into glit

by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within Therapy doesn’t always look like the movies. There’s rarely a sudden “lightbulb moment” where everything changes in an instant. More often, it’s a gentle unfolding a slow exhale you didn’t realise you were holding. At heyfromwithin.co.uk , I often hear people ask, “How will I know if therapy is actually helping?” The answer isn’t a single sign, but a series o

The Difference Between Art Therapy and Counselling: Understanding Your Options by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within Choosing the right therapeutic support can feel overwhelming, especially when the terms art therapy and counselling are often mentioned together. Both are valuable and can support your mental health , but they are not the same. At heyfromwithin.co.uk , I meet people who arrive unsu

You Begin From Within by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within The key is with curiosity, compassion, and creativity, ready to connect from within. Exploring creativity in art therapy: initial found artworks accompanied by natural elements mark the beginning of a healing journey. All of you is welcome here. Even those hidden parts. The anxious part that overthinks. The quiet part that hides. The part

A quiet reflection through art therapy, presence and the body’s wisdom by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within Client engaging in a guided drawing art therapy session, using various coloured pastels to form dynamic patterns on paper. Consent to share image gained A Gentle Start Inner transformation isn't always loud. It doesn’t often arrive with fanfare, or a single moment of clarity. In the therapy

by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within Not everyone finds it easy to talk about how they’re feeling — and sometimes, talking just isn’t enough. In my work as an art therapist in Manchester, I’ve seen how deeply Guided Drawing, also known as Sensorimotor Art Therapy, can support clients who feel stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected from themselves. This approach offers a different way, in a

Discovering the Power of Art Therapy in Manchester, An afternoon in the art therapy studio by Chloe Sykes, Art Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher (Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester) — Hey From Within Soft light filters through a colour-coordinated bookshelf. It dances past a Welsh dresser filled with art materials: paint pots, pastels, brushes, and clay. The light moves towards the walls, where quiet moments are captured in the textures of guided drawing. This isn’t a