When Grown Ups Need Crayons Too: The Benefits of Art Therapy for Adults
- Chloe
- Sep 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 22
(Art Therapy Manchester | Therapy Manchester)
The first time an adult steps into my art therapy Manchester room, they often pause at the doorway.
There’s paint on the table, clay waiting to be pressed, a shelf of pastels, and a space that says gently:
“You don’t have to have it all together here. You can breathe here.”
I watch as their shoulders drop a little. We sit. We notice the room. Sometimes we begin with words. Sometimes with colour.
And this is where art therapy begins to do its quiet, powerful work.
What Happens in Art Therapy?
Art therapy is not about creating masterpieces. It is about making meaning.
In my work at heyfromwithin.co.uk, I draw on Sensorimotor Art Therapy (Cornell, 2021) and Attachment Theory (Bowlby, 1988), combining creative exploration with an attuned, safe therapeutic relationship.
That might look like:
Scribbling a feeling you can’t name yet
Pressing clay into shapes until the tension leaves your hands
Sitting in silence with your work, then finding the words together
This space is especially supportive for those seeking therapy for adults in Manchester, particularly if anxiety or overwhelm make words feel difficult.
The Gentle Steps of Art Therapy
Though every session is unique, most follow a soft, predictable rhythm:
Arriving – A moment to ground, settle, and notice what you are bringing into the space.
Creating – Using materials that feel right such as paints, pencils, or collage to express what words may not yet hold.
Noticing – Together, we reflect on what was created, without judgement or pressure to interpret.
Integrating – Finding meaning, shifts, or simply allowing the process to settle before you leave.
Research shows that safe, repetitive creative movement can help re-pattern stress responses and regulate the nervous system (van Lith, 2016).
Do You Talk in Art Therapy?
Yes, but you do not have to. Talking is not required. Some people like to talk throughout, others prefer quiet.
We follow what feels safe and needed for you.
Do You Need to Be Good at Art?
Absolutely not. Art therapy is not about talent.
As Cathy Malchiodi (2012), one of the leading voices in art therapy, explains, it is the process, not the product, that heals.
In my room, nothing has to be perfect. Scribbles, smudges, tears in the paper, they are all welcome.
Adults often carry layers of responsibility, survival strategies, and stories they are battling to outgrow.
Art therapy offers:
A space to play again – Creativity can reawaken curiosity and loosen rigid patterns.
A way to process the unspoken – Trauma and stress are often stored in the body (Ogden & Fisher, 2015). Art allows expression that bypasses the verbal mind.
Attachment repair – Through a safe, consistent relationship, we relearn how to trust and be seen, perhaps for the first time.
Relief from anxiety – Creative expression helps regulate the nervous system, bringing a sense of calm.
From Within
It is not about fixing you. You are not broken. The world comes with many challenges that can leave people feeling unsafe.
Art therapy helps you feel safe enough to meet yourself, to hold what has felt too heavy, and to discover your resilience.
When that happens, from within, healing begins.
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