Adult Art Therapy

At SMC, we offer individual art therapy for adults and children 8+, providing a safe, non-judgmental space to explore emotions and cultivate mindfulness. You do not need to be an artist, and you don’t need to draw or paint—any creative medium is welcome. During your initial consultation or session, Jessie can help figure out what might feel best to start with.

A key part of the process often includes unlearning what it means to make art. Some sessions may involve a simple scribble or color association, while others might use clay to create something calming or reflective of your life. The act of creating art itself can be meditative, engaging the senses, releasing stress, and stimulating the brain’s emotional centers. Art therapy is flexible, focused on process over product, and can help express emotions that words alone often cannot reach.

Jessie can offer guidance on what to explore in your art, or you can follow your own intuition, with flexibility to mix talk therapy and art therapy week to week or even within a session. You do not need to show your art to anyone, and you won’t be critiqued. Jessie sees herself as a support on your journey, a witness following your lead, and strives to build a relationship based on non-judgement, honesty, and trust, offering moments to communicate feedback throughout
the process. You can express any emotion—anger, calmness, or anything in between—and sessions are designed to help you set aside your inner critic (or express it in art!).

Even talkative or cerebral people benefit greatly from art therapy, as it can open new ways of connecting with emotion and mindfulness. Sessions are gradual, starting small and building organically, so you can ease into the process comfortably. Like regular counseling, it can take many sessions to reach the place you want to go, and progress is naturally paced to your needs.

You may feel challenged in the session, but like all good therapy, it encourages growth beyond habits that keep us stuck. 

Mindfulness, a practice with origins in the Dharmic traditions of South Asia, emphasizes present-moment awareness and acceptance. At SMC, Jessie draws her mindfulness approach from clinical and experiential practices, including:

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills for emotional regulation
• Breathwork techniques for grounding and self-regulation
• Some Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) training
• Guided visualizations
• Earth-based and mindfulness practices rooted in the therapist’s Indigenous teachings

Through this creative process, clients can:

• Practice mindfulness and deepen present-moment awareness
• Express emotions safely and explore inner experiences
• Develop coping strategies for stress, anxiety, or depression
• Enhance self-awareness and personal insight

Art therapy is therapeutically relaxing, helping calm the nervous system, engage the senses, and release stored stress or trauma. No prior art experience is required; this is about self-expression
and healing, not artistic skill.

Book a session today to explore how art and mindfulness with Jessie Buchanan can support your mental health journey.

For more information about Jessie Buchanan’s formal training in psychotherapy, please visit the About Jessie page.

Online Resources

• Art Therapy Activities for Adults
• The Vagus Nerve