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social worker caused me to become ill again.
I had my first contact with art therapy during an inpatient stay a few years ago. At the beginning I had a lot of prejudices and was inhibited. I didn’t think I could be creative because art classes at school had a negative impact on me. I also had no confidence in myself and my abilities and at the same time I am very perfectionist. In the beginning, I worked with clay in therapy and made more practical objects.
I’m currently a patient in the day clinic and am having art therapy here again. Therapy is not mandatory, but I go to the studio twice a week. There we are in a group, usually around six people, but everyone works for themselves. I am pleasantly surprised at how stimulating the therapy is. With no guidelines and no pressure, I dared to try things out for the first time and I’m very committed to it.
I like that I can express myself without having to put my feelings into optimal words. I don’t have to explain myself at all, but I can talk to the therapist at any time if I need to. In art therapy here at the facility, everyone is allowed to do their own project, and we only talk if they want to and not out of compulsion. This helps me focus on myself and my emotions.
In my everyday life as a social worker, I am constantly in contact with people; In art therapy I can finally calm down and find myself. This is not always easy because unpleasant thoughts and feelings arise. But that’s what the therapist is there for. She notices when someone is not feeling well and offers support and conversations. She also teaches us new creative techniques. So in addition to collage, I also tried painting and creative writing. Creative writing in particular helps me to let out all the feelings and thoughts that are weighing on me. The longer I’m here, the more I notice my perfectionism diminishing. I really like the intuitive approach. Over time I’m learning to judge less and just do things, which is good for me.
In art therapy I can give space and expression to my emotions. I like implementing topics with different materials and getting different perspectives. I have the feeling that depending on the material, a problem looks harder or easier. For example, I painted a picture on the front of which I depicted many dark thoughts and emotions. Then I painted something new on the back, very intuitively with blots and patterns. Later I stood in front of the work crying because it felt so good to realize that there isn’t just one side – with the picture and also with my problems.
In the future, I would also like to plan fixed times at home when I can be creative. Since I’ve been able to express myself through art, I feel energized and the pressure I have in my life has eased a little. That’s why I take a guiding principle with me from the treatment: feel more, think less.
Denise Gühlcke is in day hospital treatment for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. For her, the fact that she says her name is part of accepting her illness.
This is what the therapist says:
Art therapy is a voluntary offer in our day clinic. When admitted, patients are asked whether they would like to take part. We don’t pressure anyone to participate – creativity cannot be forced. Most people feel for themselves whether therapy could be something for them.
The participants have different clinical pictures, ranging from anxiety and depression to personality disorders, trauma or psychosomatic complaints. They have very different experiences with creativity and want to try out whether creative design can help them advance. One person realizes that the therapy is exactly right for her, another finds out that it is not what she needs or wants. In art therapy, they are allowed to be creative in their own determination, without any pressure from expectations.
Art therapy is expression-centered. It’s about making feelings visible, even without words. The patients therefore decide for themselves whether they want to talk about their works of art and their emotions. The studio offers them a protected space in which they can experiment with colors, shapes and materials. There is no right or wrong and no guidelines here. The creative expression of emotions is the focus.
Depending on the therapy plan, patients come to the studio one to three times a week for 90 to 120 minutes. The group size varies between four and ten people. Each lesson begins with each person briefly telling us how he or she is feeling. Then the creative phase begins. Many people work on a piece over several weeks, some try something new each time and test different materials. If you are undecided, I will help you choose the material.
Solid materials such as clay, wood or soapstone provide support and require strength when working. Flowing inks, on the other hand, challenge you to give up control and allow processes to take place. If necessary, I explain the techniques and provide initial support, sometimes I also express ideas or present poems for inspiration.
Most people work quietly and intuitively for themselves. I move through the studio, am approachable but reserved. Nobody has to explain their art, and I don’t interpret any works. Only when I notice that someone is apathetic or struggling with emotions do I speak to the person. It often helps to name feelings and consciously allow them.
About ten minutes before the end of the lesson I give the signal to pack up. Cleaning up is just as much a part of it as working. In art therapy, it is not the finished product that counts, but the experience. Some don’t even keep their works, but leave them to me as a symbolic conclusion to their process.
These are the facts
What kind of offer is this?
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses colors and materials to make feelings and inner conflicts visible. It is particularly suitable for people who find it difficult to communicate exclusively through speech. The therapy is used to support mental illnesses and is one of the artistic therapy methods. It helps patients to perceive conflicts and problems and to communicate them.
How much does participation cost?
As part of (partial) inpatient treatment for a mental illness in a clinic, art therapy is often integrated into the therapy plan and the costs are covered. In Germany, art therapy is not otherwise included in the standard benefits of statutory health insurance companies. The fee of around 60 to 120 euros per hour therefore usually has to be paid by yourself. A takeover only takes place in exceptional cases and after individual agreement; Grants are possible.
What does science say?
A review by the World Health Organization shows that art therapy can improve health and well-being. There is evidence of positive effects on depression, dementia and Parkinson’s. In addition, art therapy interventions appear to increase quality of life. Research into the effect is still in its early stages, and long-term consequences have hardly been investigated. Art therapy is often used as an adjunct. This is also why the quality of the studies is mixed and sometimes positively distorted.
Sources
Shukla, A., Choudhari, SG, Gaidhane, AM, & Quazi Syed, Z. (2022). Role of Art Therapy in the Promotion of Mental Health: A Critical Review. Cureus, 14/8: e28026
Uttley L, Scope A, Stevenson M, Rawdin A, Taylor Buck E, Sutton A, Stevens J, Kaltenthaler E, Dent-Brown K, Wood C. (2015). Systematic review and economic modeling of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of art therapy among people with non-psychotic mental health disorders. Health Technology Assessment, 19(18), 1-120, v-vi
German Association for Art and Design Therapy: What is art therapy? (last accessed on October 27, 2025)
Fancourt, D., Finn, S. (2019). What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/329834. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
