Art Therapy with Tori

27/05/2025

The Power of Sand Mandalas in Art Therapy

Working with mandalas in sand offers a uniquely grounding, accessible, and healing space within art therapy, especially for individuals who experience anxiety, perfectionism, or fear around creative expression. The act of gently shaping, layering, and patterning within a circular form can be meditative and regulating, but it’s also so much more than that.

For many clients, the mandala becomes a symbolic “container” a safe space to explore, play, and express without judgment. Sand is forgiving and transient, which can be incredibly freeing for those who feel pressure to “get it right” or worry about what others might think. In a world where many clients have internalized the idea that they’re “not good enough,” sand mandalas offer a gentle invitation to let go, to experiment, and to be seen in the act of creation — without needing to produce something perfect or permanent.

In this shared space, the art therapist plays a vital role. Not just as an observer, but as a secure, attuned presence. Together, client and therapist sit with the work and within that, there’s often quiet but powerful encouragement, acceptance, and praise for the client’s efforts and risks. This can be deeply reparative for people who haven’t grown up in securely attached environments or who carry low self-worth shaped by critical, invalidating, or neglectful relationships.

From a psychoeducational perspective, this process supports emotional regulation, self-soothing, and right-brain integration. It also directly challenges maladaptive internal beliefs about failure, inadequacy, and visibility. The therapist’s responses are essential: they model unconditional positive regard, help reframe internalised self-criticism, and offer corrective emotional experiences. When a client says “I messed it up” and the therapist responds, “I see courage, not failure,” that moment can plant the seeds of transformation.

The impermanence of the sand mandala becomes a metaphor: nothing is fixed, and healing is possible.

27/05/2025

“Give your worries a home outside your head.”
A worry jar isn’t just for kids, it’s a grounding ritual for anyone who struggles to name their stress, process their thoughts, or recognise how tension shows up in the body. Letting go can start with just a slip of paper.

Psychoeducation:

The Power of the Worry Jar: A Simple, Soothing Practice for All Ages

For many children and adults, stress often lingers silently, disguised as tummy aches, clenched jaws, racing thoughts, or sleepless nights. When it’s hard to put words to what we’re feeling or even realise we’re stressed, emotions can get “stuck” inside. That’s where the worry jar comes in.

What is a Worry Jar?
It’s a container, any jar, box, or envelope, used to collect worries. The act of writing down a worry and placing it in the jar is a simple, tangible way to externalise thoughts and stress. It gently teaches the brain: “This worry exists, but it doesn’t have to live inside me.”

Why it Helps:

Externalisation: By moving thoughts out of the mind and onto paper, we reduce their emotional intensity.
Body Awareness: The ritual encourages us to notice when stress builds in the body, a crucial step toward emotional regulation.
Naming the Feeling: Identifying and labeling thoughts or emotions builds emotional literacy and self-awareness.
Ritual and Routine: It creates a calming practice that can be revisited daily or weekly, a grounding moment of reflection.
For Children: A worry jar helps kids learn that it’s safe to acknowledge uncomfortable thoughts without being overwhelmed by them.
For Adults: It can serve as a gentle form of self-check-in, especially for those who tend to “push through” stress until burnout hits.

Try This:
Keep your worry jar visible, on a desk, nightstand, or family shelf. Use it in the evening or during moments of tension. Encourage yourself or your child to ask, “What’s weighing on me right now?” and offer those thoughts a place to rest.

27/05/2025

“Symbols speak when words fall short.”

In art therapy, images often say things we can’t yet put into words. But the meaning behind them isn’t something the therapist defines, it’s something the client discovers for themselves.

In this piece, we see a colourful robot, happy, expressive, perhaps floating with no legs, a crown slipping from its head, a patch of blue pixels around one eye. It’s surrounded by light, clouds, and vibrant plant life growing upwards.

To someone, this robot might represent a version of themselves: strong and cheerful on the outside, but maybe feeling disconnected from the ground, a little adrift. The crown falling could reflect feelings of losing control, status, or identity. The blue pixels near the eye might suggest tears or a fractured way of seeing the world. The growing plants and light might speak to hope, personal growth, or something new emerging despite uncertainty.

As art therapists, we don’t assume. Instead, we listen — not just to the words a client uses, but how they say them. We observe tone, body language, how they relate to their work, whether they are critical or gentle with it, and how they handle mistakes or imperfections. These nuances, along with referral information and therapeutic goals, help us understand how the artwork connects to their inner world.

Every mark matters, but only in the context of the person who made it.

(art work created as a reflective piece)

12/05/2025

12/05/2025

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by the Art Therapy stall!
I was absolutely blown away by your creativity, joy, and openness.

It was incredible to see the worry monsters, volcanoes, flower pots, inventions and how each of you brought your unique ideas to life in clay. The way you all shaped, molded, and reimagined things was a powerful reminder of how art can transform not just materials, but moods and minds too.

A massive shoutout to everyone who added their mark to the collective canvas! Each brushstroke, doodle, and fingerprint became part of something bigger showing how, when we create together, we build something stronger, more vibrant, and deeply connected.

Art has the power to spark conversations, heal, and generate energy within a community and this weekend, we truly felt that spark.
Thank you for being part of it. Let’s keep creating, connecting, and growing together.

03/05/2025

Let’s Talk: Color Blocking + the Mind
Art Therapy in Action

Did you know that color blocking, the bold use of contrasting colors in large, defined areas, can do more than create eye-catching art? It actually mirrors how our brains process, sort, and feel.

In psychology, we often talk about compartmentalization, a way our minds try to manage overwhelming emotions or thoughts by creating “mental boxes.” Similarly, color blocking gives form and boundaries to emotional chaos. It’s a visual practice in emotional organization.

Each color we choose activates emotional and neurological responses. Blue can calm. Red can energize. Yellow can spark joy or anxiety depending on its use. When we pair colors in blocks, we're not just expressing, we're mapping our inner world.

In art therapy, color blocking becomes a powerful tool:

It gives clarity to the mess inside.
It allows for safe emotional expression through structure.
It helps bring order to confusion, without needing words.
Try this: Next time you're overwhelmed, block out a page using only colors. No images. No rules. Just feel, choose, and place. Let your mind breathe.

Art heals, even in squares.

30/04/2025

Finger Painting as Somatic Grounding: A Simple but Powerful Tool for Self-Regulation

This small canvas may look playful, but it's part of a profound somatic art therapy practice.

Finger painting is a tactile, body-based art exercise that engages the senses, calms the nervous system, and enhances emotional awareness. Through direct contact with the paint, we bypass the analytical mind and drop into the body, where many of our unconscious emotional responses live. This kind of sensory engagement helps regulate our autonomic nervous system by activating the parasympathetic ("rest and digest") response, which is essential for reducing stress and building internal safety.

Somatic approaches to art-making, especially those involving touch, are rooted in polyvagal theory (Porges, 2011), which shows that safe, embodied experiences can help rewire the brain toward greater emotional resilience. Finger painting, in particular, allows for expressive freedom without the pressure of "performance," making it ideal for exploring difficult emotions or sensations in a safe, contained way.

In this practice, I encourage clients to reflect afterward:

What did I feel in my body while painting?
Were there moments of tension or release?
Did any emotions surface?
What does this piece reveal about how I relate to others—or to myself—today?
This simple act becomes a mirror: reflecting our nervous system state, emotional tone, and relational patterns. Over time, it builds capacity for self-awareness, emotional regulation, and embodied reflection.

Research supports this:

Malchiodi (2015) notes that art therapy supports trauma recovery by integrating right-brain, sensory-based processes with narrative reflection.
Van der Kolk (2014) highlights the role of movement and tactile engagement in healing trauma through bottom-up regulation.
Levine (1997) emphasizes that somatic tracking and gentle movement help discharge stored stress from the body.
Try it: let your fingers explore without judgment. You might be surprised by what emerges—not just on the canvas, but within.

29/04/2025

Exciting news!
I’ll be setting up an Art Therapy Stall at the Ballynafeigh Community Development Association’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and you’re warmly invited to join in!

Come by anytime between 1pm and 4pm for some creative fun and reflection.
We’ll be creating a collaborative community art piece, and there’ll be a special art activity just for the little ones.

Whether you're curious about art therapy or just want to get creative, drop in and say hello, I’d love to see you there!

25/04/2025

Art Therapy Spotlight: The Strength Bunny

One of my favorite art directives to use with clients, especially young people, is creating a strength animal out of modeling clay. More often than not, it takes the shape of a bunny: gentle, approachable, and quietly strong.

The process begins with a simple but powerful invitation: “Create a strong animal that represents your inner strengths.” Each part of the animal is made using different colors of clay, with each color representing a personal strength or positive affirmation. Courage. Creativity. Empathy. Determination. The result is a unique, symbolic reflection of their inner world.

Working with clay is naturally grounding. The physical act of molding something soft and shapeable with our hands can ease stress and soothe anxiety. It invites clients into a calm, nonverbal space where thoughts and feelings can surface safely and gently.

When this directive is done collaboratively, with an art therapist actively participating, it also becomes a space to deepen the therapeutic alliance. Sitting side by side, creating together, we model openness and acceptance, especially when thoughts of self-doubt or perceived “weakness” arise. These moments are not pushed away, they’re acknowledged, explored, and met with compassion.

The bunny becomes more than just a creative project. It’s a symbol of resilience, a bridge for connection, and a gentle reminder of the strengths already living within.

23/04/2025

There are moments in therapy when words just don’t feel like enough.
Maybe you’re not sure how to talk about what’s going on.
Maybe saying it out loud feels too overwhelming.
Or maybe you’ve been holding it all in for so long, you don’t even know where to start.

That’s where creative tools come in, things like plating exercises and transitional items (sometimes called fight toys).

The plating exercise gives us a way to map out what you’re carrying.
All the things you think you have to manage.
All the pressure to perform, to be “the best,” to have it all together.
Often, we don’t realize how much we’re holding until we see it laid out in front of us.

And then there’s the transitional item, a small, creative object that can hold big feelings.
It might be something you make in session: a soft toy, a symbol of safety, or even a version of your inner protector or inner child.

These objects aren’t just crafts, they become anchors.
They help regulate the nervous system when your body’s in fight, flight, or freeze.
They remind you: You’re safe now. You’re not alone. You’re allowed to rest.
And they offer a way to hold space for emotions you don’t have words for yet.

For clients living with anxiety, ADHD, trauma, or perfectionism, this kind of creative work is powerful.
It allows healing to happen without the pressure to explain everything perfectly.
It creates safety through symbolism.
It makes the invisible visible.

And most importantly, it reminds you that you are not too much, and you never have to carry it all on your own.

You deserve support that meets you where you are, with compassion, creativity, and care.

17/10/2024

You can’t beat a park view when working through some quiet difficult topics in an art therapy session.

17/10/2024

A wide selection of unique art mediums for young people and adults to choose from 🎨🖌️🖼️ I

sometime feel a little bit like a magpie, as I’m allways on the lookout for new materials that can help provoke the needed responses for clients. Or materials that can help ground clients in times of stress.