TREATMENT WITH
Art Therapy
Art therapy is a powerful clinical tool for individuals recovering from substance use, trauma, anxiety, depression, and co-occurring disorders. Through guided creative work, clients learn to regulate emotions, process painful memories, and build healthier coping skills.
What Is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a clinical modality that combines psychological principles with creative techniques to support emotional, cognitive, and behavioral healing. Led by trained mental health professionals, art therapy encourages clients to use non-verbal expression as a pathway toward insight, stress reduction, and self-awareness.
It is especially helpful for individuals who struggle to communicate verbally due to trauma, shame, emotional overwhelm, or long-standing mental health challenges. Art therapy enhances traditional talk therapy and supports holistic recovery.
For additional background on how art therapy works, the American Art Therapy Association provides a comprehensive overview of the field at this resource.
What Happens During an Art Therapy Session?
During a session, the art therapist will encourage the client to use the creative process as a means of self-expression and achieving mental and emotional wellness. Sessions may include drawing, painting, sculpting, collage-making, and other mediums. The focus of an art therapy session is more about the creative process than the finished piece itself.
To learn more about the science behind creative expression and mental health, review this research summary from the National Institutes of Health: The Connection Between Art and Emotional Processing.
Why Art Therapy Matters in Recovery
Art therapy is clinically recognized for its ability to help individuals:
- Process trauma and difficult memories
- Reduce cravings and manage emotional triggers
- Improve communication skills
- Strengthen distress tolerance
- Build self-esteem and confidence
- Support relapse prevention
- Increase emotional regulation
When combined with therapies such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and family therapy, art therapy becomes a deeply impactful part of whole-person healing.
Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration highlights the value of expressive therapies in recovery programs, which you can explore here: Expressive Therapies and Behavioral Health.
Art Therapy at The Heights Treatment
The Heights Treatment integrates art therapy throughout our continuum of care to support both addiction and mental health recovery. Our Houston clinical team utilizes expressive therapies to complement evidence-based practices, allowing clients to engage their emotions and experiences from a new perspective.
Whether you are healing from trauma, navigating substance use disorder, or working through anxiety or depression, art therapy offers a grounding, creative, and empowering way to reclaim your voice.
Holistic & Evidence-Based Therapies Offered at The Heights Treatment
Our integrative treatment model supports healing of the mind, body, and spirit.
We implement only evidence-based treatments to ensure the efficacy of our programming.
Our treatments include:
FAQs About Art Therapy for Addiction & Mental Health
More questions about art therapy and healing from the effects of substance use disorders and mental health disorders? We’ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions below.
How Does Art Therapy Help With Addiction & Mental Health Disorders?
Art therapy helps individuals process emotional pain, trauma, and stress that often contribute to addiction or worsen mental health conditions. It encourages self-expression, reduces emotional reactivity, and supports relapse prevention.
For more information on addiction and emotional regulation, visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse here: Understanding Addiction Science.
What Types Of Art Activities Are Included?
Sessions may involve painting, drawing, sculpting, collage, mask-making, or visual journaling. Activities are tailored to the client’s emotional needs and treatment goals.
Is Art Therapy Effective Without Other Forms Of Therapy?
Art therapy is most effective when integrated into a comprehensive treatment plan that includes evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and psychiatric care.
How Long Does It Take To Experience Benefits?
Recovery is not black and white, and there is no set timeline for how long art therapy, or any other therapy, takes to work. Some clients experience emotional relief within the first session, while others progress over several weeks. Consistency, therapeutic engagement, and openness significantly impact results. Everyone’s recovery is different. You may experience an improvement of your overall well-being after a single session, whereas someone else may take several sessions or several weeks of sessions before a breakthrough is achieved.
It’s important to remember that consistency is key in your treatment. The more you show up fully present for your sessions and are committed to doing the work it takes to recover, the better your overall experience in treatment will be.
How Can I Support Someone Struggling With Addiction or Mental Health Issues?
Witnessing someone you love experiencing an addiction or mental health disorder is one of the most stressful experiences one can endure.
Start by ensuring safety, learning the signs of crisis, and encouraging professional treatment. If there is immediate danger, call emergency services. For ongoing support, involve them in a structured program where they can receive clinical care and emotional guidance.
If you need additional guidance on recognizing mental health crises or overdose signs, consult this medical guideline from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC Overdose Prevention.
Start Healing With Art Therapy in Houston
You do not have to face addiction or mental health struggles alone.
The Heights Treatment offers supportive, evidence-based care, including art therapy, designed to help you regain balance, clarity, and confidence.
If you or a loved one is ready to take the next step, our admissions team is here to guide you.
