According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), art therapy is a mental health profession, facilitated by the art therapist, in which clients use art media, the creative process and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem.

The goal of art therapy is to improve or restore a person’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being. During an art therapy session, a therapist uses a person’s artistic self-expression and their innate ability to create art to enrich and increase their physical, mental and emotional well-being.