74 Art Therapy Questions to Ask Clients in Therapy Sessions

Art therapy is a holistic treatment option that can be used with clients of different ages and mental health concerns. Art therapy is a creative approach that can help clients increase their self-awareness, and express themselves in a way that they haven’t been able to do with words. Other benefits of art therapy include improving cognitive and sensorimotor functions, improving self-esteem, building emotional resilience, and improving social skills.

Art therapy can be applied to a range of counseling sessions including individual, couples, family, and group sessions. They are commonly used in hospitals, schools, Veterans clinics, private therapy clinics, psychiatric facilities, crisis centers, and senior living communities.

Art therapy can be used with individuals experiencing a range of mental health challenges including crisis, trauma, grief, anxiety, and depression. It is commonly used with cancer patients and military veterans living with PTSD. 

You may encounter clients who are hesitant about art therapy because they have concerns about their artistic abilities. Being artistic or creative is not a requirement for art therapy. Art therapy can go beyond the use of paint and drawing, with the use of various mediums including clay, collages, and colored pencils. Some clients prefer doodling, whereas others create abstract art. 

For more valuable resources, view our Art Therapy Tools and Resources hub

Getting Ready for Your First Art Therapy Session with a New Client

Art therapy sessions are guided by trained and credentialed art therapists. These professionals have spent time learning how to apply art to psychological therapies to help those experiencing mental health difficulties. Before you sit down with a new patient, it can be helpful to spend time reviewing the paperwork that you have received. This can include intake forms or referral documents that tell you about your new client.

This can give you an idea of activities or topics that you would like to cover in your first session. In addition to developing a therapeutic rapport, your initial session can help you develop a treatment plan. Individualized treatment is important to address varying mental health difficulties and symptoms that your client is experiencing.

Some clinicians have found that using worksheets in therapy sessions can be helpful when you are gathering information and developing your therapeutic rapport. TherapyByPro is a leading resource for mental health professionals, offering an assortment of worksheets and other tools for therapy sessions. Examples of worksheets that you can incorporate into art therapy sessions include:

• Art Therapy Worksheets Bundle
• Mindful Coloring Pages Worksheet
• Art Therapy Emotion Wheel Worksheet
• Art Therapy How I Feel Today Worksheet   

What Art Therapy Questions Should I Ask Clients In Sessions?

Questions to ask during art therapy can focus on exploring your client’s thoughts, emotional experiences, and the work they create. Open-ended questions tend to give clients more freedom in their answers, which may tap into different perspectives or factors they have not previously acknowledged. Examples of art therapy questions to ask clients include and are not limited to:

1. Can you tell me about the struggles you’ve been experiencing lately?
2. What is your perception of art therapy?
3. What are you hoping to gain from art therapy?
4. How do you see art therapy benefiting you?
5. Is there anything you’d like to share with me before we begin?
6. Can you tell me what coping skills you tend to use when you’re distressed?
7. Have you engaged in therapy before? How was your experience?
8. Can you share with me ways in which you’re creative?
9. Would you say that it is easy for you to express yourself using words?
10. Can you tell me about what drew you to art therapy?
11. How do you feel now that you’re here with me for your first session?
12. Can you share with me what mediums you’re most comfortable with?
13. Are there any mediums that you are concerned or intimidated by?
14. What surprised you the most about your session today?
15. What do you feel the connection is between your feelings and the art you create?
16. Have you noticed any themes or patterns in the art you create? Any particular styles or colors that you’re drawn to?
17. How comfortable are you exploring your thoughts and emotions through art?
18. Can you tell me about your body while you’re making art?
19. How does expressing yourself through art compare to using words for expression?
20. Have you felt resistance towards art therapy?
21. How does it feel to express your emotions through art?
22. What emotions are the most difficult to express through art?
23. What emotions do you see when you look at this art piece?
24. What stands out to you in your art piece? Does this hold significance to you?
25. Does this art remind you of any previous experiences?
26. How would you describe your art to a stranger?
27. Have you noticed any themes in your art?
28. Does this piece have a title?
29. Can you tell me about your emotional experience while creating this, from the beginning to the end?
30. Is there anything in this piece that feels unfinished? Could it ever be completed?
31. What unconscious thoughts do you feel were expressed in your art?
32. Have you gained any new insights from your art?
33. How does this piece reflect your current thoughts and emotions?
34. Did you gain new insights or awareness into your experiences while creating this piece?
35. When you look at this completed art piece, what emotions come up?
36. Do you think your perspective of this piece would change in a year?
37. Is there anything you’re taking away from this art piece?
38. Is there a more profound meaning to this art piece?
39. Has art had an impact on your mental health?
40. Do you feel that art improves your ability to express yourself?
41. How has art therapy affected your self-awareness?
42. Has art therapy shifted any personal beliefs you have?
43. How do you feel art can affect your mental health eventually?
44. How has art therapy shifted your perspective of mental health?
45. What has been the most significant take-away you’ve had from art therapy?
46.   What positive effects has art therapy had on your mental health?
47. How has art therapy challenged you, or pushed you outside your comfort zone?
48. How do you see yourself incorporating art into your life?
49. What changes have you noticed in your psychological distress since engaging in art therapy?
50. Can you tell me about emotional growth you’ve experienced due to art therapy?
51. Have you noticed any changes in your creativity since beginning art therapy?
52. What thoughts or emotions has art therapy helped you expressed?
53. Do you see yourself continuing to use art methods to express yourself?
54. Have you shown your art to anyone in your life?
55. What was that experience like for you?
56. Why did you choose to share your art with that person?
57. What lessons have you learned in art therapy?
58. What surprised you about your time in art therapy?
59. Would you recommend this form of treatment to others?
60. Have you experienced any shifts in your opinions of yourself?
61. How do you feel you’re represented in your artwork?
62. What would you like to change about this piece?
63. What would you want onlookers to see in this piece?
64. Is there anything in your artwork that feels unfinished? Where do you think this is stemming from?
65. Can you tell me about your emotional experiences while creating this artwork?
66. Was there a part of you that was resistant while you were creating it?
67. Can you think of how art has helped you work through your emotional experiences?
68. Are there any new perspectives you have found since beginning art therapy?
69. What does your art say about your strength and resilience?
70. Do you feel as though art has been a healing experience for you?
71. How would you feel about showing your art to others?
72. What surprises you about your artwork?
73. What are you hoping that others see when looking at your artwork?
74. What makes this piece different from others you’ve created previously?

Final Thoughts On Asking the Right Art Therapy Questions in Sessions

Thank you for spending time today to explore art therapy questions. Art therapy can be a valuable source of support for clients experiencing a range of mental health conditions and challenges. Art therapy can help clients identify and express emotions they’re experiencing in a new way, which may be easier to do. There is no right or wrong way to make art, which makes it a safe and non-judgmental treatment option.

Art therapy questions can help you tap into your client’s experience creating their art and exploring more profound messages. For some, the answers may be straightforward. For others, artwork can be a new way of self-expression that allows them to process experiences, challenging emotions, and fears they have been carrying. This can help guide future therapy sessions and lay the foundation for the continued use of art in a client’s life.

If you would like to learn more about how an art therapist can benefit your clientele, we encourage you to look for educational resources. Depending on your clinical setting, you may be able to offer art therapy as an adjunct to other treatment services. 

View all of our Art Therapy Worksheets

Resources:

• About art therapy. American Art Therapy Association. (2024a, February 7). https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/#:~:text=Art%20therapy%20is%20a%20mental,experience%20within%20a%20psychotherapeutic%20relationship.