Art-Based & Expressive Activities
Drawing, collage and other expressive activities any clinician can bring into session, each with a directive, prompts, adaptations and cautions. They come from the art therapy literature and work as conversation starters; art therapy itself is a credentialed profession, and none of these sheets interprets artwork.
12 worksheets available. Free to browse, read, and print.
Anger Volcano: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Map what builds pressure, the warning signs, and the ways to cool down.
Bridge Drawing: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Draw a bridge, mark where you stand, and talk about crossing over
Color Your Feelings (Emotion Color Wheel): Art-Based Therapy Activity
Pick a color for each feeling, then fill a wheel to show how much of each is there
Inner Child Art: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Draw or write to a younger you with care from your adult self
Life Map Timeline: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Draw your life as a road or river, from early chapters to next
Safe Place Drawing: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Draw a calm place with sensory detail to use as a grounding resource.
Scribble Drawing: Art-Based Therapy Activity
One loose line, a hidden shape, and an easy way back into drawing
Self-Portrait: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Draw, paint or collage yourself to explore how you see yourself
The Masks We Wear
An expressive arts activity for exploring inner and outer selves
Tree of Life: Art-Based Therapy Activity
A narrative drawing that tells a life through roots, trunk, branches and fruit
Vision Board: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Cut, arrange and glue what matters, then choose one small step
Worry Monster: Art-Based Therapy Activity
Children draw their worry as a creature, name it, and practice talking back.