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Art Therapy in Tampa & St. Petersburg

Creative Art Therapy for Kids, Teens & Adults Near Me

Art therapy offers a safe and creative way to explore emotions that may feel too difficult to put into words. Through drawing, painting, sculpting, or playful activities, children and teens can process feelings, build coping skills, and connect more easily in therapy. For adults, art therapy provides a reflective path to healing from stress, grief, or past trauma.

What Is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creativity such as drawing, painting, sculpting, or play-based activities as a way to explore and process emotions. The goal isn’t to create something “perfect” or even “artistic.” The process of creating becomes a safe and supportive tool for healing, self-expression, and connection. 

Art can naturally creates a sense of safety and connection, especially for children who may feel nervous or unsure about therapy. Picking up a crayon, shaping clay, or playing a creative game often feels less intimidating than sitting down to “talk about feelings.” This gentle entry point allows children to express themselves in ways that feel natural, opening the door to deeper therapeutic work. Once that connection is established, our therapists integrate clinically proven approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for kids and Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) to help children process emotions, build coping strategies, and heal from difficult experiences.

Art Therapy for Kids & Children

Children often struggle to verbalize their feelings, which is why art therapy for children and art therapy for kids are so transformative. We use play therapy interventions for children, therapy games for kids, and activities that make healing fun and engaging.

Art therapy activities may include

  • Drawing and sketching: Helps kids externalize fears or joys through simple lines and colors.

  • Creating game boards: Turns therapy into interactive play, building problem-solving skills.

  • Clay art therapy: Allows tactile exploration, perfect for sensory processing.

These art therapy activities encourage self-expression in a non-judgmental environment, making it easier for children to process emotions like anxiety or family changes.

Art Therapy for Teens

Teens today face pressures ranging from academic expectations to social stressors and relationship challenges. For many, talking about emotions can feel overwhelming. Art therapy for teens in Tampa and St. Petersburg offers a creative, approachable way to open up and process feelings that might otherwise stay hidden.

een girl participating in art therapy in Tampa, painting on canvas as part of therapy activities for teens with stress and anxiety.

Therapeutic Art Activities for Adults

While our focus is on younger clients, we recognize that art therapy and therapeutic art activities for adults offer immense value. Adults often carry unprocessed emotions from the past, and art therapy provides a gentle way to access them.

The act of "playing" or creating isn't childish—it's a powerful mechanism for adults to confront and heal from deep-seated issues, promoting mindfulness and emotional release.

Adult engaged in art therapy in St. Petersburg, using painting and creative expression to support mental health and trauma recovery.

Art Therapists in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota

  • Genevieve Savage, art therapist offering art therapy for children, art therapy for kids, and trauma-informed art therapy near me in Tampa and St. Petersburg

    Genevieve Savage, MSW, RCSWI

    Genevieve is a dedicated art therapist specializing in creative interventions for children and teens facing emotional challenges. With a focus on trauma-informed art therapy, she uses drawing, painting, and clay to help young clients access and process difficult emotions like past hurt and PTSD.

  • Melissa Zentner LMHC, therapist providing art therapy for mental health, therapy activities for kids, and art therapy and trauma in Tampa near me

    Melissa Zentner, MS, LMHC

    Melissa is a licensed mental health counselor specializing in support for children, teens, and adults dealing with anxiety, trauma, and relational issues. Certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), she integrates art and play therapy elements to facilitate emotional processing and healing from generational trauma.

  • Lauren Pankuch LMHC, art therapist specializing in art therapy for teens, play therapy interventions for children, and art therapy activities for adults near me in St. Petersburg

    Lauren Pankuch, MA, LMHC

    Lauren is a licensed mental health counselor specializing in child and adolescent therapy using play and art techniques for emotional growth. Trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), she creates safe spaces to explore trauma and neurodivergence through creative expression and strength-based approaches.

  • Megan Midura MA, offering art therapy for kids, therapeutic art activities for adults, clay art therapy, and art therapy and PTSD near me in Tampa

    Megan Midura, MA, RMHCI

    Megan is a registered mental health counseling intern specializing in children and families, using artistic mediums and play therapy for anxiety, depression, and trauma. With training in TF-CBT and DBT, she employs games and creative activities to help young clients express emotions and build socio-emotional skills.

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Art Therapy and Trauma

Art therapy can be an incredibly powerful tool for processing trauma, especially when it comes to PTSD. Our trauma-informed art therapy is grounded in evidence-based practices that prioritize safety and empowerment.

The creative process (whether through drawing abstract representations of pain or sculpting with clay) helps bypass verbal barriers, allowing individuals to process traumatic experiences at their own pace. For kids and teens dealing with hurt, this can manifest in therapy games for kids that subtly unpack emotions. Adults, too, find relief in art therapy activities for adults that transform pain into something tangible and manageable.

Research shows that engaging in art can lower cortisol levels and rewire neural pathways affected by trauma, making it an essential tool for recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an art therapist do?

An art therapist is a licensed mental health professional who integrates creative expression with psychotherapy. They guide clients through activities like drawing, painting, or sculpting to help them process emotions, reduce stress, and build coping skills. Their role is not to judge artistic ability, but to create a safe, supportive environment where art becomes a tool for healing and growth.

What are art therapy activities?

Art therapy activities vary depending on age and goals, but may include drawing, painting, collage, working with clay, or even creating a personal gameboard. For children, these activities help them express feelings and practice problem-solving. For teens and adults, they provide a way to process trauma, grief, or stress in a safe and creative format.

What are therapeutic art activities for adults?

Adults often benefit from reflective activities such as painting emotions, sculpting representations of life challenges, or creating vision boards for healing and growth. These activities are designed to reduce anxiety, increase self-awareness, and promote emotional regulation—especially for those who find talk therapy alone overwhelming.

What is trauma-informed art therapy?

Trauma-informed art therapy uses creative expression alongside an understanding of how trauma impacts the brain and body. By combining art-making with approaches like Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), therapists provide clients with a safe way to process painful experiences without becoming overwhelmed. It is particularly effective for children, teens, and adults who may struggle to verbalize traumatic memories.

Is paint therapy the same as art therapy?

“Paint therapy” is often used informally to describe art therapy, but art therapy is a broader clinical practice. It can include painting but also incorporates other creative modalities such as drawing, clay work, collage, and play-based activities, always within a structured therapeutic framework guided by a licensed therapist.

Is art therapy considered a play therapy intervention?

Yes, art therapy can be used as a play therapy intervention, especially with children. Many play therapists incorporate art as a way to help children express themselves, regulate emotions, and build connection. At It Begins Within, our therapists often blend art-based play therapy with evidence-based approaches like CBT and TF-CBT to create both a safe and effective therapeutic process.

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