Mental health is a growing crisis in Australia. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that 2 in 5 Australians to have experienced mental health issues sometime in their life.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, Creative Arts Therapy focuses on processes to help people explore feelings that may be hard to put into words. The different forms of art therapy can be used to reduce anxiety, improve self-awareness and find new pathways to healing.

Dr Theresa Van Lith, Associate Professor of Advanced Practice at La Trobe University discusses the impact of art therapy on the mental health of people. She is a board member of the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA), and has been awarded the American Art Therapy Association Seed Grant in 2021, and the National Endowment for the Arts Research Award in 2020.