Art Therapy is a relatively new field within the mental health treatment world, having slowly gained popularity in recent decades. Different from traditional talk therapy, it is a method that incorporates creative expression through visual art media in order to trigger conversation about self-esteem, self-awareness, and promote insight and resolve distress or conflict.
There has been a massive growth in mental health awareness in recent years. Increasing number of people are seeking out therapy and mental health wellness programs in a post-pandemic world. The stigma surrounding mental health is rapidly changing, and therapy is becoming more widely accepted as a normal part of personal wellness and maintenance.
Despite this however, Art Therapy is still not the easiest form of therapy to come across and it has yet to reach the same popularity as talk therapy among the general public. Many cite creating art as an intimidating prospect, and its limited geographic reach and limited number of therapists remain barriers for more popular adoption.
User Interview Recruitment Criteria
Expert Interview
- Has experience (nothing less than 1 year) of leading Art Therapy sessions.
- Has experience with remote therapy/Telehealth.
User Interview
- Has experience with attending remote therapy via Telehealth.
- Is interested about alternative forms of mental health therapy such as Art Therapy.
- Is passionate about mental well-being and preventative care.
Interview Findings:
- Art Therapy should only be a means of inspiring conversation and introspection, not a way to clinically diagnose mental illness.
- Art Therapy is open to all people of all artistic skillsets, backgrounds, and mental healthcare experiences.
- Online therapy offers comfortability for the client because often times they can join in the comfort and privacy of their own home.
- Creating affordable access to art supplies is a common aspiration for many Art Therapists. Access to telecommunications nowadays is very affordable, but art supplies for various mediums can be very costly. A service that provides shipping of cheap or used art supplies to aid online art therapy sessions would be most helpful, or even using recycled items around the house.
- Art Therapy could prove challenging online because for someone that facilitates an Art Therapy session, you need to see their face as well as what they are doing on the canvas for an effective session.
- During online video sessions, you might not see the choices that they’re making as clearly because you are not in the same space and cannot observe from multiple angles. You only have one picture plane which is your zoom camera to see what’s going on, which typically you’re only watching the face.
User Journey Map Key Pain Points:
Pain Point 1 - Skeptical about Art Therapy and don’t know much about it.
Pain Point 2 - Stressed about matching with the best therapist.
Pain Point 3 - Art supplies are expensive, no idea how to set up.
Pain Point 4 - Not sure if following an art demo correctly.
Vision Statement:
art2art leverages the power of Telehealth to increase access to Art Therapy for everyone. We aim to make both Art and Therapy less intimidating for newcomers and experienced users alike in a safe and controlled environment. Our goal is to use art as a gateway to processing feelings, and cultivate the inner artist that exists within everyone.
Information Architecture:
Art Therapy
Post-Pandemic World
Telehealth
Mental Health
Newcomers to art therapy & experienced individuals alike
North America
Isaac Tseng
User Research, Interview & Journey Mapping
UI & Branding Design
User Testing & Prototyping
