I absolutely love this book – what a true compendium of information! I actually bought it years ago when I first became interested in art as therapy, but at the time, I only skimmed it. Coming back to it now, I’ve devoured it cover to cover.
What I’ve learned most is that art-making is one of the oldest forms of healing. I love the quote that opens the first chapter: “Art can be said to be – and be used as – the externalised map of our interior self.” (Peter London). It perfectly captures the essence of this book.
Malchiodi describes art therapy as a marriage of art and psychology – a way of exploring our inner experience through feeling, perception, and imagination, and then finding meaning within what we create. She explains that art can be seen as a form of symbolic communication, where the therapist’s role is to help the person discover their own interpretation. The book also emphasises the importance of the process itself – that making art is often more therapeutic than the final product.
I found the discussion around visual thinking fascinating, particularly the idea that trauma is often encoded in the mind as imagery – like snapshots the brain takes. Art, then, can become a way to translate those inner pictures into understanding and release when words are not able to.
Malchiodi also explores how creating art releases serotonin and how art-making is, at its core, a deeply human act – a way of making something “special.” She reminds us that creativity builds self-esteem, encourages experimentation, teaches new skills, and enriches life. I completely agree with her that there is something profoundly meaningful about creating with our hands and imagination. Even Maslow suggested, as she reminds us, that once our basic needs are met, we have an innate drive toward self-expression.
Throughout the book, Malchiodi shares case studies from her own practice and those of other professionals, which I found both inspiring and deeply informative. Her descriptions of community art centres – like RAW (Raw Art Works) – show how creative collaboration can foster connection, identity, and self-worth.
I also loved her many exercises, designed to help readers experience art therapy, not just read about it. The personal art history questionnaire she uses with clients was a new idea for me and something I’d now consider incorporating into my own work.
She reiterates throughout that it’s the process, not the product, that matters – and that setting an intention is often the first step toward change.
Her chapter on Understanding the Creative Process offered new insights too, such as how people may experience creativity differently – through perception, sensation, or cognition, for example. I also appreciated her reminder that learning about materials helps clients develop their own visual language, and that different mediums suit different needs. For example, an emotional or hyperactive child might find comfort in more structured materials like collage or felt markers, while another might need the looseness of paint to support exploration and play.
Her examples of exercises that can be used are really varied – from drawing with the non-dominant hand to creating mandalas, string ink prints, spontaneous “scribble” drawings, collages, group drawings, journalling and so so much more. She writes with warmth and clarity, making it all feel accessible and doable.
I loved her reflection on circular forms (mandalas) – that they can create a sense of structure, focus, and calm, can can even have a physiological soothing effect. And her discussion of artists like Frida Kahlo, Paul Klee and other, current artists, who used art to process pain and trauma, deepened my understanding of how creative expression can transform suffering into meaning.
Another section that really stood out to me was on Gestalt techniques – where clients speak as elements of their artwork (for example, “I am many red circles – crowded, passionate, playful”). Which to me is a fascinating and insightful way of connecting with one’s own inner experience through art.
Malchiodi concludes with what feels like the heart of the entire book – that potentially the most healing part of any art therapy experience lies within the creative process itself.
For anyone interested in art, psychology, or self-expression, The Art Therapy Sourcebook is a must-read. It’s engaging, practical, and deeply inspiring – a book that not only informs beautifully any would-be art therapist but also invites us to pick up a brush, make a mark, and have a go.
