Art Therapy for Athletes - Children and Adults

Support for individual athletes, groups, teams, clubs of all ages.

Art therapy can be especially helpful for athletes because it offers a unique, nonverbal way to process emotions, reduce stress, and reconnect with the body—complementing the high-pressure, physically demanding environment of sport. Here are some key reasons it's beneficial:

  1. Stress and Anxiety Reduction
    Athletes often face performance anxiety, pressure to win, or fear of failure. Art therapy provides a calming outlet to explore and express these emotions without needing to articulate them verbally.

  2. Injury Recovery and Body Awareness
    Injuries can lead to identity loss, depression, or frustration. Through creative expression, athletes can process their grief, visualize healing, and reconnect with their bodies in a more compassionate, mindful way.

  3. Identity and Self-Concept Development
    Many athletes strongly identify with their sport. Art therapy can help explore who they are beyond athletics—especially during transitions, retirement, or periods of burnout.

  4. Focus and Visualization
    Creative activities can enhance mental imagery and focus, which are critical in sport psychology. For example, drawing or painting goals and successes can reinforce motivation and self-belief.

  5. Team and Communication Skills
    In group settings, art therapy can build team cohesion and communication. It fosters empathy and shared understanding through collaborative or reflective art-making.

  6. Safe Emotional Outlet
    Sport culture often discourages vulnerability. Art therapy offers a safe, private space to explore difficult feelings like fear, anger, or sadness—without judgment.

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Cost
varies

Client examples

teams, figure skating clubs, high performance athletes

A woman figure skater on an outdoor ice rink, holding a silk and looking upwards, with mountains and cloudy sky in the background. Creative expression and healing through movement therapy with Jordyn Eberts.
Snow-covered mountain range with tall pine trees in the foreground, clear night sky with stars, and a visible shooting star.
A long table covered with various photographs, papers, and small bowls of assorted items as part of an art therapy workshop with Jordyn Eberts in Kelowna.

"I say put mental health first because if you don’t then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to."

— Simone Biles