Dyadic Art Therapy

Dyadic Art Therapy with parent and child.

HOW DOES DYADIC ART THERAPY HELP COUPLES AND FAMILIES?
It allows the therapist to observe and encourage the family's ability to play together, thereby strengthening attachment bonds.

The benefits of using Art Therapy with couples and families are the power of art to elicit the active participation of all family members in treatment, including nonverbal and less articulate family members. It has been noted that young children are often excluded from or ignored during family therapy sessions, despite their being a rich source of information about the family's functioning and underlying concerns (Gil, 1994; Riley, 1994). In addition to eliciting important information of concern to the children, the use of art as a therapeutic tool provides a rare and often novel opportunity for adults and children to communicate with one another on an equal level.

Another benefit of the use of art in family therapy is the ability of art tasks to quickly uncover covert family dynamics and make these visible to the therapist and the family so that both can clearly “see” patterns that may have previously been so deeply ingrained as to make them invisible. Family members tend not to be aware that they are exposing their family dynamics through their artwork and are often less defensive than when verbally discussing their problems (Riley, 1994; Riley & Malchiodi, 2003; Rubin, 1978).

The immediacy of the art-making task provides the family with an opportunity to look at their way of relating to one another in the here and now (Wadeson, 1980), while the art products permit the family to observe themselves and their situation from a once removed vantage point and take a reflective stance (Riley, 1994).

Dyadic Art Therapy with a couple.

Another advantage of the use of art in family therapy is the primacy of the image as a communication tool. Images are systemic – they have an inherent capacity to synthesize and express multiple aspects of a subject or theme in a way that words do not (Riley & Malchiodi, 2003; Wadeson, 1980). Hence the expression “a picture speaks a thousand words”. Furthermore, an image is concrete and tangible and can be referenced by the therapist and the family over the course of treatment, acting as a rich source for continued exploration and a “permanent record of change” documenting the family's progress (Wadeson, 1980, p. 284).

Reference:
‘The use of art in couples and family therapy' by:
Maya Shalmon, MA, M.F.T.; Heather McLaughlin, MA, M.F.T.; Joan Keefler, Ph.D., S.W., M.F.T.

COSTS
Book your FREE 20 min CALL for initial enquiries.
Call me, Irene Malvezi, at 07715601222 or email at

Before working together with you as a couple or family, it is advisable to have assessment meeting to agree that Dyadic Art Therapy would be the right intervention for you. We then would agree with an initial number of sessions (normally six) followed by a review for the next stage of the treatment.

Assessment: 50 minutes - £60
Dyadic Sessions: 60 minutes - £100

Testimonials:

"Dyadic art therapy has truly helped both my son and me. Our relationship has grown stronger, and our home environment feels more positive. He follows the guidance given in his sessions and works incredibly hard. As an autistic child, this therapy has been especially effective for him because it allows him to express himself through art rather than words, which he finds challenging. Seeing him communicate and connect in this way has been incredibly meaningful for our family." E & N, 2025

"Myself and my husband visited Irene for dyadic art therapy. This offered us a safe place to talk freely and openly to each other with someone there to support. At the time we were struggling with our communication and having appropriate dialogue was challenging. The dyadic art therapy has provided us with the skills to communicate more effectively with one another. Creating pieces of artwork together and at the same time allowed us to explore our experiences and supported in having more challenging conversations. Painting and sculpting and using other art mediums also allowed us to be more reflective on what we were feeling in that moment and encouraged more honest conversation in a calm environment. The dyadic art therapy has been such a positive tool in supporting our marriage to become better and for us to become more aligned. Irene is calm, respectful and above all was not there to judge or add opinion, she simply mediated tricky chats and supported us to get back onto what we really want to talk about. I would recommend dyadic art therapy highly." K & L, 2025