HOW I WORK
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Making art with my clients is as foundational to art therapy as the therapeutic relationship is foundational. Theories, techniques, and therapeutic approaches are valuable in therapy, but how we connect as client and art therapist matters the most.
My goal is to foster authentic relationships that inspire creative expression in our collaborative efforts.
My approaches and therapeutic techniques are similar to how other therapies work and are uniquely based on making art and the creative process in mental health treatment. I provide individual art therapy sessions for children, teens, and adults. Each client is unique so this process is tailored for each client and changes from session to session.
My work experiences are varied and diverse from private practice, group outpatient practices, hospice care, IIH/MHSS services, residential and group homes, elder care facilities, and non-profit settings.
I’ve worked across the human life span with the youngest client I’ve worked with being age 5 and my oldest at 102. I serve people from all walks of life and different backgrounds.
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I work from my values and beliefs. My work is guided by integrity, creativity, empathy, trust, as well as compassion. These values shape how I approach challenges, engage in life, and make decisions.
My values ground and center me in difficult situations, foster meaningful relationships, and maintain a focus on long-term impact rather than short-term gains. I look for the root issues of the problems facing my clients and weeding those patterns out in our work together. I want my clients to be rekindled from painful and hurtful experiences. This foundation ensures my work aligns with my purpose and contributes to others in need of support and guidance.
I believe adaptive changes are beneficial and growth means the process mattered. The process matters as much as the outcome.
The process involves being seen, heard, and understood. Vulnerabilities, insecurities, or fear is terrifying to reveal to another person, but here is a safe space to be, to be accepted where you are and for who you are. Not everyone is on the same path or going at the same pace and that’s okay.
I want my clients to explore and see their inner world with curiosity and feel safe revisiting and reflecting on painful experiences. By identifying and addressing core issues to process it’s easier to embrace growth and change, develop resilience, self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of self and others. This process creates lasting change that empowers my clients to navigate life with clarity and purpose.
Upcoming Experiences
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DATE: May 9th, 2026 from 1pm-3pm
COST: $50 per participant, all supplies and setup included
Space is limited!
Location: The Kentlands, Artists on Market Gallery, Gaithersburg, MD
Sponsor: The Kentlands Community Foundation, Gaithersburg Artists Collective, please visit for more info: https://www.kentlands.org/gaithersburg-artist-collective
If you do not see this listing, no worries, the listings usually go up about 7-8 weeks in advance.
This workshop focuses on mark-making and mindfulness practices using natural materials and traditional media.
Create your own designs made by nature and your own hand!
Allow the organic process to unfold and rekindle your sense of fun and play without pressure or performance. You will find rejuvenation and relaxation in a process uniquely your own. Samples, supplies, and natural studies are provided in the setup. My teaching style invites your own process to shine through, and there’s plenty of time to create.
If you're not a fan of sitting in your thoughts with meditations or mindfulness practices or being more intentional with your art making, then this is for you!
Great for most ages (at least 12+) and any skillset. Invite and share the experience with a loved one, friend, or family member who loves making
FAQ
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Art Therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
Art Therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.
Art therapists are master-level clinicians who work with people of all ages across a broad spectrum of practice. Guided by ethical standards and scope of practice, their education and supervised training prepares them for culturally proficient work with diverse populations in a variety of settings. Honoring individuals’ values and beliefs, art therapists work with people who are challenged with medical and mental health problems, as well as individuals seeking emotional, creative, and spiritual growth. Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language.
Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience, and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation.
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I focus on issues such as grief and loss, major life transitions such as divorce, moving, career/job related issues, relational and generational trauma, family conflict, spiritual and religious trauma, anxiety and depression, complex trauma, and medical trauma.
I provide individual sessions, one-to-one, for adults, teens, children, and families of children and teen clients.
The youngest age I work with is age 8. I also work with preteens, ages 10-12, teens 12-17, and adults 18+.
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My fee is $125 for individual in-person sessions. Art supplies and tools are provided in session.
Psychiatric evaluations are $150 and are only offered as the initial session as part of an intake process.
I offer a sliding scale fee and financial flexibility. I can accept HSA and FSA payment as well as provide a superbill for insurance reimbursement.
Feel free to connect with me about any financial questions or concerns.
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This practice is not in-network with any insurance carrier and is considered self / private pay.
HSA and FSA cards are accepted and superbills are provided.
For HSA and FSA card holders, please be aware a diagnosis must be on file in order to process. Check with your insurance provider if you’re unsure what qualifies.
I have contracted with insurance in the past and prefer to work out of network to provide my clients more autonomy and choice in their treatment and care. I also understand there are clients who prefer not use insurance to allow for more flexibility with treatment options.
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The first session is often an introduction session that involves an intake process.
The initial session will go more in-depth about discussing your intake paperwork and questionnaire and any administrative items. We will generally focus on what your treatment needs are or may be.
I typically invite making art together as an introduction to art therapy. Usually, this is art made about yourself, your situation, or a treatment need you may want to explore more about.
I offer tea, coffee, and sometimes snacks. I welcome you to bring your own food and drink as well as a journal or sketchbook if you’d like.
No pressure, it’s okay if we are not a good fit, I’ll connect you with a referral or offer resources. If we are a great fit, wonderful! We’ll continue with the next steps and begin our work together.
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Art therapy is similar to many other therapies. Treatment plans, progress notes, discussion, using coping skills and developing new ones are also present in art therapy amongst other aspects of therapy treatment such as having consistent sessions, keeping privacy and confidentiality, and informed consent.
Not every session involves making art, but art is often involved.
Art therapy is its own therapy in that the practice, interventions, directives, approaches, techniques, and methods are unique to the profession and field. The foundation and practice of art therapy heavily involves art, making art, and the creative process. This process is tailored and designed for each client depending on treatment needs.
Art therapy is one way to approach how we feel, think, problem solve, and process life experiences.
Art therapy is experiential in nature and that a client can literally ‘see’ their progress and the work done. Art therapy is based on observations, patterns, and areas of focus in its practice and is unique to each client. An art therapist may offer a similar prompt or directive, but the results and outcomes may be very different from person to person and depends on the purpose of the interventions, directives, approaches, techniques, and methods used.
Art therapists do not typically make interpretations or analysis of a client’s artwork without the client’s input, but do notice and observe patterns to bring awareness for insight, realizations, or deeper meaning and understanding.
To learn more, check out The American Art Therapy Association, for more information about the field and profession of art therapy: https://arttherapy.org/
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Art therapy can explore, identify, address, and help a client process a number of emotional and mental wellness needs within the therapeutic relationship.
Some ways and benefits that art therapy provides are: helping the brain create new neural pathways, regulating and rebuilding the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, regulate the vagus nerve, and provide means of expressing the inexpressible. Art therapy is also about problem-solving, gaining new insights and realizations, having the space to unpack and resolve issues, and focusing on investing in your wellness needs.
Art therapy is not entirely about trauma work, but it often involves trauma work and trauma-focused treatment.
Trauma is defined as a distressing life event that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, feel emotions, and process those experiences.
Trauma can be a single event or a compounding of events over time. Trauma is not limited to events like surviving a hurricane, a car crash, or war. Experiences like bullying, adoption, and chronic stress can also be considered trauma.
Follow this link to learn more about the impact of art therapy: https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/healing-through-art
Follow this link for additional research: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384940469_Art_therapy_and_neuroscience_evidence_limits_and_myths
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To schedule, follow this link for my current availability. Easy to follow and set up via Simple Practice.
You are welcome to connect with me by email or a brief 15 minute phone call consultation.
Contact: lindsaykdowns.arttherapy@the3brushes.com
Google Voice (202) 695-7128
I look forward to connecting soon!
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Congratulations! You’re on your way to becoming an art therapist and racking up those hard earned hours.
Unfortunately, I’m not a state approved supervisor so please follow the links below if you’re in Maryland and seeking clarity with this process or need a state approved art therapy supervisor:
Current MD art therapy supervisors:
Application Process and FAQs
https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/pages/art-therapists.aspx
MD Licensure Process
https://www.marylandarttherapy.org/state-licensure
Feel free to message me if you’d like for further questions.