Reflections from my time as an Art Psychotherapy student at Alzheimer Scotland

I am a second-year MSc Art Psychotherapy student at Queen Margaret University coming to the end of my placement with Alzheimer Scotland. I began in September 2025 and have been here two days a week within a post-diagnostic day service. Over these seven months, I have gained valuable experience both as a practitioner and personally, facilitating two small art therapy groups and working one-to-one with individuals. As I near the end of my placement, I’ve been reflecting on my journey and the key lessons that have deepened my understanding of how art psychotherapy can support people living with dementia. This blog post shares five meaningful insights I’ve taken away.

. The power of structure and predictability

Reflections from my time as an Art Psychotherapy student at Alzheimer Scotland

Consistency creates a deep sense of safety in a world that can feel uncertain for people living with dementia. Knowing that sessions happen at the same time and in the same room each week helps reduce anxiety and builds trust. If we think about Bowlby’s attachment theory, the therapy space can help create a reliable and secure base for exploration and expression. Often, I start a session with a simple grounding practice: maybe a short breathing exercise to connect us with our bodies and bring us into the here and now, perhaps noticing how we feel in the chair. It might also include a gentle check-in as a way of meeting in the space. It’s a way of creating a slow transition into therapy. In a shared day service space that changes throughout the day, these small consistencies signal when therapy begins and ends, and what is held within the therapeutic frame. They help the space feel containing and dependable.

2. Responding to what emerges in the moment

A client-led approach means staying open and curious to whatever arises for individuals. One week someone might engage deeply with clay; the next, they prefer dry materials or chatting. These small surprises often reveal preferences, moods, or unspoken needs in that moment. Being adaptive keeps the therapeutic space flexible, respectful, and responsive. For example, materials that can be engaged with in a multitude of ways like leaves, pinecones and other nature items have been wonderful for cultivating the present moment: they offer something tangible and tactile that invites people to connect with the here and now without any pressure to create a finished piece. We can simply observe textures, feel the shapes, and be together. At the same time, leaves make excellent print makers, perfect for gentle leaf rubbing or collage when someone feels ready to explore further. I am continually surprised by the unique and deeply personal ways each person connects with these materials, and I am always learning from clients.

3. Expression without words

Art offers a gentle bridge when words become harder to find or share. Art therapy is a way of communicating without the need for words. On placement with Alzheimer Scotland, I have seen how connection with materials in a safe therapeutic space within a therapeutic relationship opens access to emotions and memories, supporting connection. Art is a language: we speak through shapes, colours, marks, and textures. This non-verbal way of expressing supports deep connection and a continuing sense of self. Above all, I have seen how creativity reveals what remains very much present in each person.

“[The creative arts] can help to link us back both to the shore of identity and to the core of our being. They keep us in contact with our hearts. They can help to keep us afloat and connected (to self and others) while we change from who we once were to who we are now.”

Hayes, J. and Povey, S. (2011. p.16). The creative arts in dementia care : practical person-centred approaches and ideas.

4. Integration with team/holistic care

Art therapy isn’t isolated at Alzheimer Scotland, it complements the wider support available. Working alongside daycare practitioners, volunteers and other professionals, we all share the same aim: supporting the wellbeing of people living with dementia in ways that feel meaningful to them. I’ve seen first hand how art therapy groups create a relational space where people can simply meet and ‘be with’ one another, sharing presence and gentle interactions. Early in my placement, learning about the different roles of others and giving a short introduction to art therapy helped build collaboration and mutual understanding. It showed how art psychotherapy can be integrated sensitively into the service, honouring the human, person-led moments that everyone brings. I’ve truly enjoyed hearing about the work of my colleagues and witnessing how a team’s diverse skills come together to create something richer and more supportive.

5. The freedom of choice

In this day service, art therapy can offer agency and opportunities for choice at every step. Laying out a range of materials allows people to engage exactly as feels right that day, whether that’s collage, creating swirling patterns with oil pastels, or exploring paint in countless ways: sponges, pipettes, dipping objects, or feeling it between fingers. This flexibility respects where each person is that day. People have often shared how they can “just zone out” and lose themselves in the making, especially when they choose materials that resonate personally. Each individual can use the tools in their own way, making their unique marks without pressure or expectation.

What I’m bringing with me

This placement has reinforced my belief in art as a powerful tool for wellbeing and connection to the self and others. Alzheimer Scotland’s community and person-centred approach valuing choice, collaboration, and everyday support, has shown me how art psychotherapy can truly enhance post-diagnostic life in meaningful ways. It has been wonderful to see the joy and connection when people have created something that has meant something to them.

Above all, I’m carrying with me the quiet power of presence and the adaptive flexibility to meet each moment as it arises. These experiences have touched me deeply and will shape how I create spaces as a therapist going forward.

Thank you for reading!

Discussion Questions:

How has creative expression supported wellbeing for someone you know living with dementia?
What questions do you have about art psychotherapy in dementia care?

Contributor. Millie Davies, Second-Year MSc Art Psychotherapy Student, Queen Margaret University on placement with Alzheimer Scotland.