ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The pandemic heightened the need for mental health services and now creative forms of therapy are becoming more common and accessible.

You don’t have to call yourself an artist to try art therapy. It’s a method of processing emotions in a creative and colorful way.

“It’s much easier to talk about something going on in your life if you’re doing something while talking," said art therapist Shannon Halligan.

Halligan shows people of all ages that they can use art to express themselves, understand the world and handle their emotions at her practice, Halligan Creative Arts Therapy.

“You can’t plan the outcome really," she said. "You can choose your colors and then kind of what happens is very abstract, very random, and it’s one of those projects you want to do if you’re struggling with lack of control of certain things.”

From paint pouring, mask decorating, knitting, drawing, vision boards and watercolors, the possibilities are endless.

“We see people’s symptoms improve, we see reductions in anxiety and obsessive thinking," Halligan said. "We teach them tools. So we teach mental health tools along with the art. Sometimes when you see things in a visual way it clicks. All of a sudden you’re like oh okay I can manage my moods by using art.”

Shannon says she has been an art therapist for 20 years and she has never been busier. To handle the demand for services, she has gone from working on her own to running a group practice. And now her services may be covered by your insurance.

“For many years we had only been private pay," said Halligan. "And that really only allowed people who could afford it. To do it. And having insurance, being able to accept it, is something that just opens it up. It’s just so much more accessible for people now.”

Even though the goal isn’t necessarily to create a museum-worthy piece, you never know what beauty may come out of your emotions.

“Sometimes the final product is something that really moves someone," said Halligan. "Because it’s all personal, it’s personal expression and that is really beautiful.”

Even if you aren’t in therapy, there are things you can do to help navigate this crazy world.

Halligan says first, it’s important to make sure you focus on what you can control in your day-to-day life, taking care of yourself.

Try not to get overwhelmed by things out of your control.

Shannon says this type of therapy is for anyone, any age, whether you’ve been diagnosed with something like depression or don’t know what’s wrong. But as part of her expanded practice, you can find an art therapist who specializes in helping patients with autism, veterans suffering from PTSD or older adults with Alzheimer's.