Healing Through Expression

Transpersonal Art Therapy Supporting Defence Families in the Northern Territory.

Living in the Northern Territory (NT) presents a unique mix of challenges and opportunities for defence personnel and their families. The vast landscapes, geographic isolation, and the transient nature of defence life often lead to emotional stress, social disconnection and mental health concerns. Amidst these pressures, an emerging therapeutic approach is gaining traction: Transpersonal Art Therapy.

What Is Transpersonal Art Therapy?

Transpersonal Art Therapy is a holistic approach which recognises and focuses on your own psychological, social, cultural, biological, ecological and spiritual background. Transpersonal can be defined as “beyond the personal” or “beyond the mask”. It enables a way of mapping both your external and internal worlds and allows you to explore your own personal imagery. The art expressions created may help bring about new understandings, insights and healing. It is a form of therapy that allows you to discover and explore situations that you find difficult to discuss using words, which is especially valuable for those who struggle to articulate complex experiences — a common reality for many service members and their families. 

Why It's Relevant for Defence Families in the NT

Defence families in the NT face frequent relocations, separation due to deployment and limited access to consistent mental health services. Additionally, the isolation of remote communities like Katherine, Darwin and Tindal can compound feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

Real Impact: Stories from the Territory

Children benefit from structured art activities that help them express the uncertainty of defence life, while spouses often experience a sense of empowerment and relief through guided creative exploration. 

I recently teamed up with an equine assisted therapist where we created a Horse and Art school holiday program. The children loved this program and asked us to do it again next holidays. This program incorporated learning about connection with animals and nature, mindfulness and using nature in art. We explored building trust, fostering leadership, teamwork and resilience.

In the vast and often demanding landscape of the Northern Territory, mental health services must be as dynamic and resilient as the communities they serve. Transpersonal Art Therapy offers a deeply human, holistic approach that resonates with the realities of Defence life — transforming creative expression into a powerful path for healing, connection and growth.

Try This at Home: Simple Creative Exercises 

Even without formal art therapy, engaging in simple creative tasks at home can offer emotional benefits: 

• Draw your day: Encourage kids (or yourself) to draw how the day felt, using colours to represent different moods. 

• Create a deployment journal: Use drawing, photos, and words to record thoughts and memories during a loved one’s time away. 

• Colouring for calm: Use adult colouring books or mandalas as a relaxing daily ritual. 

• Family collage: Create a shared artwork as a way to reconnect during or after deployment. 

Written by Belinda A'Bell Community Contributor Flourishing Bloom Psychology