Discover the Healing Power of Art at Art Therapy Studio

“I love coming to art therapy. It is the only place where I can create images and symbols in my mind. In art therapy my  thoughts become a reality, going from the intangible to the tangible.”

Maria Smithe discovered the Art Therapy Studio following a year of severe back pain. “I thought this pain would kill me,”  Smithe said. She sought medical attention when she began having mobility and gait problems and learned she had a sciatica condition.

Participating in “Discover the Artist Within You” classes at the MetroHealth studio has helped relieve Maria’s pain. “It is  a gift to me!” says Maria. Kim Gazella, her art therapist, is “excellent,” guiding Maria through projects and helping her  cope with lifestyle changes resulting from the condition.

Art Therapy Studio offers eleven weekly “Discover the Artist Within You” classes each quarter at four community  studios. Located at Fairhill Partners and Ursuline ArtSpace on the east side, and River’s Edge and MetroHealth Senior  Health and Wellness Center on the west side, the classes are open to the community. No art experience is necessary.

“Discover the Artist Within You” classes help people like Maria develop their artistic talents as they deal with pain,  stress, and life-altering changes resulting from serious illness and disability. To learn more about classes and how to  enroll, call Art Therapy Studio at 216-791-9303 or visit www.arttherapystudio.org.