The Arts Therapy Ecology Map
This map is interactive. Click directly on a terrain in the map above to begin exploring.
So what is this map all about?
I designed the Arts Therapy Ecology map as a reflective tool to help us situate ourselves, as practitioners, within the broader landscape of the Arts Therapy field. This idea has bubbled up from my own reflections on our profession, and recognising that our field comprises of many unique practitioners who work in diverse ways (often shaped by context, intention, skills, and areas of interest). As many of us work visually and metaphorically, I also felt that a map could be a useful way to explore these ideas more.
I have long held the belief that together we form an incredibly robust ecology, and, in the current climate, feel it is particularly useful to recognise how we all play a part within it. I hope this map encourages us to think of the Arts Therapy field as a broader system, and that, whether or not our work is recognised or highly visible, we all play an important part in the overall ecology. At the same time, some practitioners might also notice that, right now, the ground beneath their feet feels a less stable than it has in a while. I have written a brief reflection to acknowledge this here: Shifting Sand Dunes
This Ecology Map is primarily offered as a reflective (and orienting) resource for Arts Therapy practitioners. It hasn’t been designed to be a comprehensive model or a substitute for clinical supervision. If you enjoy exploring this map, please feel free to explore these ideas further through supervision or in conversation with peers
First developed and published in March 2026, the Arts Therapy Ecology Map is an ongoing arts-based exploration of how we might understand the field as relational, rather than fixed or hierarchical.
This map is intended to reflect how Arts Therapy practice is inhabited day to day. It hopes to honour your lived and embodied experience as a practitioner, and deeply trusts in your navigation skills to find what you need…
Welcome, Traveller- Your Journey Starts here!
Welcome to your journey through the Arts Therapy Ecology Map.
At anytime, to navigate back to the map, just follow the floating ‘Bush Track Marker’ (look bottom right of your screen)
Step 1: Explore the Terrains
Click on any terrain on the map to explore the different environments in which your practice may not only survive, but thrive. Each terrain reflects a unique area of Arts therapy practice within the broader ecosystem. No terrain is more valid or important than another. Each terrain works alongside and supports the others, and the whole, much like an ecosystem, operates in the natural world!
As you move around the map, you might notice that your practice inhabits more than one terrain - perhaps even simultaneously. This may also shift over time, which is unsurprising given that terrains in the wild are continually changing too
Now it’s time to choose the materials that may best support your practice. I hope this ‘Tool Jar’ will become a personalised collection of tools, materials, and practices that may support you across the terrains you inhabit. To create your jar- simply click on the button above, print out the contents and create your jar- old-school collage style! You can then keep this jar for ongoing reflection and action.
Step 2: Create Your Own Tool Jar
Not sure where you fit? Explore the Ecotone
In the natural world, an ‘ecotone’ is an ecologically rich transition zone between ecosystems. If you feel unsure about where you fit on the ‘Ecology Map’ , this is a space that includes prompts and activities to help you explore the intersections of your work and perhaps reflect on your next steps.
Click on the ‘Ecotone’ portal above to explore more
Zooming Out: A Bird's Eye View
Once you've wandered through the different terrains, you might like to zoom out and consider the ecology as a whole. Each terrain contributes something different to the wider field - supporting depth, flexibility, connection, innovation, community, responsiveness and ethical practice.
If you would like to view the system as a whole, go to: Zooming Out: A Bird’s Eye View of the Ecology