Your path to healing
can START now.

We help children, teens, and adults in New York navigate stress, trauma, and anxiety through creative arts therapy because sometimes words aren't enough.

START NOW
MEET OUR THERAPISTS

BREAKING THROUGH WHAT WORDS CAN’T REACH

At START Creative Arts Therapy Services, we get it.

You're looking for a space where you can show up exactly as you are, messy parts and all, without
having to explain everything perfectly. That's where we come in.

We don't just talk about feelings here. We paint them, move them, play them, and transform them.

We're a community of licensed creative arts therapists in West Islip, NY, specializing in restorative treatments for stress, trauma, and anxiety using art, music, dance, drama, and more.

→ Our mission?

To be approachable but informative. Relatable without oversharing. Bold enough to say what others won't. We break stigmas, challenge outdated rules, and build a therapeutic artist community that inspires creative practice and genuine healing.

→ We get it. And we're here.

Whether you're navigating family dynamics, parenting challenges, LGBTQIA+ identity, mood regulation, or just trying to figure out who you are beneath all the roles you play, we see you. We get it. And we're here.

OUR SERVICES

We offer in-person and virtual therapy for individuals, couples, families, teens, and children across New York State.

Art & Dance Movement Therapy

Expressing emotions through visual creation, body language, and physical exploration.

Learn More →

Drama, Music, & Writing Therapy

Using storytelling, sound, rhythm, and words to process experiences and find your voice.

Learn More →

Eye-Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)

Trauma-focused therapy that helps reprocess distressing memories and reduce their emotional impact.

Learn More →

Individual Therapy

One-on-one support tailored to your unique needs, goals, and healing journey.

Learn More →

Group Therapy

Finding connection, shared experiences, and community support in a safe, guided space.

Learn More →

Couples Therapy

Strengthening communication, rebuilding trust, and navigating relationship challenges together.

Learn More →

Family Therapy

Creating healthier dynamics and deeper understanding across all generations and family structures.

Learn More →

Online Therapy

Accessible, flexible virtual sessions that meet you wherever you are.

Learn More →

Our Specialties

We also offer community experiences and workshops because healing doesn't always happen in isolation.

Anxiety →

Learning to manage worry, fear, and panic in ways that feel grounding and sustainable

Depression →

Finding light in the darkness and reconnecting with what makes life feel worth living

Postpartum & Perinatal Mental Health →

Supporting new and expecting parents through the emotional challenges of pregnancy, birth, and beyond

LGBTQIA+ Affirming
Support
→

Celebrating identity, navigating transitions, and creating spaces where you truly belong

Trauma & Stress →

Processing difficult experiences and building resilience through creative expression

Mood & Emotion Regulation →

Managing anger, depression, overwhelm, and the ups and downs of being human

Grief & Loss Support →

Honoring what you've lost while finding ways to carry it forward with you

Anger Management →

Understanding the root of your anger and learning healthier ways to express and release it

Neurodiversity Affirming Support →

Honoring how your brain works and helping you thrive on your own terms

OUR TEAM

Therapists Who Actually
Get It

Our team isn't here to judge, fix, or rush you. We're here to walk alongside you, hold space for the hard stuff, and help you reconnect with the parts of yourself that feel lost or buried.

Our LCAT clinicians bring expertise, empathy, and a whole lot of heart. Many of us have lived through our own versions of what you're facing, and that's exactly why we do this work.

MEET OUR THERAPISTS

Client Feedback

  • Working with this START Creative Arts has been an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Their team is incredibly professional, highly skilled, and so easy to collaborate with. They brought a calm, creative energy that made a lasting impression on our students-many of whom are still asking when they'll be back! The sessions were not only therapeutic but also deeply engaging, and it's clear they have a true gift for connecting with young people through art. We can't recommend them highly enough and look forward to working with them again soon.

    Brian M., School Counselor

  • The Roosevelt UFSD is incredibly grateful for the meaningful support our elementary and middle school students received this year through START-Creative Art Therapy. The dedicated art therapists provided our students with a safe, nurturing experience where they could freely explore and express their emotions through creative expression. In a space free of judgment or criticism, students found their voices, many for the very first time. They felt heard, seen, and validated in ways that traditional conversations sometimes cannot offer. The impact was evident not only in their artwork, but in their confidence, self-awareness, and ability to connect with others. Many students even shared that they wished they could participate in art therapy every week...a true testament to the value and comfort they found in the experience. In addition, allowing parents to experience art therapy firsthand gave them valuable insight into what their children are encountering and expressing in school. More importantly, it deepened their understanding of the powerful impact art therapy can have, not just on the individual child, but on the emotional well-being of the entire family. We thank START art therapists for creating such a supportive, healing experience and for nurturing the social and emotional growth of our students and their families through the transformative power of art.

    Xiomara G., School District Languages Director

  • As the owner of Movement Arts Collective, working in collaboration with START Creative Arts Therapy has been an incredible experience. Over the past few years, START has led many events and workshops at our studio with both our dancers and teaching staff, and I found each of them to be thoughtfully designed, deeply meaningful, and held within the warm, safe, and supportive environment created by the START team. The impact of these workshops has gone far beyond the events. What began in those spaces continues to unfold in the everyday rhythm of the studio. Our START workshops have strengthened our connections, improved our trust and communication, encouraged empathy within our team, and ultimately brought us back to what grounds our community: our shared love and passion for the art of dance. I'm deeply thankful to START for their ability to support the emotional wellbeing of our students and staff, while also taking the time to learn, honor, and thoughtfully integrate themselves into the established culture and community of our studio. To any organization looking for a powerful and beautiful way to bring a team together, I highly recommend START Creative Arts Therapy!

    Kristie T., Owner/Director -Movement Arts Collective

Ready to START Your Story of Healing?

Your path doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be yours.

START NOW