INTERVIEW WITH LIAN BEE NGO (MEI ER)
In simple terms, can you explain what art therapy is about to those who might not know what it is?
Our experiences and memories are rarely neat or linear. They can live in our thoughts, emotions, sensations and images, sometimes in ways that are difficult to put into words. Art therapy offers another, non-linear channel to access, express and process these experiences. Through art-making, we may discover and explore things that have not yet found words. With an art therapist alongside us, the creative process can become a space to slow down, reflect and make sense of what emerges.
What does art therapy mean to you and how did you first discover about art therapy as a practice?
Art therapy is a channel, a tool, and also a part of my identity as an art therapist. I first experienced it as a student/client, where it became a meaningful way for me to develop self-awareness and coping strategies. Until today, I continue to discover new meanings in artworks I made years ago.
With my background in architecture, I have always been a visual and non-linear thinker, and have often found that images and creative processes can express things that words cannot fully capture. I was also interested in psychology and have always made art as a form of self-care. I discovered art therapy while looking for a way to bring these interests together, and was delighted to find that such a profession existed.
When did you first realize that you wanted to be an art therapist? Was it your first career choice?
Art therapy was not my first career. For around a decade, I was working in architecture and volunteering as a befriender, supporting people with both practical and emotional needs. There were often situations where practical support alone was not enough, particularly when someone was facing significant emotional or mental health challenges. One experience with a bereaved beneficiary stayed with me and made me reflect on how I might have supported her differently if I had a psychotherapeutic knowledge and skills. That was when I first started considering art therapy as a second career.
“It is the privilege of journeying alongside my clients for a part of their path, and witnessing moments of change, insight and resilience."
What is the greatest joy of being an art therapist?
Sometimes these moments are subtle. It could be client seeing something from a different perspective, finding words for an experience, or recognising a strength they had overlooked. I find it deeply meaningful to be trusted to accompany someone through these moments.
How did you find out about The Red Pencil (Singapore)?
I first came across The Red Pencil (Singapore) when I was looking for a scholarship to pursue my Master of Arts in Art Therapy. I was fortunate enough to receive The Red Pencil (Singapore) Scholarship during my studies. Upon graduation, I joined The Red Pencil (Singapore) as a staff member and art therapist. I have since moved on from The Red Pencil (Singapore), having experienced the organisation in different capacities: as a scholar, staff member and therapist.
Can you share with us more about the greatest moment or most unforgettable experience you have had thus far working with The Red Pencil (Singapore)?
One of my most unforgettable experiences was witnessing a client revisit an artwork she had created earlier in her therapeutic journey. What has once felt overwhelming could now be viewed with greater calm and clarity. She was able to recognise her own needs and boundaries while holding space for the perspectives of those around her.
Towards the end of therapy, she also revisited her hopes for the future and was able to expand and concretise a vision of the life she wanted for herself. She gave herself permission to honour her own narrative without being held back by guilt, shame, or a sense of responsibility for others.
For me, this captured the power of art therapy: an artwork can hold difficult experiences when words are not enough, and, over time, become a space where we can see ourselves, our possibilities, and our growth differently.
What are some of the challenges you have experienced as an art therapist, and what do you think are some common misconceptions about art therapy?
One of the challenges I have experienced is managing expectations around how quickly change should happen. In my practice, I pace the work alongside my client’s needs and readiness. For me, therapy is not always about finding a quick fix, but about developing the ability to sit with difficult experiences and stay curious.
Another common misconception is that art therapy is only for someone who is struggling with mental health challenged, or that one needs to be more artistic or interested in art to benefit from it. You don’t. Art therapy can be accessible to anyone, at different stages of life and through different challenges.
Do you have any advice for budding art therapists out there who want to start this profession?
I’m not sure I have much advice to give, but I can share something I have come to realise through my own journey.
When I started my training as an art therapist, I thought I wanted to become a better person for the people around me, by serving and supporting others better. By the time I graduated, I realised I was, in many ways, learning how to become better at being myself.
The more I practise, the more I appreciate that becoming an art therapist is also an ongoing journey of knowing ourselves: our assumptions, strengths, vulnerabilities, and ways of relating to others.
Stay curious, stay humble, and leave room for healthy self-doubt.Â
“Under the role of the therapist, we are all simply human beings"
From your experience, how do you think art therapy impacted the lives of your clients?
I think art therapy can offer clients another lens through which to understand themselves and their experiences.
Through the creative process and therapeutic relationship, they may discover new perspectives, recognise strengths and become more aware of their feelings, needs and choices. Ultimately, I hope it helps clients become more connected with their own voices and their capacity to make meaningful choices in their lives.
How does being an art therapist affect your life?
I’ve come to realise that being an art therapist has shaped much more than my profession. It has influenced how I relate to myself and how I connect with others.
I’m continuously inspired by my clients’ resilience and strength in each encounter we have. Practising self-compassion is perhaps one of the most important lessons I have learnt from being an art therapist. I have learnt to hold myself with the same curiosity, patience and kindness that I hope to support my clients to develop for themselves.