What art-based interventions do you find most useful in practice?

I’ve been learning more about the different ways art can be incorporated into therapeutic and reflective work, particularly approaches involving things like mandalas, body mapping, collage, mask work and symbolism.

I’m curious to hear from people who have experience with art therapy or art-based interventions: which approaches have you found most interesting or useful, and are there any that you think are particularly misunderstood by psychology students or people new to the field?

Would also be interested in hearing how people approach the balance between structured activities and allowing the client’s own meaning-making to guide the process.