Healing wounded souls, one paint stroke at a time.

Where Art Becomes a Path to Healing.

Creative experiences designed to encourage self-expression, reflection, connection, and emotional wellness.

Art gives us another language.

JB Empire Arts brings creative expression, imagination, and visualization together to create meaningful wellness experiences for individuals, families, and communities.

Mission

Art healing combines creativity and psychology to improve wellbeing. Through art-making, people can address mental health challenges, strengthen relationships, and find emotional healing. As an art healer, I help individuals and communities heal through a unique blend of artistic expression and psychological techniques, using imagination and visualization for transformative experiences.

Vision

My vision as an art healer is to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities by creating art and applying psychological theory, with a very unique approach to mental and emotional healing. Using imagination and visualization techniques is implemented for a life-changing experience.

Who this is for

Jay’s focus is on youth from 13 to 25. 12.6 million people between the ages of 18 and 25 experienced a mental, behavioral, or emotional health issue in the past year of 2023. This amounts to 1 in 3 young adults, a percentage that is higher than any other adult age range.

Meet Jay Boyer

Founder & CEO
Behavioral Health Tech
Artist
Documentary filmmaker
Creative facilitator

Jay Boyer is a Behavioral Health Tech, artist, and the owner of My Empire JB ART’s LLC. The curriculum Jay created uses art as a powerful tool to help people deal with everyday life challenges, trauma, and substance abuse. The skills developed from the workshops empower people to live a more fulfilling, healthy, and harmonious life.

Jay’s background consists of seven years as an artist, documentary filmmaker, and co-host of countless poetry, musical, and art events. Jay also hosted her first exhibit in early 2018 called The Love Experience. Through creative art techniques, Jay’s workshop and curriculum are unique in that she teaches her clients how to heal and rebuild their lives. In Jay’s work, she focuses on helping others heal and have a better quality of life through art healing.

Art Healing

Art healing is a mental health and human services profession that integrates art-making and creative processes to enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Artistic and creative outlets contribute positively to people’s well-being.

We provide creative and mindful experiences for individuals and groups to participate in the transformative power of the healing arts. Our collective seeks to provide and make creative art healing services more accessible in our community.

Art healing sessions provide guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments. Artistic media or related equipment is selected or prepared to accomplish therapy session objectives. Jay utilizes art as a means to treat a variety of emotional issues and to provide a sense of wellness and healing.

Connect

Jay shares a bit about her backstory and invites you to share about yourself as much as you’re comfortable with.

Explore

Visual prompts help guide you through the creative process, and Jay asks questions to assess where you are and the best strategy to help you.

Create

Jay creates a visibly pleasing environment, with soft music and aromatherapy, and comes by to check in as you create your masterpiece.

Reflect

Jay asks questions to better understand how she can help in the future. Further sessions include deeper dives into emotional and mental issues, with passion and empathy.

Art of Mind & Analysis Prescription

What is that? An arts prescription is a program that allows healthcare providers to prescribe arts and culture experiences to patients and clients to help with their health and well-being.

Assessment

With years of lived and learned experience, Jay can assess the client’s needs with a brief series of questions, similar to how a doctor would assess their patient.

Creative Strategy

These questions allow Jay to assess where the clients are mentally and emotionally and what creative strategy would be best for them. With a unique approach to mental and emotional healing, imagination and visualization techniques are implemented for a life-changing experience.

Guided Expression

Using expressive art as a basis to promote healing and self-discovery, Jay gently guides clients through the healing process and an aesthetically pleasing environment.

Reflection

Expressive forms reveal how aspects of basic feelings and emotions can become bottled up over time from trauma, abuse, or mental health challenges, and expressive arts allow clients a safe, non-intrusive, or non-invasive way to express themselves freely and promote deep, inner healing confidence and an overall better quality of life.

What to expect from an Art Healing Group Class with Jay

Jay will create an environment where the ambiance is visibly pleasing. Soft music can relax and calm you, and aromatherapy can lift your mood and make you feel comfortable with just a whiff of the fragrance. Jay will then share a bit about her backstory and invite you to share about yourself as much as you’re comfortable with. Jay provides visual prompts to help guide you through the creative process, and will come by and check in with you as you create your masterpiece. She asks questions to better understand how she can help and assist you in the future.

What to expect from a 1-on-1 Art Healing Session with Jay

Jay will gently guide you through the intake process, during which she will ask you questions to assess where you are and the best strategy she can use to help you. Further sessions would include deeper dives into emotional and mental issues, with passion and empathy, to promote trust-building and meaningful, sustainable, healthy relationships.

CultureRx

Your prescription for a healthier mind.

The growing understanding of the social factors that affect health has led to the development of “arts on prescription” programs. These programs allow doctors to prescribe visits to art studios, museums, theaters, parks, and zoos. One example of an arts-on-prescription program is CultureRx, which was launched in Massachusetts in 2020.

In the Media

See Jay in interviews and articles around the web.

4th Annual North San Diego County Black Festival, Sunday, June 29, 2025

Live canvas painting performance, promoting healing through the arts

Mindfulness Art Workshop, May 20, 2025

Emotional Healing Art, June 29, 2025

Black Paint, an immersive performance art and multimedia showcase, Oceanside, CA

Jay’s Launch Party, February 15, 2025

Experience & Credentials

It has been my privilege to become an Art Healing professional with seven years of experience in mental health care. As an experienced mental health professional, I can work in several settings, including hospitals, wellness centers, schools, and private practices.

I’m proficient in a variety of art mediums, I also have a deep understanding of human behavior, mental health, and psychological theories. I can provide therapeutic techniques through creative art. I have excellent communication and listening skills and I’m able to adapt my communication style to suit different audiences. I’m very empathetic and able to display a deep amount of compassion and empathy. I can relate to diverse populations. I’m able to relate to people from all backgrounds.

I have trained for over 100 hours. This includes training in the creative process, psychological development, group therapy, one-on-one sessions, art healing, Suicide talk, Safe talk, Ethics and boundaries assessment, and multicultural competency development. My certifications include the following:

Certifications

We are proud to be certified by the following organizations.

safeTALK

Ethics & Boundaries Training

State of Arizona Peer Support Specialist

Cultural Competency 101: Embracing Diversity

State of Arizona Forensic Peer Support Specialist

Cultural Competency 200: LGBTQIA

Testimonials

Let our services speak for themselves.

Jay has transformed profound loss into healing through art. Her journey is a testament to resilience, inspiring others to find strength and purpose in their own struggles. She has turned her test into her testimony and is truly a gift to the community.

Ashanti Hands

President of Mesa College

I saw Jay perform her poetry at San Diego Mesa College’s Annual Festival of Colors event! All I can say is her spoken word/poetry is POWERFUL, PROVOCATIVE, and PURPOSEFUL! Jay exudes a genuine spirit of healing, and when you see her, you will know she is art in motion! I recommend her highly!

Dr. Judy Sundayo

Mesa College Professor and Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Jay Boyer is an exemplary model of resilience and inspiration. Her determination to persist and excel despite her lived experiences is evident in all she does, such as how she nurtures relationships and the proactive steps she takes to succeed in her academics. Her unwavering strength in the face of challenges and positive, outgoing personality are a testament to her character.

Marlene Garcia

Colleague

My experience with Jay’s art healing class was truly life-changing and transformative. I attended an art healing group with Jay and learned a lot about myself. This was an amazing group because the way Art we used to help me understand my emotions. I’m so glad I attended this group. As a facilitator Jay was fantastic and through the creative process of art I was able to express myself, resolve conflicts and improve my emotional well-being. I highly recommend her to anyone considering an art healing group.

Olan Cazad

Art Student

Jay Boyer is a living testament to the alchemy of the human spirit, transforming pain into a radiant mosaic of beauty and light. Her life, shaped by hardship, blooms with the kind of joy that feels almost miraculous—a joy so pure and expressive it spills into every corner of her world, touching everyone she meets. Like a song born from silence or a sunrise after a storm, Jay’s presence is both a healing balm and an unspoken invitation to embrace the wonder of resilience. She doesn’t just carry joy; she exudes it, weaving it into the hearts of those lucky enough to know her.

Angel S.

Musician and Artist

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Benefit From Art Therapy?

Art therapy is accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or artistic skill, according to Mueller and Davenport. It’s a misconception that it’s only for creatives or children. Research shows art therapy helps with emotion regulation, which can reduce anxiety and is particularly beneficial for those with depression, anxiety, or PTSD. People with PTSD who engage in art therapy often experience less intrusive thoughts and feel more confident about the future. Art therapy is also useful for people with cancer, helping reduce anxiety, depression, and even physical pain by shifting focus to creativity. Additionally, it aids young children in expressing complex emotions, building self-confidence, and fostering hope.

What Are Types of Art Therapy?

Art therapy is tailored to individual needs and can take various forms, falling under two main categories, according to Mueller: art as therapy, where self-expression itself is therapeutic, and art with psychotherapy, where art complements traditional therapy methods. Common art therapy modalities include:

Painting, Drawing, or Coloring: Clients use different materials to express emotions based on prompts from the therapist.
Collage: Clients create collages from magazine images, textured papers, and other materials to reflect their emotions or life experiences.
Photography: Clients take photos to represent their emotions or experiences, sparking discussions around those images.
Sculpting with Clay: This modality is used in various settings, such as people with dementia creating art to represent their experiences.

How Effective Is Art Therapy?

Although there isn’t extensive data comparing art therapy to other forms of therapy due to its individualized nature, Davenport notes growing evidence supporting its benefits. Research shows art therapy can lower cortisol levels, reducing stress and anxiety. It’s also effective for trauma survivors, including children who have been sexually abused and individuals with combat-related PTSD, as well as those dealing with depression or anxiety. To gain the full benefits, it’s essential to work with a credible art therapist. If art therapy doesn’t resonate, other expressive therapies, like writing, dance, or music therapy, can also help individuals process emotions and reduce anxiety, depression, or physical pain through creative expression.

How Is Art Therapy Used?

Art therapy is often combined with other therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), according to Davenport. Some sessions focus on art creation, while others do not. Davenport explains that memories and trauma are stored in a different part of the brain than verbal language, which is why art therapy, combined with talk therapy, can be more beneficial for trauma survivors. Art therapy allows individuals who struggle with verbal expression, like children, to communicate through art. It’s also used in elderly populations to promote healthy aging by engaging the brain through creative problem-solving, such as selecting colors and compositional elements.