Engage Your Mind, Body, and Spirit with Art Therapy
What is Art Therapy? How Does it Work?
The “American Art Therapy Association” defines art therapy as an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship. Art therapy allows people to express how they are feeling through a variety of mediums.
A person may in engage in these activities during an art therapy session:
Painting
Drawing
Finger painting
Working with clay
Carving
Sculpting
Doodling and scribbling
Making collages
Dancing
Singing
Writing music
Writing poems
While a therapist may guide a person through these activities in an art therapy session, the unfiltered response of the individual is the goal. The individual and the art therapist then discuss the artwork together. They will explore what objects, people, and images do and do not appear in it.
Who Should Participate in Art Therapy?
First off, you do not need to be artistic to gain the benefits of art therapy. People of all ages including children, teens, and adults can engage in it. One common misconception about art therapy is that the sessions are like an art class, which is not true. An art class is focused on teaching technique or creating a specific finished product, while art therapy is more about letting clients focus on their inner experience.
Typically, art therapy is conducted in settings such as inpatient offices, private mental health offices, schools, and community organizations. However, other places like art studios, colleges and universities, group homes, homeless shelters, hospitals, or correctional facilities can also provide art therapy. It is important to be aware that just like any other form of therapy, it may not work for certain individuals. Many adults who believe they are not creative or artistic are skeptical of the process which limits the possible benefits. Go into your session with an open mind and you’ll be much more likely to experience a great fit!
Art therapy can specifically address the needs of:
people who experienced trauma
individuals with significant health challenges
people with certain conditions such as:
Depression
Autism
Dementia
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Substance use disorders
Stress
PTSD
Aging and geriatric issues
Cancer
Heart disease
Family or relationship issues
How is it Useful?
Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are not possible from verbal communication. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience, and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation. Studies have shown that creative activity can reduce your stress and have a positive effect on your mental health, regardless of artistic experience or talent. The opportunity for people to express themselves creatively is not seen in other therapies as it is in art therapy.
Art therapy provides individuals facing physical, emotional, and cognitive challenges with new pathways toward understanding and self-expression. Therapists in this form of therapy aim to improve cognitive and motor function and improve self-esteem and self-awareness throughout sessions. It can also be used to cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change. For many people who find other forms of therapies ineffective or not useful, art therapy seems to change this for them. The goal of art therapy is to take advantage of the creative process and help people explore self-expression while finding new ways to gain personal insight and develop new coping skills.