Art therapy is a therapeutic technique that exists for more than 100 years, and it relies on the idea that creative expression can help people heal and improve their mental well-being. At first glance, art and psychotherapy seem like they don’t have anything in common. However, it turns out that art therapy is an effective and widely used tool in mental health treatment. Art, as an expressive medium, can be used to relieve stress, help patients open up, communicate and explore different aspects of their personalities. The use of artistic methods to treat psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and similar, and to enhance mental well-being, is known as art therapy.
What is Art Therapy?
The American Art Therapy Association describes this particular form of therapy as using the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of adults and children. Art therapy is suitable for individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that creative processes such as the ones involved in artistic self-expression can help people resolve conflicts and deal with their problems. Creating art and communicating with others through it can help manage behavior, reduce stress, and increase self-esteem and self-appreciation. It also helps with developing interpersonal skills and achieving insight.
When Did Art Therapy Originate?
Although people used art to express communicate and heal since the prehistoric era, art therapy is relatively young because it formalized during the middle of the 20th-century. Everything started when the doctors noticed that individuals suffering from mental illness often needed to express themselves in drawings and other artistic media, which lead researchers to explore the use of art as a healing strategy. Since that moment, art has officially become an essential part of the therapeutic field. Nowadays, it is widely used in some assessment and treatment techniques.
When is Art Therapy Used?
This form of therapy is used to treat some mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and similar. It is typically used to address and relieve psychological distress. In most cases, art therapy activities are used in conjunction with other psychotherapy techniques. Apart from adults experiencing severe stress, creating art is also considered beneficial to children with learning disabilities, kids suffering from behavioral or social problems at school or at home. Art therapy is very successful when it is used to overcome emotional trauma and feelings such as grief, sadness, and anger.
How Does Art Therapy Work?
An art therapist uses a variety of artistic mediums that allow patients to express. Depending on the patient’s preferences, he or she could opt for drawing, painting, sculpting, sketching, knitting, photographing, making a collage and similar. Patients who have experienced severe emotional trauma caused by physical violence and domestic abuse are encouraged to engage in activities such as sand drawing or drawing a “safe place.” Individuals with psychological issues such as anxiety and depression are encouraged to color their feelings, or engage in an activity called “What Feelings are in My Heart?” This activity involved drawing a heart and filling it with different things that you feel. It could either be filled with words, colors, symbols or anything the patient feels like adding.
The focus of a session is not on creating a great piece of art, but focusing is on your inner experience, especially your feelings, perceptions, and imagination. During therapy, you are encouraged to visualize your inner world of images, feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Nowadays, many hospitals, schools, and community organizations have settings where art therapy services may be available. However, art therapy can also be done from the comfort of your home. All you need to do in order to heal yourself with art is to choose your medium and unleash your feelings and emotions free until the piece of paper you are drawing on takes it in. Once you look at your work and confront your emotions, you should feel much better and liberated.
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