Art Therapy - Redefining Art to Heal

“Sheena, what happened? You don't seem to be fine these days. Are you okay?”

“Ritu, I have been dealing with a toxic work environment. I have been under extreme stress from last one month.”

“Sheena, have you considered talking to an art therapist? I am sure they have a solution for you.”

Art Therapy! What is it?” 

Work stress, family problems, personal issues, in these times we go through tremendous emotions causing  a mental strain. And this is why it is important to take care of your mental health.

What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is a creative therapy process used by professionals that combines psychological vision and human experience together to treat mental emotional and psychosocial problems through art. According to American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is an approach to mental health that uses the process of creating art to improve mental, emotional and physical health. 

Benefits of Art Therapy

With art therapy being considered one of the greatest methods of healing mental and psychological problems, it provides benefits: 

• Social & Behavioral Disorders

• Brain injury

• Depression

• Eating disorders

• Emotional disorder

• Relationship problems

• Psychosocial issues

• PTSD

Types of Art Therapies

Art therapy is characterized in two different forms:

• Performing Arts

In this art therapy, art therapists use performing arts such as dance, music and spoken poetry

• Visual Arts

In this art therapy, art therapists use visual arts such as drawing, painting, calligraphy

How Does it Work?

Art therapists are trained to understand the color, texture and various art mediums to identify the person’s thoughts and feelings to begin with the therapy. Once they identify person’s thought process, they start working with different artistic mediums to help explore the person's inner thoughts and conflicts. This can be done using any of the therapy forms: performing arts or visual arts. 

Who Should Consider Art therapy?

Anyone who is suffering from anxiety, stress, tension , depression or mental illness on a short term or long term basis should consider art therapy. Individuals, couples, seniors, children, adults --- anyone can take art therapy depending on their psychological conflicts.

What does an art therapist do?

Art therapists are highly trained professionals with a Master’s degree in both psychology and art.  They are professionals unlike artists holding expertise in understanding human behaviour and treating it with the use of art. 

Where can you Find Art Therapists?

Art therapists work with different sets of people which includes individuals, families and couples of all ages and all sexes. They are usually found in places: 

• Schools

• Hospitals

• Crisis Centers

• Senior Communities

• Veteran Clinic

• Rehabilitation Center

• Forensic Institutions

Do you need to be talented to take art therapy?

Unlike professional artists, art therapy doesn't require patients to be talented. Since the sole art therapy is to help you heal from mental and emotional problems, the therapy immerses you in the creative process slowly. The aim of art therapy is to understand and analyse the person’s behaviour and thoughts before undertaking the therapy, while the therapy continues and after the process of therapy. For this entire process to happen, the only thing one requires is hear and follow their therapist.

Misconceptions

Art therapy is often confused with art classes and art workshops. Art therapy is conducted by professional art therapists and psychologists, while art class is conducted by professional artists. The concepts and techniques to heal mental problems in both are different. The art class focuses on teaching and learning the techniques to create art, but the art therapy focuses on helping you immerse in the creative process and deal with the problems.

What to Look For When Seeking Art Therapy?

An art therapist professional should have a master’s degree in counselling or psychology with an additional course of art therapy. You can expect a 30 to 60 minutes weekly session along with the varying period the therapy lasts for.

Art therapy is founded on the basis that it is a form of self expression and people in the past have used to treat art themselves. Although art therapy is an effective healing process, it is still undervalued and is not widely implemented.