Art is a visual expression of human imagination “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time,” says Thomas Merton. Therefore, art, when used as a means to improve the physical and psychological wellbeing of a person, turns into a therapy session and that’s precisely called Art Therapy.
Making art is not only a creative proves that is based on expressing one’s artistic self, but it can also be harnessed into a therapy mode that can assist people in figuring out their dilemmas and personal problems. It can be used to relieve stress, increase awareness, and boost self-esteem, and the best part is that one does not have to be some hardcore professional to actually receive the benefits. It only takes a professional art therapist that enables you to dig deeper into the underlying messages and cues that can help in the healing process.
You can learn about different types of therapy from BetterHelp.
Who Can Use Art Therapy?
Art therapy can be availed by anyone. There are no age restrictions and the world we currently live in is full of examples and instances to express one’s self, and just like any other methods of communication, art therapy is yet another. Although the conventional methods of therapy and communication involve explicit interactions, art therapies are somewhat deliberate and involve silent conduct. In other words, art therapy is implicit to its very core. Art therapy allows the user to express his emotions through any kind of art form which may include photographing, drawings, and making sculptures and paintings.
What Does an Art Therapist Do?
An art therapist must be familiar with the traditional therapeutic treatment and should possess sound knowledge about arts and the human psyche. They are trained to understand implicit cues and metaphors which are typically demonstrated via arts and the creative procedures involved. They make people understand the concepts that might be hard when tried to express with normal words. It implies that where the traditional talking and making conversation therapy ends, art therapy starts which allows the user to see the bigger picture and make e emotional discoveries.
What are the benefits of Art Therapy?
Art therapy just like all other therapies is meant to restore and rehabilitate struggling human beings who are entangled between their emotions and are unable to find appropriate words for expressing their individual griefs. If a person wants to improve his mental well-being without the need of expressing himself via standard conversations and chat session, he can just create a piece of art to tell its therapist about his feelings. Similarly, if the painting and sculpture stuff bores you, then you can always opt for dancing, music and other forms. You see, that art therapy is diverse and the existence of multiple choices to select with, makes this mode of therapy highly effective and unique. If you do not have a serious psychological problem, and you want to blow off some steam, art form can be the best thing for you and your creative needs. But remember, be bold and be expressive always!
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References:
Rubin JA, editor. Approaches to art therapy: Theory and technique. Routledge; 2016 Feb 12.
Kapitan L. Introduction to art therapy research. Routledge; 2017 Aug 15.
Moon BL. Introduction to art therapy: Faith in the product. Charles C Thomas Publisher; 2016 Dec 2.
Gussak D, Rosal ML, editors. The Wiley handbook of art therapy. Wiley Blackwell; 2016 Jan 19.
The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional.
