Art therapy is one of many tools used in the therapeutic process for healing. Using simple art materials, the client creates spontaneous artwork in a non-judgmental environment, expressing repressed or subconscious feelings and thoughts. Once these feelings and thoughts come to light, the therapist and client can verbally explore their meanings. As they say, 'A picture is worth a thousand words.'
Who can benefit from art therapy?
Therapists often have children use art therapy to express scary feelings and traumatic events that they have experienced but haven't yet been able to verbalize. This artwork helps them to tell their story and is then used for assessment purposes to aid in diagnosis and treatment plans.
Art therapy also helps adults to visually express traumatic events such as physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, violence attributed to war, rape and traumatic accidents, helping them to tell their story. It's also helpful in dealing with stress, medical ailments and chronic pain. As well, art therapy can be used for purposes of self-exploration, a voyage of self-discovery, helping clients to connect with with themselves, and offers insights about how they relate with others.
Do I have to be 'artistic' to use art therapy?
The answer is a resounding NO! It's not about product, it's all about process. It may seem a little intimidating at first, and maybe your inner critic is screaming when just thinking about the blank page. But give that old inner critic a gentle shove-off, and wade into the rewarding waters of therapeutic artmaking!