Photo by Daian Gan
Art has always been recognized as an effective and powerful method for self-expression and communication. All art is communication regardless of whether it is by classic masters in the Sistine Chapel or the goofy memes of Pikachu. However, this concept overlooks an equally positive impact that art has: as a tool for therapy.
Healing Through Active Creativity!
Art as therapy is something that is relatively new in the public perception. But to keep it simple, it’s basically using creative activities to help patients explore and address their inner selves. Painting, drawing, sculpting and whatever else provides a very personal space for individuals to really connect with themselves in a manner that’s conducive to them and doesn’t require them to verbally relive bad memories or traumatic events.
The Benefits of Art as Therapy
As was said above, art therapy helps individuals express their emotions beyond the limitations of language. This also helps them de-stress, and this aids healing. The work of creation is something that helps everyone, from master artists to novices, to focus and disconnect from the worries of the world.
Photo by Dan Cristian Pădureț
Doing art therapy is also extremely beneficial to boosting one’s self esteem. By offering people an opportunity to actually explore their creative impulses, people find themselves in a more stable and expressive space. There’s a great sense of accomplishment to finishing an artwork, even if it’s not as good as you thought it would be. There’s nothing ever wrong with putting yourself out into the world.
Doing art therapy is also extremely beneficial to boosting one’s self esteem. By offering people an opportunity to actually explore their creative impulses, people find themselves in a more stable and expressive space. There’s a great sense of accomplishment to finishing an artwork, even if it’s not as good as you thought it would be. There’s nothing ever wrong with putting yourself out into the world.
Art therapy is also really helpful in trying to understand one’s experiences. This makes it effective in helping to deal with trauma. The creative process that takes a hold of individuals during the making of art aids not only in processing their imagination, but the emotions they have circling in their mind. It’s also a very productive coping mechanism.
To expound on the earlier claim of art as communication, it can easily be observed that art allows people to show a side of themselves that they can’t normally do in speech, or in ways that they may find difficult to engage in. Art is a pivotal tool in this regard because there is no set language in art, no decorum to follow and no etiquette to be wary of.
Through the work of making art, people acquire insights into themselves, of the world around them and the people in it.
Examples of Art as Therapy
Art is almost infinite in its forms. But because of the sheer impossibility of pointing out all of the examples, there’ll only be a handful here.
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs
- Drawing and painting allow people to express themselves in many visually pleasing ways. There are a lot of art styles to choose from, and you can even try and make your own! From color to form to composition, any attempt at meaning can be conveyed through drawing and painting.
- Working with physical forms can be a great approach at exploring both the mind and the body. Sculpting is a very tactile art form, which allows individuals to really focus on how best to apply strength and pressure. This is a really immersive method of active meditation that can help one find their bearings.
- The art of collage-making is a wonderful tool. Like the mind, making a collage is essentially taking a pile–or a collection–of disparate objects and making them cohere into something meaningful and worthwhile. It helps people learn how to declutter and organize their mind into something that’s presentable and appealing for them.
- Music is therapy in and of itself, but it is also helpful to play music while painting and creating to help relieve stress or enhance a mood.
Conclusions of Art as Therapy
Art therapy is a uniquely effective approach to dealing with troubles of the mind. By giving individuals an outlet to direct their anxieties and mental hang-ups into something that’s more productive, it offers people a way to grow and move beyond their trauma.
The Art Of The Inner Journey: Symbol as Healing Agent is a Margaret Carpenter Arnett art therapy book. Click on the link to learn more about it.
