When we hear "art therapy," the first thought that often comes to mind is that it's just a playful activity for children. However, in reality, it is an effective psychotherapeutic practice for both children and adults. The uniqueness of art therapy lies in its unconventional approach to addressing an individual's mental state through the creation of art. This is the core of the approach, but equally important is the need for a qualified specialist—an art therapist—who can properly organize the therapeutic process.
What is Art Therapy? Art therapy is a technique that promotes psychological well-being through creative self-expression.
Since ancient times, people have turned to various forms of art to communicate, express their identity, and heal themselves. It wasn't until 1940 that art therapy became an official strategy for treating mental health disorders.
Today, there is often a misunderstanding and misuse of the term.
Art therapy is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a painting workshop conducted by someone without specialized training, or as an activity like coloring that supposedly relieves stress. While such activities can indeed be a wonderful form of relaxation and help improve one’s mood in the short term, they are not a substitute for the deeper work required in psychotherapy.
For those dealing with more profound psychological issues, true therapeutic work can only be effectively addressed through art therapy with a qualified art therapist.
What are the Positive Effects of Art Therapy?
Art therapy is not just about drawing a picture or molding a piece of clay; it's a deep process of focusing on your feelings and imagination. You don’t need any special artistic skills to engage in art therapy—just trust your instincts.
The goal of this approach is to express your inner world, which you then analyze together with the art therapist to gain insights.
This creative activity, coupled with professional reflection, yields significant benefits, such as:
- Exploring and learning to manage your emotions
- Reducing psychological tension
- Boosting self-esteem and improving the quality of life
- Enhancing social skills
- Combating pathological perfectionism
- Developing the ability to concentrate and see tasks through to completion
Art therapy is often used in combination with other psychotherapy methods, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to achieve better results. We recommend discussing the choice of complementary approaches with your psychologist.
Types of Art Therapy
The most common form of art therapy is drawing. Most clients are familiar with this process, so they usually feel confident picking up pens, pencils, markers, and starting to create on paper. Other forms of art therapy include:
Sculpture
The advantage of working with clay or using papier-mâché is that you create three-dimensional objects, which can be interpreted from different perspectives due to their spatial appearance.
Collage
A simple art therapy method that involves creating art using pre-existing elements from magazines, newspapers, etc. This type is often suitable for patients who find it challenging to start a task from scratch.
Dance
Movement therapy is primarily used with children to help them release emotions, express their feelings through dance, and lift their spirits.
Writing
Writing is an excellent way for patients to structure their thoughts and feelings by composing texts, phrases, or words.
Music
Listening to music, while not a visual method, helps calm the individual, evoke specific emotions, fantasies, and facilitate openness during the session.
Digital Resources
Using technology allows for the creation of more complex artistic projects through software: drawing, photo editing, video production, and more.
What Techniques Are Used in Art Therapy?
Each art therapist may use different exercises to work with a patient. For example, they might give the task of drawing with a limited number of materials or depict something specific in the patient's interpretation. Another technique involves drawing doodles during each session and analyzing how they change over time and what they might mean.
There are also passive exercises, where you study the art created by others: listening to specific music, examining paintings and sculptures, or analyzing photographs.
When using any form of art therapy, it's important to remember that you're not expected to be professional or perfect. In art therapy, creating "correctly" means creating according to how you feel. This approach ensures that the results of working with an art therapist will be successful!
How Does an Art Therapy Session Work?
Art therapy is one of the most flexible approaches in terms of session structure and treatment planning. The sessions are not typical, as the primary activity revolves around the creative process. However, in most cases, an art therapy session generally follows this format:
- Initial Session. If it's your first session, you'll meet the therapist and discuss your needs, motivations, and goals for therapy, allowing the therapist to develop a personalized treatment plan.
- Choosing the Medium. If the therapist specializes in various types of art therapy, they may offer you the option to choose the type of art form you'd like to work with.
- Creative Process. The majority of sessions will focus on the process of creating art, accompanied by a parallel discussion of your feelings, experiences, and thoughts.
- Closing Discussion. The session concludes with a discussion of the work's results, the therapist’s observations, and your psychological and emotional reactions.
Who Can Benefit from Art Therapy?
Art therapy is widely used in the treatment of various conditions and is well-suited for children, adults, and the elderly alike. In general, creative therapy is effective in addressing a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, emotional trauma, PTSD, and even easing the condition of cancer patients. However, art therapy may not be effective for certain conditions, such as schizophrenia.
Art Therapy for Children
Children respond exceptionally well to art therapy. Truly successful results can be expected for those who:
- Suffer from hyperactivity;
- Have developmental delays;
- Have experienced a traumatic event;
- Struggle with socialization;
- Find it difficult to unlock their creative potential;
- Experience anxiety or insecurity;
- Exhibit behavioral problems, and more.
Art Therapy for the Elderly
The challenges associated with aging often have a negative impact on the mental and emotional well-being of older adults. In such cases, art therapy can help:
- Stimulate cognitive processes;
- Improve memory and attention;
- Alleviate physical discomforts from chronic illnesses;
- Reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, especially during group sessions;
- Express emotions, particularly for those with limited verbal abilities;
- Discover new hobbies;
- Provide quality relaxation and leisure time.
The creative process of therapy often enables individuals to better understand and express their emotions more easily than in everyday life. By visualizing internal experiences through art therapy, you pave the way for positive changes in your external world.
