What is Art Therapy?
A common question that I get from clients, family, friends, and pretty much anyone I talk to is: “So what is Art Therapy exactly?” Oftentimes I edit my answer to fit the social situation, but for today, I feel it is necessary to give a more holistic answer.
The American Art Therapy Association has a detailed description on their website that explains the following:
Art Therapy is an integrative mental health profession that utilizes the creative process, applied psychological theory, and the sharing of human experiences to help clients live a healthier, more connected life-style.
Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.
Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience, and empowers transformation.
TLDR: In the simplest of terms, Art Therapy utilizes the art-making process to explore feelings and events both visually and energetically. This can foster a deeper understanding that goes beyond verbal communication. The goal of Art Therapy, just like other therapeutic modalities, is to entice curiosity, promote awareness, and build skills that aid in optimal functioning.
The way I like to explain it to clients is this:
If talk therapy is cake, then art therapy is the icing on top. While it is possible to do healing without artistic expression, it certainly helps the lessons go down easier! Using visual media as a means of communication can be greatly beneficial to having difficult conversations about past/present traumas. Creating an art piece can help externalize feelings, visually represent self, solidify goals, and otherwise share commentary about the human experience.
