For many people, especially creative types who experience depression and anxiety, art can be a therapeutic, cathartic experience. It offers an outlet to express their feelings and process their experiences in a safe space. Some of the best art has been born as a sort of healing process for the artist.
For the same reasons, many psychologists work art and creative exercises into their services through art therapy. Art therapy can be used with adolescents or adults and is sometimes used to help patients express something that they might struggle to share verbally. But how does art therapy work? Let’s discuss this in today’s blog.
What Is Art Therapy?
The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.”1 It began in 1940, although the practice of using art as catharsis has existed for much longer.
In art therapy, the therapist provides the patient with the artistic mediums — such as a pencil and sketchbook, an easel and paints, an adult coloring book, etc. Art therapy is usually done through visual art, although music interventions are also commonly used in therapy (referred to as music therapy). In early sessions, the patient may be given free reign to create whatever they like. This can help patients to become more comfortable with the art and with the therapist. As time goes on, the therapist will ask questions and give prompts to help guide patients through their artistic expression. They may discuss the piece of artwork after it’s finished and process any emotions that came up while creating it.
Art Therapy For Children
Art is an important part of social and emotional learning for children. Young children especially may struggle to put words to their feelings, but they may have an easier time drawing or coloring. Art therapy can be used to help children express their emotions in a way that makes sense to them. It can be used as a way of processing trauma for young children. For older adolescents, it may give them a creative outlet for their feelings.
In juvenile art therapy, therapists may use a bit more hands-on guidance, giving the patients suggestions of what they could draw. The child still has the ultimate creative freedom to express that however they would like.
Art Therapy For Adults
Art therapy for adults is a bit more self-directed, with the therapist there to guide you through discussions of the artwork as well as offering loose prompts to work with. Many adults who seek out art therapy are already artists themselves, whether professionally or by hobby; however, it is not uncommon for patients who are not experienced artists to benefit from art therapy. They go into more in-depth discussions about their process and the feelings that they were experiencing while creating a certain piece of artwork.
In both adult and juvenile art therapy, the therapist may suggest “homework” or artistic projects that the patient can take on at home so that they can work art therapy into their daily life.
The Science Behind Art Therapy
Whether it’s used in therapy or otherwise, art is a common method of self-expression. When it comes to therapy, psychologists have found a number of scientific benefits that art has to offer. These include:
Reduces Stress
Keeps You in the Present Moment
When you create art, you eventually fall into a “flow state.” Many artists refer to it as “getting into the groove.” When this happens, all of your other thoughts or worries fade into the background, allowing you to focus on the present moment.
And the more you look at art, the more observant you become of the beauty in the world around you. In 2017, the Perlman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published a study that was in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art.3 The subjects of the study, medical students, were required to take six art observation classes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The results of the study showed that those who took the class were more observant in their medical studies. They believed from this study that studying art might make for more observant clinicians.
Increases Hope For the Future
For those struggling with mental illness, it can be difficult to feel hope for the future. Art can help to increase those feelings of hope when thinking about the future. The human brain draws on past experiences to interpret what the future will look like and what they will need to do in order to survive. When you have a series of negative experiences in a row, you’ll naturally feel less hopeful about the future.
With art, you can use that system to your advantage. Make creative decisions, interpret images, and your brain will factor that into its feelings towards the future. This may be one of the reasons why studies have shown that creative activities increase feelings of joy and hope.4
You don’t have to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. Interested in getting started? Our skilled and compassionate clinicians at Rivia Mind may be able to help. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an appointment with a provider.
Resources:
- 2017 Definition of Profession – American Art Therapy Association
- Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making – Kaimal, Girija; Ray, Kendra; and Muniz, Juan, 2016.
- Art Courses Could Help Medical Students Become Better Clinical Observers – Penn Medicine News
- Being Creative Makes You Happier: The Positive Effect of Creativity on Subjective Well-Being – Tan, Cher-Yi; Chuah, Chun-Qian; Lee, Shwu-Ting; and Tan, Chee-Seng, 2021.
