ART THERAPY

What is Art Therapy?

At some point in their lives, people may find themselves overwhelmed by the intensity of their emotions which
are difficult to face either by themselves or with others. Art therapy offers an opportunity to explore these
intense or painful thoughts and feelings in a supportive environment. It involves using a wide variety of art
materials, for example paints, clay and batik, to create a visual representation of thought and feelings. Art
Therapy can be an individual activity but is often used very successfully in group situations

Who is it for?

It’s for everybody.

What skills do you need?

The simple answer is none. Art therapy requires no artistic ability. The Art Therapist offers guidance and
support and the opportunity to explore issues of concern using a variety of art materials

Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses art-making to increase emotional well-being.

Art therapy uses the affective properties of making art within the context of psychotherapy. As a mental
health profession, art therapy is employed in many clinical settings with diverse populations. Art therapy can
be found in non-clinical settings as well, such as in art studios and workshops that focus on creativity
development. Art therapists work with children, adolescents, and adults and provide services to individuals,
couples, families, groups, and communities.

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is based on the belief that the creative process
involved in making art is on a basic level healing and life-enhancing.[1]. Art therapists attempt to use artistic
creations and the issues that come up during creation to increase the awareness of self, cope with symptoms,
stress, and traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of
artistic creativity. The term art therapist is reserved for those that are professionals trained in both art and
therapy and hold a master's degree in art therapy or a related field.

Purpose of Art Therapy

The ultimate purpose of art therapy is the same as any psychotherapuetic intervention, to improve or
maintain a person’s mental and emotional health[2]. Like other expressive therapies, Art therapy uses creative
expression to achieve or maintain mental and emotional wellbeing, using canvas, sculpture, painting or other
forms of art generation as its form of expression. The purpose of art therapy is to let patients communicate to
counselors trained in art therapy through using both verbal and visual communication (Beeson 2006). It is
believed in art therapy that by creating art the artist has expressed their thoughts and emotions into the art
work (Beeson 2006). According to Professor S Haroon Ahmed, this idea “arose from the process of exploring
the unconscious mind, which has emphasized the importance of dreams and art therapy” (2006). Using this
idea, art therapists help patients find the meanings incorporated in their art work and how it relates to their
lives, thoughts, and feelings (Beeson 2006). By finding what is communicated in art and why it was
incorporated, patients are able to understand themselves better, which makes them better off emotionally
and mentally (Beeson 2006). According to Ed Beeson, “Art therapists stress that it is not their job to interpret
or read meaning into patients’ art”(2006). According to Annette Marie Vaccaro, “We’re not fortune tellers. We
don’t try to tell their story. We try to help them tell their own story”(Beeson 2006).

Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art
forms), and the creative process with models of counseling and psychotherapy. Art therapy is used with
children, adolescents, adults, older adults, groups, and families to assess and treat the following: anxiety,
depression, and other mental and emotional problems and disorders; mental illness; substance abuse and
other addictions; family and relationship issues; abuse and domestic violence; social and emotional difficulties
related to disability and illness; trauma and loss; physical, cognitive, and neurological problems; and
psychosocial difficulties related to medical illness. Art therapy programs are found in a number of settings
including hospitals, clinics, public and community agencies, wellness centers, educational institutions,
businesses, and private practices.
Art therapists are masters level professionals who hold a degree in art therapy or a related field. Educational
requirements include: theories of art therapy, counseling, and psychotherapy; ethics and standards of
practice; assessment and evaluation; individual, group, and family techniques; human and creative
development; multicultural issues; research methods; and practicum experiences in clinical, community,
and/or other settings. Art therapists are skilled in the application of a variety of art modalities (drawing,
painting, sculpture, and other media) for assessment and treatment.