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Drawbacks of art therapy
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“Art therapy is a form of therapy in making of visual images (paintings, drawings, models etc.) in the presences of a qualified art therapist contributes towards externalization of thoughts and feelings which may otherwise remain unexpressed”(Walter & Gilory, 1992). My vision of Art Therapy was very vague. I always thought art therapy was a form of therapy for distressed or abused children trying to tell a story through pictures or drawings. The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well being of individuals of all ages. Art therapy is a form psychotherapy that has been practiced for over sixty years and it has been promoted as a means of helping people who find it difficult to express themselves verbally (Crawford, et al., 2010). Art therapy sessions usually start with a form of relaxation such as deep breathing , progressive muscle relaxation, or setting an intention for the session ahead (Hart, 2010). Art therapy is used for several different types of people with diverse illnesses such as: Autism Spectrum Disorder, people living with HIV/AIDS, mental disorders and even Cancer. Studies show that art therapy can lead to increased self awareness of self, as well as improved ability to cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences (American Art Therapy Association). This form of therapy helps these patients express positive feelings that may not be easy to access in the midst of a fear provoking experience (Hart, 2010). Art therapy help people to identify their feelings, and resolve the issues associated with their illness. Although, my lack of knowledge on this therapeu... ... middle of paper ... ...or everyone, not just people living with an illness. I think this because for example, a mother of three has had a long stressful week and needs a break from the children, so to release some stress she participants in an art therapy group. That way she has time away from the kids to get back to her normal self, instead of being tense and frustrated. Art therapy has its advantages and disadvantages, with constant and proficient help, people will respond to art therapy in a decent way. They will be more open and accepting to their issues. For people who do not seek constant help, in my opinion, will become more stress or vulnerable to whatever they are dealing with. Art therapy has broaden my knowledge on and as being a future Social Worker, I know this type of therapy will become useful when dealing with clients who have a difficult time expressing themselves.
Dothan, AL: Michelin Apa Publications, 2010. Print. Moon, Bruce. Existential Art Therapy: The Canvas Mirror.
Art therapists have experience in at least one previous field of knowledge such as: medicine, psychology, education, visual arts, or social work. They work in a variety of rehabilitation settings with a variety of issues including: mental health problems, learning difficulties, language and communication difficulties, imprisonment, medical problems, sensory or physical problems, stress, emotional and/or social problems. In a prison setting, a therapist is likely to encounter more than one of these issues with each client. Each of these contexts have their own requirements for rehabilitation. Art therapists define what they do by the context they are working in.
.... Personally, I don't see why the developments in the study of art therapy shouldn't change our attitudes toward creative arts in general. When was the last time you sat down with crayons and drew a picture, or put on your favorite song and danced just for the heck of it? Sure, if you are creatively talented you might study art or music, but through as we get older we take even our most creative work too seriously. We try to make it good according to external standards rather than doing it for our own good. In the broader sense of things, I don't think art therapy is just for the healing. I believe our lives would be brighter and less stressful if we got into the habit of being just a little creative every day.
...lt in body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. Fortunately, Art Therapy offers an ideal and healthy approach to treat eating disorders and body image issues in adolescent girls.
Dates of publication were not used as selection criteria given the limited research available and the early inception of art therapy as an intervention (Dunn-Snow & D’Amelio, 2000). Only three of the nine studies selected for this literature review occurred within the past ten years (see Figure 1).
You can express your thoughts and emotions through making art that you could not through words alone. That is why art therapy is an effective form of helping patience of all kinds. Art therapy can help just about anyone with a mental or emotional illness if they are willing to cooperate. People say that a picture is worth a thousand words and when it comes to art therapy, they really mean it. Art therapists use color, patterns, and shapes fabricated by the patient to determine their thoughts and feeling. Because color is a big part of representing how we feel we can use the drawings, paintings, or other forms of art to help us further understand someone. Art therapy is especially helpful when the patient cannot speak or properly communicate with others. That is because art is like talking
This course has highlighted many attributes and challenges within psychology and its many subfields. Within the weekly research of the psychological subfields I was able to learn the impact of education and its effect on the psychological profession. Along with the applied aspect of psychology listening to the online resource psychfiles, I have uncovered information that has solidified my goal of becoming an art therapist Masters degree. My focus will always be to provide mental health assistance to veterans as that is where my satisfaction and reward will fill in for the low entry-level salary.
Research in art therapy is an area that is lacking. However, inquiry shows it is difficult to find art therapists to become involved in this area of exploration. There is an avoidance among art therapists due to the fact that the majority of art therapists’ voices and experience is minimized, with slim chances for them to contribute and be heard through research. Quantitative research has purpose in art therapy; to find truth, reliability, causality, validity, and proof in the research produced in this field. In the scientific community as well as governmental oversight, quantitative research can give art therapy validity and legitimacy (Einat, 2007).
Art Therapy is known as a coping mechanism that helps promote self-expression and feelings through the uses of an artistic medium or concept (Seaward, B.L 2012). When art and therapy are combined it creates a means of creativity, wellness and healing. Art therapy not only promotes self- expression but it also helps patients relax through a creative means. This creative coping mechanism has determined its success rate through various experiments and case studies.
One of the disadvantages of art therapy is that the therapist is more vulnerable to misinterpretation in terms of the objective understanding of content. Care must be taken not to make rapid interpretations on the specific piece of art which might prevent or even deny the client the satisfaction of discovering and finding out for herself (Case and Dalley, p. 65). This is because art therapy involves a lot of interpretation, it is understandable that critics about this technique are similar to that of psychotherapy. The client’s images can come across as many things with contrasting ideas, but only the individual themself can explain it. The therapist is urged not to point out obvious red signals, instead they should allow the client to come up with their own interpretations. Their own interpretations alone are something to make note of as it may shed some light on the client's thought process about the
Art can benefit the unhealthy as well. With 34,000 soldiers coming back from Afghanistan as proposed by Barack Obama, there are many who consequently have mental disabilities or post-traumatic stress disorder. To cope with depression, or other symptoms, many doctors have used art programs...
I will graduate from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln with a double major in art and psychology as well as a minor in business. While here I will direct my focus to art classes that are able to translate over to a career in art therapy, such as painting and pottery. In addition, I will take classes that center around various social groups in order to better understand the thought process of others. Business classes will also be a focus on mine in order to ensure opening a successful art therapy facility.
How does Art Therapy help in maintaining a person's health or helping them get well from a sickness?
Art Therapy can help improve those suffering from mental illnesses like Depression, trauma like PTSD, Anxiety, and much more. Instead of talk therapy
Art therapy, as a discipline, integrates the field of psychology and art (Bui, 2016). It is noted that from a quick glance, it is does not look too different than a typical art class. However, what separates it is the cognitive processes going on inside the therapists’ head. Some people relate art therapy back to the roots of love (Moon, 1994). It is “the will to attend to others and to self” (Moon, 1994, p.10). Those who come to an art therapy session, are wounded in some psychological or mental capacity. They crave connection towards others and to experience love for themselves and others. Art therapy can be an outlet for them to express their desires and start to break down the walls they built up.