Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Art therapy
Art therapy and its effectiveness
Art therapy and its effectiveness
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Art therapy
What Is Art Therapy? Most forms of therapy are centered on verbal communication. Art therapy, however, breaks that mold and introduces a more creative means of both communicating ideas and learning to grow. The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as: Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. A goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being. (AATA, 2013) Through the use of different art media, art therapy allows for creative expression and self-discovery. It is a therapeutic, healing process, unique to any other in its field. Art therapy is not limited to drawing, sketching, or painting, but can include sand tray, clay sculpting, dance therapy, theater performance, puppet shows, music therapy, photography, and much more. It opens the doors to a multitude of new processes and ways of expression and self-discovery that one may have never before considered. The most common misconception about art therapy is that the client must have some type of artistic ability or inclination. However, self-exploration through artistic expression can be beneficial to all, no matter what the individual’s level of artistic ability. Many people greatly benefit from the use art therapy. It is used in private practice, where is provides insight-oriented long-term therapy. Or, it may be put into practice in crisis intervention, providing short-term relieve. A... ... middle of paper ... ... to have courage, to be spontaneous. Further, as art therapists we accept the fragmented, the chaotic, the abortive, the incomplete” (Kramer, 2000). Art therapists encourage patients to participate in a therapeutic, creative process and as a result are able to open up different options for the individual and facilitate change in his or her life. Works Cited American Art Therapy Association. (2013). American Art Therapy Association. Retrieved from http://www.arttherapy.org/ Edwards, D. (2004). Art therapy. London: SAGE. Kramer, E., & Gerity, L. A. (2000). Art as therapy: Collected papers. London: Jessica Kingsley. Malchiodi, C. A. (2002). Handbook of art therapy. New York, NY: Guilford. Naumburg, M. (1966). Dynamically Oriented Art Therapy: Its principles and practice, New York, NY: Grune and Stratton. Wadeson, H. (1980). Art psychotherapy. New York, NY: Wile.
People from all around the world suffer from many different anxieties and troubles. They turn to things they enjoy so that they can forget reality and be somewhat happy or simply to communicate with one another. Most of the enjoyment is temporary and not sufficient, that is why they continue doing what they do. Creative Arts Therapy, also known as Expressive Arts Therapy, helps those who find themselves completely lost and have nowhere to go or anyone to go to. They can express themselves however they please. In order to better understand arts therapy one must have a knowledge of creativity, emotions and, of course, people.
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.
According to Sladyk (2008), interventions following the Psychodynamic Frame of Reference often lead clients to gain awareness of themselves and release what is inside of them (p. 2). This being said, art would be appropriate for Maggie to participate in. Art would allow her to release her emotions, and learn more about herself. Having an intervention of art for therapy would not only relate to the Psychodynamic Frame of Reference, but it would also relate to CMOP-E. Art relates to this model because Maggie would be engaging in a client-centered activity, leading her to learn more about herself, which she would then realize what she enjoys and finds
If I was an art therapist, I would ensure that no one should be “afraid” of expressing his or herself through art. I believe that art is like a story, where people can open up and draw about their life experiences. Through observing their work, I have a better understanding of what has troubled them and would try to help them encouraging them to continue doing this creative outlet that would eventually reduce the problems they have. I believe art is the language that can be used to communicate with others on a deeper level. I am always open to new creativity, and art therapy is the best method for me to be immersed in this new creativity to have a better understanding of
Rubin, J. A. (2001). Approaches to art therapy: Theory and technique. (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
Alain De Botton on Art as Therapy. Dir. Alain De Botton. Perf. Alain De Botton. The
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...
This approach she felt was prominent during the art making portion of the session. Besides from the art portion of a session, Riley believed the verbal component of art therapy was important. Riley explored the stigma surrounding art therapy and the client's verbal expressions. From the book, Integrative Approaches to Family Art Therapy (Riley & Malchiodi, 1994), Riley states: “Hearing client’s language does not negate the process of looking at the art product. It is a synthesis of two creative means of communication.” Joining these two stories was key in Riley’s
Kramer, Edith. “The Art Therapists Third Hand: Reflections on Art, Art Therapy, and Society at Large.” American Journal of Art Therapy Feb. 1986: 71-86.
processes of art expression in therapy, Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 21:3, 125-135
Trauma, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. In order to process and overcome a traumatic experience, most seek a therapist. This is especially true for individuals who have dealt with childhood sexual abuse. There are different types of therapy and therapists that exist that individuals go to. Art therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that uses art as it’s main technique of communications in order to improve the emotional and mental well being of the patients. It combines the areas of human development, visual art such as drawing, sculpture, painting and other kinds of art and the artistic process with counseling and psychotherapy.
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...
Salmon, Mark. "Teaching Art and Art Therapy." Opportunities in Visual Arts Careers. Chicago: VGM Career, 2001. 102-12. Print.