Before I graduated from college, an art therapist saved my life. She helped me work through my diagnosis by utilizing various art forms. Upon termination, art therapy had given me true healing and empowered me to use art for self-expression. Today, I am thriving with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, applying to graduate school to follow my passion, and wearing my adversity as a badge of triumph. The power of art therapy provided me with an inside look at the difference an art therapist can make. Now I am determined to help others find their own healing through art. My healing was made public during my BFA show, in which my conceptual work was realized through ink. Ink forced me to work organically rather than constantly trying to control a piece. Creating meaningful and highly personal artwork guided me to become a more …show more content…
I want to test the efficacy behind conceptual art in the form of self-expression to help individuals cope with mental illness, especially personality and identity disorders. I read an interview with Tally Tripp in which she distinguished aesthetic art from expressive art. Tripp’s research in trauma has also inspired me to research areas pertaining to trauma victims. Therefore, GWU’s internship opportunities, primarily the McClendon Center and Make Studio, resonate with my research interests and career goals while allowing me to utilize my natural empathy and creativity. In conclusion, the field of art therapy fits with my academic interests, career objectives, and offers me the endlessly rewarding gift of helping individuals through counseling. GWU’s program offers me the opportunity to further my personal, artistic, and professional development. With a master’s in art therapy from GWU, I will have the knowledge and experience required to achieve my dream of helping others find true healing through the power of
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.
Drawings and other self-generated forms of visual art produced by people suffering from mental illness sparked the interest of psychiatrists around the end of the 19th century. They were considered “outpourings of the mind in turmoil” (Rubin 6). Fascinated by these samples of artwork, psychiatrists began to study them in an attempt to better understand the creator and the illness. Art therapy is a fluid, adaptable and evolving field. Today art therapists employ a variety of methods and work in a variety of rehabilitation settings, but the focus of this paper is the use and benefits of visual art therapy in correctional settings. Unfortunately, there has been little research to measure the effectiveness of art therapy in prison. Researchers are still in the early stages of understanding what art therapy does, how it does this, and why it is effective. Through art therapy programs, prisoners are able to more fully come to know themselves and are therefore fore able to authentically participate in life and community as well as develop an ongoing motivation towards recovery.
I then came across the practice of art therapy. As a child, I've had a love for drawing and art, and I never really grew out of it. I saw art therapy as a wonderful opportunity for me since I found this both an enjoyable and useful study. I became interested in art therapy because it serves as a creative outlet for me to help people by applying what I love for them. I believe art therapy can help troubling patients because it connects with troubling patients at
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
This paper serves the purpose to explore three main topics: who am I, what have I learned thus far, and who do I want to become? Through my experience at Adler University I have gained insight into what it takes to become an art therapist. Though the journey of pursuing art therapy is a lifelong experience, it didn’t start here.
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.
As a musician, I am very active in my community. Whether it be playing a sonata on bassoon for my peers and faculty, taking an internship in music therapy, or teaching private lessons, music is my passion that connects me to the world. I am pursuing a degree in music therapy, the art of using music to help others reach their non-musical goals. No, this is not just teaching a little kid an instrument. Rather, music therapy is a heavily researched field, and requires lots of study, patience, flexibility, and musicianship. The benefits surrounding music therapy are extensive, and depend on the population being worked with. Not only do young children benefit from music therapy, but neonates, geriatric patients and adults all can reap the rewards
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 is the subject I have grown up with and has become my passion from a young age. As I have gotten older my love for art has grown, as well as my skills. In second year I realised that it was something I wanted to pursue in the future, art is now the main component of my personality and my life. Art is something which captivates me because it is a way to express myself which is unique to me which is why I want to study Fine Art. The flexibility in the Fine Art course is an area which I have had an interest in because it has a flexible use of media, this appeals to me as it allows me to explore themes without having set boundaries whilst experimenting with different media and techniques that I am not yet confident with.
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...
Solso, Robert L. The Psychology of Art and the Evolution of the Concious Brain. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT P. 13-21.
Salmon, Mark. "Teaching Art and Art Therapy." Opportunities in Visual Arts Careers. Chicago: VGM Career, 2001. 102-12. Print.
The arts have influenced my life in amazing ways. Throughout my life, art has been the place I run to and my escape from the world. As I’ve grown older, art has become so much more than that. Every piece of art I create is a journey into my soul. It’s a priceless way to deal with my emotions and my struggles. I create art not only because I enjoy it and because I want to, but because I have to. Somewhere deep inside there is a driving force, urging me to put my heart down on paper. I become emotionally attached to each of my pieces because they are like dashes on the wall marking my growth. Each one is the solution to a problem I have dealt with and overcome.