What is Art Therapy?
What do you think of when you hear the term “Art Therapy”? Adult coloring books? Sip and paint parties? Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness and understanding about the profession and practice of Art Therapy. Many people think it is something only for children, but it is actually helpful for people of all ages. Also, there is no need for artistic skills or abilities to benefit from Art Therapy.
According to the American Art Therapy Association:
“Art therapy is 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. Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.” (American Art Therapy Association, 2022).
While art-making can be “relaxing” at times, that is not necessarily the point. Art allows for communication of thoughts, emotions, and concepts that can be difficult to fully put into words. As with dreams and story-telling, metaphor and symbolism often come into the art therapy process. In their training, Art Therapists learn about developmental
stages of drawing, which can be useful for assessing cognitive and emotional development. Though Art therapists use art therapy assessments to gather further information about clients, it is not possible, nor appropriate to try and diagnose or make assumptions about clients from drawings alone. Art therapy assessments are used in conjunction with other psychological assessments, observations within therapeutic interactions, and information provided by the client.
Art therapists work within a realm of continuums. Different art materials have different qualities, which can elicit different reactions or internal processes within clients. Sometimes, clients need the therapist to be more direct; other times clients benefit from the therapist stepping back to allow space for the client’s natural process to unfold. In order to skillfully and safely guide clients through the art therapy process, the art therapist needs to be attuned to the best selection and approach to implement at any given time with the client(s) in the session.
Art therapy tends to be helpful in the treatment of trauma for several reasons. Trauma research has shown that traumatic memories often get stored in the right side of the brain, which correlates with images, the senses, the body, the subconscious, etc. Art making is image-based, engages the senses, involves movement of the body, rhythm, and allows for symbolic/metaphoric expression, etc. Emotions may be easier to express through color, line, movement, pressure, etc. The art therapy process can lead to
catharsis and sublimation, which is difficult to replicate within a talk therapy frame and often involves use of the more malleable materials and requires proper containment. Art therapy can be uniquely beneficial to exposure therapy. If clients draw an image relating to a traumatic event, they receive a level of distancing as the image is on a paper outside of their mind/body and can be witnessed alongside the art therapist. Verbal processing after image-making helps bridge the left and right hemispheres of the brain leading to increased integration, insight, and meaning-making. When clients create artwork about a traumatic event, they are in control of the art materials and what they choose to express, which can provide a level of safety and security.
Art therapists are master-level clinicians with thorough training in art, psychology, art therapy, and have completed internships and many post-graduate client contact hours, specifically practicing art therapy and under the supervision of a credentialed Art Therapist. Credential holders include Registered Art Therapists (ATR) and Board Certified Art therapists (ATR-BC). Please seek out qualified Art Therapists to ensure what you are receiving is actually Art Therapy, for your own privacy and benefit.
If you are interested in learning more about Art Therapy, please visit the following websites:
Sources:
Allen, P. 9 (2005). Art is a Spiritual Path. Shambhala.
American Art Therapy Association. (2022). About Art Therapy. American Art Therapy Association. https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/