By Stephanie L. Freid
People suffering from physical and mental trauma can increase awareness of self, learn to cope with body symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities and enjoy the pleasures of artistic creativity through creating and talking about art with an art therapist.
Professionals trained in both art and therapy, art therapists generally hold a master's degree in art therapy or a related field. They work with a broad age and demographic range from children to adolescents and adults providing services to individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities.
According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is: "an established 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. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight."
By integrating fields of human development and visual art such as drawing, sculpture, painting and other art forms with models of counseling and psychotherapy, assessments and treatment are appropriately assigned for the individual or group.
Some of the myriad of issues treated with art therapy include anxiety, depression, mental and emotional problems and disorders, mental illness, substance abuse and addiction, family and relationship issues, abuse, domestic violence, social and emotional difficulty, trauma, loss and neurological disorders.
Treatment settings include hospitals, clinics, public and community agencies, educational institutions and businesses. Art therapy sessions can also take place in a "group therapy" type setting where participants work together to heal through creativity. This can be particularly useful for patients who find interaction with others difficult or painful.
"I didn't want to invade anyone else's space or try and change their images so I worked in my own space," group therapy participant 'M' of Hackney, England reports.
"However, in order to interact with other members of the group in creating the painting, I felt I had to venture out onto their side. It was difficult for me but seeing how all the other members of the group were freely coming into my space it sort of directed me to do the same. Once I had overcome this I felt the experience was very beneficial and it felt good to actually communicate in this way and be part of the process, part of the whole group."
Overcoming Obesity
Joan, a 42-year-old woman, was about one hundred pounds overweight. Despite a range of health-related problems including knee trouble and diabetes, she was not able to stick to any weight loss program for more than a few months. "Whenever I start to look and feel better it's as if I sabotage myself," she admitted.
A team of art therapists at the Danysh Clinic in El Cerrito California used a variety of art therapy modalities to explore what might be contained in Joan's self-sabotage.
After months of acquiring trust in the clinical relationship, Joan agreed to have a close friend outline her body on mural paper and then in art therapy sessions use collage to express emotions she experienced in various body parts. When she got to her stomach she was shocked to find herself relaying a traumatic childhood molestation incident inflicted by her brother.
The incident led to a thirty year cycle of binging and dieting where food helped her manage the overwhelming emotions of the trauma eventually predicating the event as her preoccupation with food and weight took center stage.
Through much work Joan was able to come to terms with the incident and lose weight. The art therapy component of her healing was crucial to her being able to reclaim the emotions of a trauma that had necessitated developing a protective shield.
Discovering Personal Strengths
Psychiatrists working with a myriad of mental health issues say art therapy not only helps patients make sense of their illnesses, but also instills hope for recovery by helping patients discover personal strengths.
"Many people cannot verbalize or talk about their problems very well. I see that particularly within the Asian context," says Dr. Tan Chue, a psychiatrist at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Charter Behavioral Services Hospital. "But with art, they can actually express their problems through pictures."
Citing the process of creating through sculpting, painting, collage or other art form as a means for patients to see rather than think their problems, Dr. Chue said he welcomes art therapy methods. "It helps patients 'visualize' or reveal problems they are sometimes unaware of. At the same time, it provides a window into the person's mind for counselors and practitioners," he concludes.
Doctors and therapists say that one indication of a patient's recovery or well-being is seeing pictures or art creations with bright colors. "The vibrant hues generally reflect hope for recovery," says Chue.
Art Therapy