Annotated Bibliography On Art Therapy

Art as a therapeutic method was my primary focus throughout the psychology program at Ryerson University. I am familiar with much research regarding art therapy for mental disorders such as depression

2013). Ultimately, to ensure the provision of art-based therapies in mental health care are informed, evidence-based and embody the principles of clinical governance for safe and quality practice, the literature surrounding this issue must be appraised through a critique and synthesis

Art therapy, the use of creative processes as a means of aiding one’s well-being. Art therapies allow individuals to express themselves through creative means. Often the process of making art is the core of the process of art therapy: through the work, individuals can experience themselves as empowered, valued, able to achieve, and able to deal with a task. Art can articulate deep feelings and can bring unconscious issues to the fore. Group art therapy approaches can also foster social interaction. Kruppers (2014) (para. 1).

I came across an article “ The MATISSE study: a randomized trial of group art therapy for people with schizophrenia” by BMC Psychiatry, this article states “ It has been promoted as a means of helping who may find it difficult to express themselves verbally in psychological treatment” (Crawford et.al.., 2010) In other words its a study on random patients and their purpose for this was to evaluate if art is actually helpful for patients with schizophrenia. Art has many advantages such as being able to understand a persons image of themselves or life. Even though art may be a great tool for patients not a lot of research has been conducted and its effectiveness has not always been great. Due to this not all patients utilize art therapy because every patient deals with schizophrenia differently but in Kate’s and Charnely’s case it was

Art-based interventions use the creative process to help clients communicate and understand their thoughts and feelings (Case & Dalley, 1992). There are a variety of approaches one can take when using art in interventions, as it is a versatile technique. It can be combined with other forms of therapy, such as rational emotive behaviour therapy (Roghanchi et al., 2014) mindfulness training (Coholic, 2011

Why I chose Psychotherapy through Art Therapy, is the same as asking why puppies adopt little boys. The urge I believe was born in me; art makes me want to change the shape of things as they are, to leave behind a mark on this world that will make a different in some degree. I have loved art in all its forms from the time I have memory. I became interested in expressive therapy as a career through my studio art minor classes at Virginia Wesleyan College. I came to Virginia Wesleyan an amateur artist and loved the idea of helping others through expressive art. I personally know it to be a pleasurable distraction where hope is experienced through art symbols, art media, and sensory stimulation. The impact of creating art and how that process

As explained by Donna Betts in her essay Art Therapy: Definition of the Profession, “ Art Therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who seek personal development” (Betts 1). Making art not only unlocks a person’s creativity, but also allows the creator to express him or herself in a non-verbal way that works exceptionally well for abused children. This practice involves several sessions in which the client uses art as a mode of communication, expressing concerns, ideas, fears and past experiences. The process involves a holistic approach in that it not only addresses emotional and cognitive issues, but also enhances social, physical and developmental growth (Pfeifer 63).

The use of art therapy is not more common for two reasons. The first being that art therapy has minimal advertising, so it is hard for it to gain recognition. Second, some people that are struggling with mental illnesses are limited to believing traditional counseling is the only way to solve their issues. Those who believe this have a harder time reaching out, and stepping out of their comfort zone to experiment with a new coping mechanism. “Only half of all hospitals in the United States have some type of art or creation program.”(The Wall Street Journal). Each hospital in the United States has an area for psychology, and psychiatric treatment. The smaller amount of hospitals who are open to, and have, an art program goes to express that most groups of people are unaware of artistic rehabilitation. By surveying the benefits that have impacted those hospitals that do offer a program for creation, it is safe to conclude that art therapy is a successful way of recovery. Most hospitals do not offer an art organization because it is beyond the societal norm when it comes to therapeutic outlets. Leaving a comfort zone is incredibly challenging for most people, even more for those struggling with mental illnesses. Society has created a stigma around mental illness as a whole, that it is not appropriate and should not be expressed. “Every year, about

Art therapy is a type of alternative form of psychological therapy that has started to spread throughout the world of drug rehabilitation. It centers the person recovering from addiction on creating highly personal and expressive forms of art. An art therapist will help you identify an art form at which you excel and direct you towards realizing

Art can be therapeutic in many ways. Other purposes for art include the creation of a sense of self-understanding, a search for meaning, and promotion of personal growth. Art therapy is even healing for some children. As Cathy Malchiodi states, “Many of us have lost contact with these purposes or have not realized that art is more than novelty or ornamentation” (What is Art Therapy? 2). Art has always depicted a wide range of emotions, from happiness to devastation and in that way, it has conveyed experiences without words. Art therapy does this same thing; it conveys emotions through using art rather than using words. Many historical events have been recorded using artwork and Malchiodi explains, “Cultures through the ages have been defined and understood through their art” (What is Art Therapy? 2). Considering its history however, art therapy is still not widely known and often

This article talks about the difference between expressive arts therapy and creativity in counseling. The authors stated that creativity in counseling is a more abroad term if the counselors are using it in practice, which include a variety of therapeutic methods used in a creative way. In expressive arts therapy they stated that it incorporates many methods and it has an arts-based approach to therapeutic work. This article gives a brief summary of what art means in psychological terms and how can a counselor apply art in a session, of course depending on the client. In this article, the two authors share their opinions on how and when to use expressive arts in counseling and therapy.

One form of treatment is art therapy. Art therapy can alleviate the stress a patient might encounter and encourage them to express themselves through art (“Art”). It can help decrease stress for people coping with substance abuse or addictions, depression, health disorders, mental illness, trauma and a whole lot more. Due to art therapy we can study behavior and reasoning and implement therapeutic goals. We are able to understand their behavior and reasoning, and if they have a cognitive and neurological problem through psychology which is a science that studies behavior, physiological and cognitive process. To become an art therapist you are required to hold a master’s degree in the areas of psychology or counseling. Art therapist have the following

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.

Expressive arts therapy is the use of art modalities, creative process, and aesthetic experience in a therapeutic context. It is a therapy of the imagination (McNiff, 1992). Effective communication is an essential element in therapeutic relationships and, although verbal language is the most conventional means of conveying information, other forms can convey just as much as words. The arts are an alternative form of communication that has recently received recognition for their value in therapeutic settings. There is a long well-established connection between the arts and psychology. Expressive arts therapy builds on a natural, complimentary relationship between the two disciplines. As a formal therapy, this form is relatively new with its

Western traditions narrowly define art as a market-oriented specialized discipline (Levine & Levine, 2004). When art is used therapeutically, content and meaning take priority over mechanics and technicalities.