Art Therapy Essay

Garcia because through it individuals can express their inner world (McInnis, 2014). This means that many individuals that are afraid to express themselves; through drawing and painting they will be able to show their feelings. Through art therapy Mrs. Garcia might be able to express her emotions since she does not like to talk a lot of about herself and her feelings. I think that if an individual have some time alone with drawing materials it can be more relaxing to express their ideas or feelings through painting rather than speaking. For this reason, I believe art therapy can bring advantages to Mrs. Garcia because through painting she might release any sad or negative feeling that she might be experiencing (McInnis, 2014). However, art therapy might not be so helpful for Mrs. Garcia since she suffers from the depression she might not be interested in art therapy. My client stated that because of her illnesses she did not like to go to the senior center often. For this reason, I think her illnesses such as experiencing problems with her nervous system and the lack of desire to socialize can be something that will stop her from trying art therapy. Another disadvantage can be that through art therapy Mrs. Garcia can feel like a little kid which can affect her self-esteem (McInnis, 2014). In other words, she might feel that she is being treated as a child what can affect the way she sees

It is easy to dismiss art therapy and to look upon it as a pleasant but unnecessary intervention for older adults because it is not perceived as a cure. Art therapy utilizes visual art making mediums such as painting, drawing, and sculpture (Malchiodi, 2011). The creative process of art making employs the ability of art to express thoughts and feelings in nonverbal communication. Its purpose is to maintain or improve mental and emotional well-being (Malchiodi, 2011). It is worth considering art therapy as a treatment option, aging can cause a significant amount of loss. Deteriorating physical health or decline in cognition, caring for a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimers, dementia or some other form of lost capabilities, loss of independence, social isolation, and grief caused by the death of spouse/partner, or friends are common events that older adults live with. This can affect a person's sense of well being and purpose in life which has been associated with negative effects on their physical health (Pinquart, 2002). Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can increase in people 65 years old and older. Art therapy is particularly good at addressing mental health issues that affect a person's sense of wellbeing. A review of Outcome Studies (Slayton, D'Archer, & Kaplan, 2010) concluded that there is a pool of quantifiable data to support the claim that variety of symptoms, age groups, and disorders can be effectively treated with art therapy. Loss is

From my perspective, my impression of what art therapy stood for, was very vague. When I used to think about art therapy, I thought about it as a form of communication for distressed or abused children trying to tell a story through pictures or drawings, and although art therapy is a form of therapy in which creating visual images (paintings, drawings, models, etc.) in the presences of a skilled art therapist, can contribute to the externalization of thoughts and feelings which may otherwise remain unexpressed, art therapy is much more than

Like any medical treatment, there are common misconceptions about art therapy. For instance, one of the most common misconceptions of art therapy is that you have to be an “artist” in order to benefit from the treatment. However, your therapist will never judge or ridicule your artistic ability; it is not about your finished artwork but more concentrated on the creative process as a whole. Another common misunderstanding when it comes to art therapy is that it is only intended for children. Although children are extremely receptive to the treatment adults can also benefit from art therapy by learning how to better self-express, while decreasing stress levels, and increasing one’s overall happiness.

Defining art therapies is important first step and how it impact cognition, working memory and processing. Art therapy, is based on the idea that the creative process of art making is healing and life enhancing and is a form of nonverbal communication of thoughts and feelings (American Art Therapy Association, 1996). Art therapy can serve a role in increasing and sharpening cognitive and perceptual skills, in stimulating the senses, and in regenerating social interaction. . By understanding and acknowledging age-related changes and

(Pfeifer, 2010). This alternative therapy was originally designed to help an individual to recover direct memories, increase self-esteem, and to help contain control over feelings of traumatic memories. (Crone, O’Connell, Tyson, Clark-Stone, Opher, James, 2013). Individuals with post trauma due to sexual abuse tend to feel intimidated by verbal expression of their personal experience. Art therapy is studied as a successful alternative therapy method of psychotherapy given the specific study group of post sexual abuse trauma. Studies have proven that art therapy helps to release tension and minimizes anxiety levels to bring out and find an act of external expression providing aide to deal with difficult and negative life experiences. Non-verbal communication is used as an emotional indicator between an individual and a group. (Pfeifer, 2010). Art therapy, therefore, not only eliminates tension through verbal communication but also helps work through issues leading to a greater understanding of the cognitive state of a suffering individual. Words go a long way but colors and figures on a canvas can scream a louder sense of

Art therapy can be defined as a form of psychiatric rehabilitation which comprises of the inspiration of free expressiveness through coloring, sketching, and molding. Additionally, it gets used as a curative action or as an assistance to an individual’s analysis in regards to specific conditions. Coloring books were previously thought to be reserved for children and adults who undertook the activities with the children. The art therapy of coloring for adults has proven to be helpful. Most of the arts done under the therapy have found their way into the market, and additionally, the help they offer the adults who get involved. Being able to distract yourself from your daily problems, negative thoughts, and that fact that anyone can do it, are all reasons that this type of daily therapy should be used more often by adults and therapists treating adults.

The use of art therapy in the mental health setting has received mixed acclaim due to inconsistencies in the evidence supporting its efficacy

To become an art therapist, there are certain duties, special skills and talents, as well as a higher education requirement. As an art therapist, I will need to be able to talk with clients, while involving studio art, such as drawing, painting, sculpting, etc., to asses the disorders or needs of the patient. I will have to write a progress report after every session and, using that, design sessions that are specific to one’s goals in therapy. In most practices, I will have to supervise staff, volunteers, or interns and purchase needed equipment. Depending on the institution I am working for, I will be able to plan art showcases or field trips to museums. The talents an art therapist needs tend be very communicationally skilled. One has to be socially perceptive, an active and appropriate listener, reasonably deductive, orally comprehensive, and recognize speech. Also, one needs to be able to critically think, make decisions, and coordinate

In art therapy, the art product is observed as the artist’s personal projection of feelings, concerns, and thought processes. Art-making can be an effective method to promote growth and maturation for adolescents, who can make use of the metaphor and symbol to communicate emotions and developmental issues they are facing (Miller, 2012). Art therapy is a fine therapeutic tool that enhances the communication of adolescents, who often feel more

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

The question of “Is Art Therapeutic?” came into my mind after reading the book “Art as Therapy” by Alain De Botton. Alain suggested that every piece of art has a purpose, and he had classified the artwork in to seven categories by their purpose to the audience: Remembering, Hope, Sorrow, Rebalancing, Growth and Appreciation. Whilst taking this in mind, I questioned about if the existence in art therapy under psychotherapy that “Is Art Therapeutic?” Thus, with the recent trend in adult coloring book had brought my attention in questioning “Why are adult coloring book so popular?” “Do they really de-stress you?” “If so, why? How?” which initially I started to research into art therapy and the aspect of questioning “Is Art therapeutic?”

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

Before we can understand what expressive art therapy is, however, an understanding of terms, like imagination and creativity, is necessary. There is a lack of consensus about how imagination and creativity are defined and who is capable of it. In therapeutic contexts, the essence of imagination is the substance of dreams. Dreams, however, are not just images. In dreams, sounds, rhythms, acts, etc. can be perceived in a sensory or experiential way (Levine & Levine, 2004). Creativity springs from imagination and is understood in terms of its qualities and characteristics: spontaneity, playfulness, motivation, originality, self-expression, inventiveness, divergent thinking, and intuition. Creativity pushes limits, breaks down barriers, and