Cancer: The Benefits Of Art Therapy

In the result of this, a majority of her time was spent visiting doctors and taking medicine may be neglecting her daughter in the process. At the age of 10, Cynthia lost her mother due to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The death of a parent is considered one of the most stressful life events that a young person can experience (Patterson & Rangganadan, 2010). Parental loss from cancer can impact upon many areas of a young person’s life, and may result in social impairment, threaten a young person’s emotional development and achievement of developmental tasks, and result in psychopathology, both during the immediate post-bereavement period and extending well into adulthood (Patterson & Rangganadan,

Art therapy is a Multi-Functional Psychological therapy that helps the mental mind in connecting things that are disconnected like a patient with alzheimer's where the patient's medial temporal lobe that’s the part of the brain that controls memory. The medial temporal lobe is vital in the brain because that is where the brain recollects the memories and stores them. When you get older the lobe gets weaker in which causes it to disconnect thus causing “memory loss” or dementia. In art therapy we like to cause a visual reconnection of that nerve so in which a patient then can remember more but in a visual stance as in some people like to look at photographs to visually which allows memories to reconnect. These programs are put into place to help anyone with mental issues they are put in place just to help.

Cancer. How interesting that a six-letter word can strike fear in deepest part of a person’s heart, alter an entire life plan, and bring a sense of uncertainty and hopelessness in a matter of minutes. Today, cancer is a word that is used often, as it affects almost every life in some way. Although the diagnosis is a common one, the process that each person takes to cope with cancer is anything but common. The graphic novel Cancer Made Me A Shallower Person: A Memoir in Comics written by Miriam Engelberg shows her journey with cancer from the time she is given her diagnosis. Engelberg is open about her struggles and fears in coming to grips with her diagnosis, but she is able to communicate in a way that shows humor can be found in even the most difficult situation. Although she is clear about the difficulty of being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of forty-three, she resists the temptation to fall into self-pity and hopelessness. Although the story focuses on the author trying to see the lighter moments in her battle, the illustrations seem to also show the fear, uncertainty, and depression that come with a cancer diagnosis. Throughout the novel, Elgelberg does a great job of showing the struggles of keeping a light-hearted attitude while coping with cancer, and the illustrations help capture both the seriousness and humor of the story.

According to an article published in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art therapy Association, “…art therapy strengthened personal, spiritual and social development” (pg. 72, Kapitan, Litell, Torres, 2011). Additionally, it could also help children reduce “acute stress symptom” (pg. 103, Chapman, Morabito, Ladakakos, Schreier, Knudson, 2001). This type of therapy can be used to build child’s self-esteem by encouraging them to express themselves openly through art.

Years ago, coloring was for children. Although occasionally an adult who was babysitting would color with the child, that adult wouldn 't normally pick up a coloring book on their own. Recently, a new trend in coloring books for adults has changed the way adults relieve stress. Coloring books for adults has reached an all-time high with many books on bestseller lists. While this may be a fun hobby for some, others find serious stress relief from coloring inside these books.

As established in the National Cancer Institute, “Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide for children and adolescents in America, accounting for more than 91,250 children that lose their lives to this disease” (National Cancer Institute). Cancer is not considered a terminal illness, but more of a chronic illness because of the intense treatment that the individual has to endure. As a result of this treatment the chances of survival for children suffering from pediatric cancer has increased around 80 percent. The increment in the survival rate has made it possible for many parents to not have to go through the acceptance that they are about to lose their child to a terminal illness, but have coping strategies that will make them adapt to the fear of the reoccurrence of that illness. This illness has a great impact on the patient as well as the family because not only do they have to adapt to this illness physically, but also mentally. Research has shown that there are both short term and long term effects that come into effect when the child is both in treatment and also years after the treatment. The type of cancers that these adolescents have to endure range from leukemia, brain tumors and other cancerous tumors that have appeared in recent medical studies. These tumors can either be benignant, an acute case that is non-cancerous or malignant, a cancerous case that will need intense treatment over an extended period of time.While many would say there is more of a

I make lists, plan my schedules, organize my weeks, put sticky notes everywhere and set all kinds of alarms, and so I remember all the things I have to do during the week, particularly at school in a new place, where I do not know anybody or where anything is. Yes, I am that person, that have a little bit of obsessive-compulsive disorder. I am a very organized person, but there was one time I decided to postpone that project because I considered it was not that important and that I had enough time to finish it.

Many psychologists feel that psychological treatment is also a good way to teach patients how to endure their physical treatments. Many of these treatments present physical problems, but the treatments are almost more taxing on the mind. “Research clearly shows that unrelieved pain can slow recovery, create burdens for patients and their families and increase costs to the health care system.” (Rabasca, 1999). In overcoming anything whether it is a task for work, school or anything that can be physically and mentally draining like cancer, it is important to keep a strong mind and a positive outlook no matter how rough it is. Most patients of cancer are so far

A lot of people think that art can only go as far as a class in school, but in reality there is art around everyone. Art can be a way of life for some people, and for others it is simply just something they pass every single day. What they do not realize is that art can have benefits in different aspects in their life, in children's lives, and even the world around them.

“Knowledge of methods alone will not suffice; there must be the desire, the will to employ them” (Dewey, 1933, p. 29). According to McCroskey (1997), “WTC refers to the probability of engaging in communication when the opportunity is given” (p. 129). MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) identify two forms of anxiety: general anxiety and communicative anxiety.

Cancer has one of the biggest effects on the patients mental health but also the patients loved ones and friends. It is one of the hardest things to get a grip on when the doctor tells someone that they have cancer and a fifty-fifty chance of making it. "The disease can bring many changes-in what people do and how they look, in how they feel and what they value" (Dakota 4). It makes people look at the world and their lives in a different way, valuing now what they took for granted and seeing the bigger picture in every scenario. It is something that no one can actually brace, even after the doctor tells them. Through it all though, the person must remain strong and optimistic because the cancer can affect the person's moods and in return affect the outcome of the person and the chances of their making it

Art therapy enables people with dementia to express their feelings when words cannot (AATA, 2015). Art therapy explores the client’s feelings, resolves emotional conflicts and fosters their self-awareness with the use of art media, the creative process and the resulting finished artwork as a therapeutic and healing process. Furthermore, art therapy helps manage client’s behavior, develop social skills, improves reality orientation, and reduces anxiety and increase self-esteem. Art therapy benefits people of all ages facing different challenges in life and is an effective treatment for people experiencing developmental, medical, educational and social or psychological impairment (AATA,

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

When children are presented with Art Therapy, it may be geared towards creative style and imagination.

However, art therapy is typically the most in psychiatric wards, either individually or in groups. It is currently emerging is family art therapy, and used a lot in the education system, focusing on children who are learning disabled, mentally challenged, emotionally disturbed, socially disadvantaged. According to the AATA, art therapy is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, forensic, wellness, private practice and community settings. Within these settings, art therapy can be applied to an extremely diverse client population in individual, couples, family, and group therapy formats. Art therapy is an effective treatment for people experiencing developmental, medical, educational, and social or psychological impairment. Other individuals who benefit from art therapy include those who have survived trauma resulting from combat, abuse, and natural disaster, along with individuals who have adverse physical health conditions such as cancer, traumatic brain injury, and other health disability, and finally individuals with autism, dementia, depression, and other disorders. Art therapy helps people resolve conflicts, improve interpersonal skills, manage maladaptive behaviors, reduce negative stress, and achieve personal insight. (AATA, 2013) No matter how it is used, all good art therapy leads to both education and growth. It can be beneficial