Have you ever heard of art therapy and wondered what it is and whether it is the real deal? As a lover of all things art (and crafts), you won't be surprised to learn that I've time and again looked into getting another degree in art therapy, you know, because it truly sounds interesting! While I've seen certification programs in art therapy, to be a licensed practitioner in the USA, art therapists must have master's-level or higher degrees and are trained in both art and therapy. So friends, art therapy isn't just an arts and crafts session, it is a therapeutic method that uses art as the tool to help patients both express and understand their emotions, with the goal of conquering and resolving the negative thoughts and behaviors that have been a source of anguish. Art therapy is especially suited to those for whom communication is difficult, as the making of the art not only takes the pressure off of just talking but also relaxes the patient to a point where communication might be much easier.
To sum it up, art therapy uses a range of creative arts together with clinical psychology to improve mental health. Art therapy in schools can take different forms, and can be facilitated through painting, photography, collage, sculpting, and drawing, together with a professionally trained art therapist. Many people who might be wary of standard therapy can benefit from art therapy to help improve self expression skills and self-awareness, and improve overall mental health in a significant manner. This sounds great, right? Lets learn more about art therapy and how it can benefit so many and especially college students and teens who may be especially susceptible to mental health issues due to stress.
What Are The Basic Principles of Art Therapy?
Art therapy is based on several fundamental principles. It recognizes that the creative process itself is therapeutic and that engaging in art-making can provide a non-verbal outlet for emotions and thoughts, allowing individuals to communicate and process their experiences.
Many children (or any age really) find it easier to express their emotions through drawing, painting, or other artistic forms than through words. An art therapist can use the child's art to better understand the child's emotional responses and thoughts, and they can guide the child to use creativity to deal with emotional issues.
How Does Art Therapy Work?
The basis of art therapy is that through the use of expressive arts patients can understand and respond to their emotions in a new way, and that additionally artistic expression is good for mental health! During a session, an art therapist is trained to work with the patient to help them understand what is causing their distress. The therapist then guides the patient, usually by asking specific questions, to create art that can address the cause of their issue, or in some cases even reveal the cause.
Patients are reassured that the quality of their art does not affect the benefit of the therapy as it is about the process not the end result. Patients are also encouraged to engage in an art practice on their own, which can be very helpful and a form of self therapy.
Of course while one is receiving therapy of any kind it is a good idea to try to reduce the stress in one's life in order to truly benefit from the therapy. Stress can cause students to view assignments as daunting and complex, even when under normal circumstances they'd have no problem completing the work without outside help. If applicants are struggling with mental health and need to relieve stress by getting help from professional dissertation writers, then that might be an option to consider in an emergency situation. Professionals help deliver quality work no matter the timeline, and you can rely on dissertation writing help online because it hires writers who have handled many complex topics.
How Do You Know If Art Therapy a Good Fit?
Researchers don't have a solid answer to the question "How does art therapy work?" and whether art therapy will be a good fit for any given patient isn't generally known ahead of time. No form of therapy addresses the needs of every patient, and giving any form of therapy a try is always a great idea. So if you or your child is suffering, give it a try, it might just be the answer you've been looking for. And you don't have to sign up for more than a few sessions, as one should be able to tell in 1-3 sessions if art therapy works for them.
Benefits of art therapy for high school students
The combination of raging hormones, peer pressure and the need to get serious about the future all take a toll on high school students. Many teenagers can be reserved and unwilling to talk, in which case art can help! Teenagers can learn coping skills during art therapy sessions, which can go a long way in terms of mental health during their stressful time. Art therapy helps a student to identify and express feelings, which in turn enables them to learn to cope, and even become problem solvers.
A student may engage in dancing, creative writing, drawing, and more, though the goal of the specific creative art used in the therapy is not to test creativity but rather to help the student express themselves in new ways, creating self awareness. The hope is that the student then is able to access deep emotions, and address them with the help of the therapist.
Here are some examples of how specific art processes might be used in art therapy:
- Drawing. The student is asked to sketch abstract shapes to express feelings, and the therapist then discusses the shapes with the student.
- Self-portrait. The student draws their portrait to help them explore their identity and their view of themselves.
- Painting. The student uses brushes and paint to paint their emotions. They may be guided to use bolder colors for deeper emotion and light colors for shallow emotions.
- Molding and sculpting. The student uses clay to knead and create something. The meditative process of sculpting is self-healing and allows for time to think deeply about what to create, thus accessing emotions that can then be addressed.
Conclusion:
I'll have to admit, art therapy does sound great, and certainly worth giving it a try. Whether for college students or teens or younger children as well. And truthfully engaging in creativity is great for everyone, whether on a daily basis for just a half an hour or so, or even once a week, it can be truly life changing and enhancing!
