Art therapy
Art therapy is a therapeutic practice that combines creative processes, such as painting and drawing, with psychotherapy to promote health and well-being. It is grounded in human developmental and psychological theories and has been recognized as an effective treatment for various issues, including chronic pain, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. Unlike mere arts and crafts, art therapy engages individuals in a multisensory experience that enables them to communicate their emotions and struggles meaningfully.
The profession gained recognition in the late 1930s, largely through the efforts of pioneers like Margaret Naumberg and Adrian Hill, who advocated for art as a means of accessing the subconscious and facilitating emotional recovery. Art therapy can be divided into two approaches: art as therapy, which emphasizes the healing process of creating art itself, and art psychotherapy, which uses art as a tool for exploring deeper emotional issues within traditional talk therapy. Practitioners, who must undergo rigorous training and certification, work in diverse settings, providing support to individuals of all ages and backgrounds facing various physical and emotional challenges. Overall, art therapy offers a unique avenue for self-expression and healing without known safety concerns.
Art therapy
DEFINITION: The combined use of psychotherapy and creative processes such as painting and drawing to enhance health and well-being.
PROPOSED USES: Chronic pain, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse
Overview
According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), art therapy is based on knowledge of human developmental and psychological theories and is an effective treatment for people with developmental, medical, educational, social, or psychological problems. The theory behind art therapy is based partially on the belief that creativity and healing may come from the same place. According to experts, art therapy is not merely arts and crafts, or purely recreational; it is multisensory and teaches people to use objects purposefully and to communicate their pain with the outside world.
Although human beings have used art as a mode of expression for thousands of years, art therapy was not recognized as a distinct profession until the late 1930s, when Margaret Naumberg, now considered the founder of art therapy, advocated using art as a gateway to the subconscious in conjunction with free association and psychoanalytic interpretation.
Artist Adrian Hill took credit for inventing the term “art therapy” in 1942. While recovering from tuberculosis in a sanitarium, he felt that his own foray into art led to his emotional recovery. Introducing painting to his fellow patients, he found that they used artistic expression not only for enjoyment, but also for expressing fears and emotions.
Recognizing that artwork could be useful in helping patients express internal conflicts, the psychiatric staff at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas began to employ art as therapy. The first journal in the field, Bulletin of Art Therapy, began publishing in 1961. The AATA, a national professional organization that regulates educational, professional, and ethical standards for art therapists, was established in 1969.
Mechanism of Action
There are two different poles of art therapy: art psychotherapy and art as therapy. Proponents of art as therapy suggest that the process of creating art itself is curative and that verbal reflection, discussions, or interpretations about the art itself are not necessary. Advocates believe that creative activity increases brain levels of serotonin, a hormone associated with feelings of well-being, and gives rise to the alpha brainwave patterns typically seen during periods of relaxed alertness.
Uses and Applications
Art psychotherapy proponents believe that artwork is most effective when used as a tool to elicit feelings, fears, and fantasies, which can then be worked through in traditional talk therapy. Regardless of their orientation, most contemporary art therapists integrate a variety of approaches, individualizing the treatment to best meet the needs of a specific client.
Special techniques are often particularly useful in helping people express their feelings, develop social skills, solve problems, reduce anxiety, or resolve emotional conflicts. In the unstructured approach, patients might select from a variety of materials and media (such as paint, pastels, and clay) and use them however they choose, allowing unconscious material to rise to the surface. Then the therapist might ask the client to draw a family picture, which can help elicit complex family dynamics such as unhealthy patterns of relating or poor communication skills. Groups of people who share similar issues, such as having had cancer, might work together to create a collage or mural that can then be used to stimulate discussion of coping strategies.
Art therapists can practice alone or may be part of a treatment team that includes physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and teachers. Art therapy, conducted in individual or group sessions, can be used with people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds who have any one of a number of physical and emotional disorders. The adult coloring book, a loose form of art therapy, has become a mainstream trend.
Choosing a Practitioner
In the United States, art therapists must possess a minimum of a master’s degree and undergo a supervised practicum and a postgraduate internship before being certified for practice. Art therapists are registered (the credential ATR) or board certified (BC), or both. They practice in a variety of settings, including community mental health centers and psychiatric clinics; hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and hospices; correctional facilities; nursing homes and senior centers; schools and early intervention programs; disaster relief centers; homeless shelters; and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.
Safety Issues
There are no known safety concerns with art therapy.
Bibliography
"About Art Therapy." American Art Therapy Association, arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Art Therapy Credentials Board, www.atcb.org. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Canadian Art Therapy Association, canadianarttherapy.org. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Cherry, Kendra. "What Is Art Therapy?" VeryWell Mind, 9 Nov. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-art-therapy-2795755. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Craig, Claire. Exploring the Self through Photography: Activities for Use in Group Work. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley, 2009.
Edwards, David. Art Therapy. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2004.
Hu, Jingxuan, et al. "Art Therapy: A Complementary Treatment for Mental Disorders." Frontiers in Psychology, 12 Aug. 2021, doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686005. Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.
King, Juliet L. Art Therapy, Trauma, and Neuroscience: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2016.
Malchiodi, Cathy A. The Art Therapy Sourcebook. Rev. ed. New York: McGraw, 2007.
Miller, Caroline. Arts Therapists in Multidisciplinary Settings. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley, 2016.
Richardson, Carmen. Expressive Arts Therapy for Traumatized Children and Adolescents: A Four-Phase Model. New York: Routledge, 2016.
Rubin, Judith Aron. The Art of Art Therapy: What Every Art Therapist Needs to Know. New York: Brunner, 2011.