Asking an art therapist to explain it and its’ benefits is like trying to define the “A” encyclopedia in 5 minutes or less. It is a powerful tool that can change the way your see yourself, the world around you, enhance problem solving capabilities, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here are a few important parts of art therapy and why it works.
Words are not often our strongest mode of communication. Art allows us to talk without words. It gives us the ability to express our inner thoughts. When we approach our thoughts and experiences in a different way we are often able to better understand our needs and concerns. This awareness gives us the ability to identify how the art therapist can target the therapeutic skills we need to help us move forward.
Art is made up of images that come from an individual or collaborative source with some sort of meaning. The images that are created in artmaking may or may not be intentional. Because of the individual nature of art making, no two artworks are ever identical. This can give us unique, creative insight into what matters to us most.
No artistic skill is required. (In actuality, I prefer to work with individuals with no formal training. It takes the pressure off the process when not having to default to what skills one can use to create a specific image or art piece.) The art only needs to make sense to the artist.
Let’s face it. We are a society that likes control. But, if you have ever created art, even as a child, you know that you can rarely control the way you create. This becomes an unexpected freedom when you get used to it. If you cannot control what you are doing and allow the art to create itself you will be more inclined to make unique connections that relate to your life.
This lack of control allows people to become so involved in an activity they are able to reach a “flow” state. It is a chance to be solely immersed in a project where the person’s entire focus is on the present moment. Being in the present moment helps to distract from worrying, obsessing, or dwelling on past and future concerns.
It’s easier to talk about something staring you in the face. Art is a picture of you – outside of you. This can help to desensitize emotions and experiences to create a less scary representation of your thoughts that you may not initially have the words to articulate.
Creating an art product allows us to look back on an artwork series. We can notice patterns, changes, or recurring symbols in the artwork that may have meaning. In verbal therapy it is easier to lose these connections to link significant patterns in how we approach life. Looking at the art product as a whole can help us recognize the healthy, or not so healthy, patterns in our thinking and behaviors. This allows the artist and art therapist to create goals significant to the therapeutic process that may not have been readily apparent when starting therapy.
Often we do not have the words to describe our emotions. The importance of having our emotions and physical needs met start in our mother’s womb – before we have the ability to verbalize our needs. We are often rendered “speechless” at times of extreme emotion. Creating a visual product without words can help us externalize these emotions so we can talk about them and explore their significance to our lives.
Scientific research tells us there are different parts of the brain involved in logical and emotional connections to our experiences. The stronger the connection of both parts of the brain the more apt we are to have a well-rounded view of our experiences. This can help us rewire our brains to create connections of our experiences we may not have previously been able to process.
Physical movement increases the good chemicals in our brains. Serotonin and dopamine are released as we use physical movements to create artwork. Using our kinetic abilities helps us to find a more primitive state of being. This allows us to deeply explore our experiences without really thinking about it.
Bonding with a therapist with an objective, non-judgmental perspective in our lives can be beneficial with all mental health clinicians. Clients have different needs. So much of the building a therapeutic rapport is subjective. Art Therapists have the ability to treat individuals as well as being supplemental to other therapies.
Art Therapists have a 60-credit Masters degree. We study counseling, lifespan development, psychopathology, counseling interviewing, research, have practicum and internships, and even have to complete a thesis. We are trained to understand the significance of art materials and how to apply them to certain conditions, diagnoses, ages, and styles of communication. We learn to ask open-ended questions relevant to each art piece to allow the client to define art in their own terms; their relationship to images, shapes, lines, colors; and its significance to the self. We understand how peer groups and collaborative projects can create social connections among peers and communities to enhance the human experience.
Art Therapists treat those of all ages with a variety of concerns from self-discovery and self-awareness to significant trauma, mental health diagnoses, PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, autism, life threatening illnesses, physical pain, and the list goes on and on.
Art Therapists use different art materials to help clients express their experiences when words are not enough. When our brain experiences trauma we lose the ability to use words to connect to our experiences. It can be frustrating when we are unable to talk about them. When we can create images and see the parts of our memories in front of our eyes we can more easily talk about them. Then we can understand the experiences in a different way. This helps us to get un-stuck so we can move forward with our lives.
It’s a type of therapy that uses images through a non-verbal lens that can help us discover things about ourselves we may not have been able to determine using words alone. Creating art in any form can be therapeutic. But, that’s only a small fraction of how an art therapist can help individuals seeking therapy to change their lives.
For more information on art therapy at Blank Slate Therapy, or to schedule a session, contact us at 214-618-0588 or info@blankslatetherapy.com. We have clinics in Frisco, McKinney and Southlake.