Art therapy is a therapeutic technique that incorporates various creative styles, often using visual media like painting, sculpting, and drawing to help people understand their behavior and feelings.
This therapy is primarily used alongside several other conventional therapies to treat physical and mental health problems affecting adults and children.
Hence, it helps a lot of individuals suffering from anxiety, asthma, cancer, stress, depression, and more. Want to know more about art therapy, its types, and benefits? Then this article is for you!
What Is Art Therapy Exactly?
Art therapy, also known as expressive arts therapy or creative arts therapy, uses different forms of creativity and skill to help people channel their feelings. This helps them gain mental insight into themselves via their craft.
It can be utilized alone or as a crucial component to other psychological health treatments. The art forms used in creative arts therapy usually include:
- Sculpting
- Painting
- Collages
- Drawing
- Creative writing
- Music
Apart from individual therapy, creative arts therapy can also be utilized for families, couples, and community-based psychological health projects.
The amount of time you need to devote to art therapy can vary significantly based on your treatment goals and therapist.
Some individuals only engage in it for a couple of sessions; others adopt it as a permanent facet of their lifestyle.
Art Therapy Types
Art therapy is a popular and vital treatment method for several mental and physical health ailments. Today, there’s a range of art therapy types available that could be used to assist patients.
However, the kind of therapy adopted should be aimed at the well-being and welfare of patients taking part.
Nevertheless, here are some of the most popular types of art therapy:
Painting
Painting is arguably among the best art therapy types and techniques because of its versatility. It provides patients with plenty of freedom to paint anything they wish to at any time without worrying about whether they have the requisite skills.
Painting involves making images with blank canvases or applying tools in constructing and manipulating images. It includes spray paint, acrylic paints, watercolors, and more.
Textiles
Textiles’ use in expressive arts therapy includes stuffed toys and puppets. So, are you looking for effective art therapy for children?
Then look no further than textile art therapy! Besides children, this form of treatment is also beneficial for physically challenged adults since it only requires basic motor skills.
Textiles add softness and an increased degree of sensory texture that helps provide patients with improved comfort and safety.
It can be vital for building confidence between the patient and the therapist. Plus, textiles help people express themselves better without requiring paper or pen.
Photography
Photography is another form of creative arts therapy that integrates old memories and images while manipulating digital photographs.
People can take pictures from the past to help stir memories and even use digital tech to create more bright and cheerful frameworks.
Apart from that, clients can also employ smartphones and tablets to capture snaps of various things, such as of their loved ones or of things they find beautiful and pleasing.
Collage
The collage includes physically manipulating images expressing patients’ feelings or inspiring them.
Compared to drawing and painting, it’s a slightly passive approach as it involves cutting, pasting, and editing items such as magazine images, word titles, etc.
Collage art therapy activities are perfect for individuals struggling with starting tasks or making decisions.
It provides patients with a sense of liberation, enabling them to inspect their artistic side without painting or drawing.
Drawing
Unlike painting, the drawing technique has patients using items for simple mark marking. Some of the supplies employed are pastels, crayons, paper-based substrates, pencils, pens, and charcoal.
Many individuals are familiar with drawing tools and can utilize them without much instruction or practice.
However, this art therapy form doesn’t require drawing skills because it’s not meant to produce artwork; instead, it’s aimed to help patients explore their emotions via creative art.
What Does Creative Arts Therapy Do?
Expressive arts therapy could be utilized to treat different psychological distress and mental disorders. In most cases, it’s used along with other psychotherapeutic techniques like “cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or group therapy.
Here are a few health conditions that creative arts therapy might treat:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Cancer
- Stress
- Medical conditions
- Aging-related problems
- Eating disorders
- Emotional difficulties
- Relationship or family problems
- Psychosocial issues
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Substance use disorder
Why Is Art Therapy So Important?
Art can inspire individuals, letting them observe things from different perspectives. It involves a range of things such as writing stories, playing music, or painting portraits.
But, no matter the form, art therapy prods the brain. In addition, it can prompt positive actions in an individual’s life.
Art therapy can be a crucial treatment for people suffering from mental health conditions such as substance abuse.
Using art as a therapy, people can express ideas, fears, and thoughts better and more effectively. While doing so, people can even discover things they know little about.
As per the “American Art Therapy Association,” creative arts therapy is employed to:
- Improve sensory-motor and cognitive functions
- Foster self-awareness and self-esteem
- Develop emotional resilience
- Improve social skills
- Promote insight
- Minimize and address distress and conflicts
- Advance ecological and societal change
Want to know in detail how does art helps mental health? Here are a few mental health advantages of creative arts therapy:
Reduces Anxiety And Stress
Many studies conducted over the years prove that expressive arts therapy positively affects individuals with anxiety and stress.
According to one study, children with asthma experienced improved communication. They were also able to appropriately process feelings of fear, anxiety, and poor self-esteem.
In addition, creative arts therapy is also utilized to treat prisoners and hospitalized adolescents with anxiety.
Evidently, producing art provides people with a feeling of mindfulness, productivity, and calmness, drastically reducing their stress and anxiety levels.
Reduces Depression
Like anxiety, expressive arts therapy is also beneficial for people with depression. Though there are numerous reasons why it is an efficient way to reduce depression, the most obvious is that art therapy serves as an effective nonverbal way to express oneself.
Drawing, painting, or finishing a craft can assist people with mood disorders and depression.
This subsequently allows them to be sincere about their emotions, helping identify the core of the problem so they can undergo relevant therapies.
Triggers Mental Function
If you ever feel dull or unable to concentrate, grab your colored pencils or a paintbrush and start drawing.
Various studies prove that creative arts therapy can increase individuals’ concentration, including that of children.
Making art helps you sink deep into a state of peaceful relaxation, allowing the brain to concentrate without overthinking.
Many art forms can help people focus, such as sewing, writing, and visual art. As a result, not only you’ll feel calm but also ready to tackle mental challenges.
Improves Self-Esteem
Do you know that people’s feelings of self-esteem are closely connected to riskier mental health conditions, including suicidal thoughts and depression?
Creative arts therapy helps improve self-confidence in people of all kinds, including those who show low self-esteem signs.
For instance, it can enhance self-esteem in the LGBT community, pre-adolescent girls, and even those confronting gender identity issues.
Offers Creative Freedom
One should never underplay the strength of an adequate creative release. Making something splendid leaves performers with self-satisfaction while prodding the creative part of their brains.
Additionally, the tranquility and self-satisfaction people feel after a period of artistic exploration can result in enhanced feelings of confidence, inner peace, and happiness.
Along with the advantages of self-expression, it can help individuals reach a state of understanding and joy, even after the sessions.
Art Therapy Near Me
Seeking credible art therapy lessons? Well, look no further than Superprof – the best online and in-person tutoring platform globally, including the US.
They have a range of qualified and certified therapists ready to help people express their thoughts and emotions.
You can take therapy sessions from your house or any other place you deem fit. They provide affordable, flexible, and convenient therapy sessions.
So if you’re looking for reliable art therapy nearby, then you don’t even need to leave your home – Superprof is the best option to go for!
Additionally, Superprof makes seeking a creative arts therapy tutor quite simple. Just type “best art therapy near me” in a search engine, and you’ll see Superprof private therapy lessons ranking first on SERPs.
Fill in the necessary details, and you’ll see pages of certified therapy tutors with years of professional experience to select from.
Before deciding, go through different profiles and see their experience, qualifications, certifications, and reviews left by previous clients.
The price of a therapy session varies based on several things, such as the tutor’s experience, session length, etc. However, as Superprof has a wide variety of therapists to offer, you’ll invariably find someone meeting your requirements, schedule, and budget.
With Superprof art therapy lessons, you’ll notice your investment pays off rapidly. You’ll soon pick up the art to smoothly express your creativity and feelings.
Why wait anymore? Join Superprof art therapy lessons today in your hometown!
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