Art Therapy Benefits

Art Therapy and It’s Benefits

When you hear the word therapy what comes to mind? The black couch where people with mental health issues lay as they work through their difficulties? Physical therapy, as in rehabilitation of the physical body? True, those are forms of therapy. However, therapy can also be presented through Art. The use of creativity and expressing yourself, has been used for healing throughout history, but art therapy did not emerge as a distinct profession until the 1940s (The History of Art Therapy).” Art therapy is a mental health tool that utilizes psychotherapeutic techniques and the creative process to develop an individual patient’s self-expression, which can in turn foster growth in the patient’s mental, emotional,

(American Art Therapy Association)” Art therapy that results in visual art such as sculpture, painting, sketching and other visual art forms is a specific type of expressive art therapy and is also closely related to recreational therapy (Occupational Outlook Handbook). Expressive art therapy is thought to provide a deeper connection as used with traditional word therapy by allowing the therapist to utilize forums that are unique to the particular participant and to create a greater personal connection (Occupational Outlook Handbook). All types of art therapy are divided into four parts: expression, imagination, active participation and mind-body connection (Expressive Art Therapy). Expressive art therapy encompasses several artistic mediums and aren’t restricted to being simply visual, such as drawing or painting, the American Cancer Society lists several other ways of therapeutic expression that involve artistic influences

For instance, many people whom are considered healthy deal with stress and anxiety on a regular basis, whether it is caused by one’s academic performance or career path, social and or economic status or the simple stresses that come with everyday life. Therefore, as each person deals with his/or her own “stresses” art therapy can be utilized to relax and/or ensure that the stresses don’t foster greater