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,
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(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 …show more content…
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
Art is how an artist expresses their own emotion in their artwork. Artwork can express more than just emotion, it can be used as a memorial, awareness, and even art movement. Art movements are very powerful when used correctly. Art movements are created in different medium in art. Elizabeth Sisco has done a graphic design of Chicano movement.
The speech “Art can heal PTSD’s invisible Wounds” spoke by Melissa Walker, she spoke about how art can heal unspoken wounds. Melissa’s grandfather was a war veteran, which inspired her to search for a cure. She persuaded people to speak about their problems through art. The many patients she had dug up their old pains and put it on a mask. She helped thousands come out about their experience in the war in a sculpture.
The ways in which people are capable of expressing themselves through the use of art is endless. To some extent, each person has an extremely different interpretation of introspection into their psych. In this paper though, the differences will be put on hold while the spotlight shifts to the similarities, for better or worse, that we all share. Alan Rath’s sculpture Infoglut for example, has a brutally honest take on how technology has shaped who we all are. Infoglut transforms parts of the human body through the use of technology and “industrial components.”(TOCA)
This class allows Melinda to get comfortable with expressing her emotions through art. This development eventually leads her to articulating her emotions. Mr. Freeman inspires Melinda through his ways of teaching art and how to express one’s self through
Art has always played a key role throughout all of history. It has many purposes ranging from divulging concealed truths to simply expressing ones feelings. Subsequently, art still holds the same functionality today. Jungian Psychology Retreat #3, a captivating and thought-provoking art piece done with the use of graphite on paper. The graphite drawing created by Casey Lard is 29 X 22” and is currently displayed in HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College) Lancaster’s campus art gallery.
Therapeutic art is used to assist people in understanding who they truly are and how they have grown from their past and any traumatizing experiences they may have experienced previously. Author, Laurie Halse Anderson explains the struggle of being the high school outcast through character Melinda Sordino. Anderson uses Melinda 's evolving tree artwork to symbolize past calamities in Melinda 's life, as well as how Melinda is growing as a character throughout her freshman year of high school. While Melinda is struggling most, she struggles with finishing her trees the way that she wants them to look.
I collaborated with occupational therapists, speech therapists, and physiotherapists to provide early intervention care and support to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and Learning Disabilities. I continued working similarly with children in a school as a counselor for four years. I learned about the challenges students face in a mainstream setup that puts emphasis on curriculum based general learning. The students coming to me would actively seek skilled based activities and loved art based tools in their sessions. To enhance my skills and have working tools that included art, I pursued a diploma in Arts Based Therapy.
Merleau-Ponty tells us that, “the real has to be described, not constructed or formed” (1969, p. 17). Phenomenological art therapy as explicated by Betensky (1995) is a clearly formulated art therapy approach that attempts to understand the phenomena of the artwork and the creative process from within itself through "intentional observation" and reflection. The three main features of the phenomenological method are 1) the attention to the description of the perceived phenomena; 2) focus on capturing the essence; and 3) the essence is found by intuiting and not by deduction or induction. The 5 key concepts of phenomenology concepts outlined by Merleau–Ponty in the introduction of Phenomenology of Religion (Bettis 1969) can be applied to art therapy (Carpendale, 2002).
For example, Adrian Hill, a man from England with tuberculosis used the idea of “participating in art projects with patients” (The History Of Art Therapy) as a way to help patients to express themselves and more importantly help them express how they are feeling without the use of words. Self expression in the form of art helped the patients be outgoing and confident without worrying that people might judge or make any unnecessary comments about their artwork. The process you go through while creating art is not only stimulating but also helps to “ dig deep and express and explore your inner new self in new ways-unleash buried feelings” (Art Therapy: Healing Through Self-Expression by Meghan Rabbitt). Art allows us to reach into a place that is not only untouched but unedited, expressing a true emotion deep
Art is something by which artists shows their intelligence. People also can know about others traditions, culture and people’s behavior by art. Once I visited MOMA PS1: which is one of the largest and oldest organizations in the USA, at 22-25 Jackson Ave, at 46th Ave, in LIC, Queens; one of the arts “Wael Shawky: Cabaret Crusades” caught my attentation. It is an amazing work of art. The artist was showing the history of crusades in Jerusalem by presenting puppet show.
Art therapy can be a powerful tool when used along with other treatments. Art therapists are trained in both art and therapy. There are various types of creative therapies ranging from art therapy to dance and drama therapy. It is important that art therapy takes place alongside other types of communications within therapeutic relationships and in a therapeutic setting. Another benefit of art therapy is that it encourages people to express and understand emotion through artistic expression and through the creative
As I mentioned some of the expressive therapies involved is art therapy, which enhances creativity. Art-making process includes drawing, painting, collages and 3-d structures. The goal of art therapy is to assist in developing skills including problem solving, identification and expression of feelings, emotions and social interaction/relationships. The goal behind dance therapy is to connect body and mind in a way that encourages healing and growth of the individual. Dance therapy helps with self-expression and offers creative strategies for behavior modification and helps the individual learn effective coping skills.
Audience analysis: Some of you or your friends might use music therapy to cope with stress or diseases, or as an alternative treatment in order to overcome sickness or negative emotions. Therefore, I feel that this information might be relevant and valuable to you. Body: A.) Benefits on cancer patients a.) reduced anxiety based on clinical anxiety scores (Blackwell, 2011).
For children, drawing involves both a process (making of art) and a product (the completed art expression). These drawings need to be considered within the context of the child’s developmental, social, cultural and emotional experiences. (Malchiodi, 1998). I have chosen to examine three drawings by C, an 8-year-old girl I have been having therapeutic play sessions with. She was referred to me by her father, due to her inability to concentrate at school, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which cause her to get into trouble at school, and in social situations.
MASSAGE THERAPY: AMAZING 24 HEALTH BENEFITS Nowadays, massage is not only restricted to luxury spas, and health clubs. It is now also available in clinics, malls, hospitals, business, and even airport as well. Massage therapy is an effective tool to enhance the physical and emotional well-being. Massage not only give you relaxation but also acts a natural painkiller as well. Regular massaging will aid to relieve anxiety, depressions, pain, stress, heart problems etc.