Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art to help individuals express feelings, solve problems, manage behavior and reduce stress. A trained therapist uses art in this process to guide the client’s self-discovery in an effort to increase insight into their mental, emotional, or social well-being.
Art therapy services are based on the premise that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression can help people resolve emotional conflicts, visualize new solutions to problems, and improve interpersonal relationships. People who have experienced abuse or trauma may use art therapy to express their feelings.
How art therapy works
An art therapist can be part of a treatment team that may involve other psychiatric professionals, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, and medical staff. The therapist’s role is to encourage self-awareness through the use of art. The therapist helps clients create an emotional space where they can explore their feelings through symbolic representations in paintings or drawings. By creating images rather than talking about. Art therapists rely on the subjective experience of the patient to help build a wider understanding of what is occurring and lead to changes in self-perception and coping skills.
Art therapy is used with people who have depression, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis, addiction or substance abuse problems, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, sexual abuse, violence in relationships.
Art therapy may also be used to improve the lives of people who are challenged by mental illness, physical injuries, developmental disabilities, or who have experienced loss due to death or divorce. Art therapy is also used in prisons, orphanages, and other correctional facilities.
American art therapy association (AATA) and related associations also run training and certification programs. Art therapists help those who cannot verbalize their problems to communicate through art. Sometimes, this form of expression is easier for patients who feel traumatized or emotionally unsafe. The art therapy credentials board (ATCB) helps people find out more about an art therapist’s credentials. Patients who want to use this form of therapy should ask their potential therapists about their training and credentials.
Art therapy is an established mental health profession in which people use the creative process of making art to promote personal development, an art therapy session or a group art therapy session may involve a client talking about their feelings as they work on an art project.
An art therapist must have the knowledge of art class to enable them to incorporate art therapy and must be credentialed, art therapist. Many art therapists are trained to practice art therapy also use verbal articulation and visual art to convey their message.
Who is an art therapist?
A board-certified art therapist is a mental health professional who has received specific training in the use of art therapy with patients. Art therapy is not limited to artists or art therapy students, but, rather, it is a mental health profession open to any individual who is properly trained and credentialed.
What does an art therapist do?
An art therapist helps people find meaning and personal expression in their own creative process. An art therapist may help patients:
Make sense of traumatic life experiences; Develop coping skills; Improve, basically creating art and using the creative expression to treat their patients.
Art therapists work with individuals, families and groups. Art therapists also provide consultation to the professionals who work with clients such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and teachers.
Types of creative therapies
A therapeutic process is defined as any process employed to help an individual achieve insight, awareness or understanding of the self and/or some aspect of their world.
Creative therapies are not limited to working with clients directly helping them create art. Creativity is often used during therapy sessions in a number of ways such as:
Prompting patients through art exercises; Directly helping those who are unable to create art; Providing clients with new perspectives about themselves and the world around them through interpretation of their artwork.
What conditions can art therapy treat?
Art therapists work with many kinds of people, including individuals with:
Depression; Anxiety; Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Psychosis; Addiction or substance abuse problems; Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa; Sexual abuse; Violence in relationships.
Art therapy may also be used to improve the lives of people who are challenged by mental illness, physical injuries, developmental disabilities, or who have experienced loss due to death or divorce. Art therapy is also used in prisons, orphanages, and other correctional facilities.
How is art therapy helpful?
An art therapy session or group art therapy session may help the patient to:
Make sense of traumatic experiences; Improve communication skills; Regain a sense of control over their lives.
People who participate in art therapy sessions often find that making art is relaxing and enjoyable, for some people, it can be an important means of self-expression.
Art therapy is used in many different ways, including individual and group sessions.
The goal is to provide a safe space where individuals can explore their own creative processes.
Art therapy
This form of therapy is used with people who have physical injuries, developmental disabilities or are challenged by mental illness. Art therapists encourage people to express their feelings through the art-making process.
Play therapy
A child’s imagination can be stimulated through play. A therapist might choose a specific theme for the child to work with or allow the child to physically manipulate toys and materials that stimulate their imagination.
Music therapy
A music therapist might use a variety of instruments, songs, or singing to help someone relax or express themselves. The therapist’s goal is to help patients connect emotionally with the music as they express themselves through sound. Dance/movement therapy
A therapist might guide a person through dance movements that express their feelings. The nonverbal nature of this form of therapy encourages emotional expression and release, as it accentuates the emotional content being expressed through physical movement. Drama/theater therapy Drama therapists often help a patient understand a specific issue by putting themselves in a role and acting out a character. The therapist may also help the patient understand how to display their emotions in different ways.
Which therapists are educated?
Art therapists must have a Bachelor of Arts or Sciences degree before training for two years at art therapy institute and another institute; After that, they should pass the ATTCB exam to become board-certified counselor (BCC) in art therapy, also known as board-certified art therapists (BCAT) and become a member of American Art Therapy Association (AATA).
How does an art therapist train? What kind of certification is required to be an Art Therapist?
Art therapists must receive training that includes both artistic and clinical knowledge. This may include a bachelor’s degree in art or a related field and a master’s or doctoral degree in art therapy. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, students may enter an art therapy training program that leads to either an associate degree or master of arts in art therapy. These programs are offered at colleges, universities, and some mental health centers. Art therapists typically work with people
How art therapists help improve one creative process through
Most people have a little fun creating a story through a picture. The process of making art can be frustrating and tedious at times, but the end result is usually worth it. Many individuals suffering from mental illness or emotional trauma find that letting their creative juices flow encourages expression and removes negative emotions. In many cases, this helps these patients feel more in control of their lives.
What kind of training does an art therapist need? What topics are covered during the process?
Art therapists must receive training that includes both artistic and clinical knowledge. This may include a bachelor’s degree in art or a related field and a master’s or doctoral degree in art therapy. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, students may enter an art therapy training program that leads to either an associate degree or master of arts in art therapy. These programs are offered at colleges, universities, and some mental health centers. Art therapists typically work with people
The three different types of therapies that can be used are all found listed under the “types of therapy” resource.
