Art therapy utilizes images, metaphor, and a “right brain” approach to understanding yourself and your life. You do not have to be an artist in order to benefit from art therapy. By using colors, lines, shapes, symbols, and textures, we can tap into the more creative, imaginative side of you in order to more effectively solve problems and gain perspective.
Creating an image may be an experience that is relaxing or cathartic, and the images that you “happen” to choose or create are often your right brain’s way of communicating information to you, much like a dream.
The American Art Therapy Association explains that, “Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem.
A goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being. Art therapy practice requires knowledge of visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms) and the creative process, as well as of human development, psychological, and counseling theories and techniques.”
Curious About a Typical Art Therapy Session?
Do You Want to Become an Art Therapist?
How do you become an art therapist?
Looking for sample art therapy interventions?
Follow my Pinterest Art Therapy Ideas board.
Check out this post on making Mini Books,
Learn more about art journaling and its therapeutic uses,
Find out how to combine mindfulness and art therapy,
Read how art and expressive therapists use visualization, dance, visual art and metaphor to help clients find transformative solutions,
Ponder whether art therapy is right for you,
Discover how to utilize poetry therapy by writing and journaling through issues, or
See how art therapists use smartphones to combine mindfulness and phototherapy.
What About Using Art for Personal Growth?
Learn more about using art for self-discovery by taking Art Journaling 101 Online.
Still Want More Art Therapy Resources?
And check out Becoming an Art Therapist.
Here’s some art journals, boxes, paintings, and spirit sticks:
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