Consider a colour palette with different colours on it and a blank canvas. The colours in the palette describe the vast variety of emotions and experiences of human life and the feelings of humans. The blank canvas is life, and a paintbrush is art therapy. The way a paintbrush allows an artist to paint out inner visions onto canvas, art therapy carries out the externalisation of internal human experiences; it helps humans untangle their jumbled feelings and emotions.
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative artistic processes as a form of communication and expression as a means to improve mental health and well-being. Art therapy uses art as a medium to address distressing mental issues that can be confusing and complex. Art therapy is used as a tool by therapists to help individuals interpret and resolve their complex emotional thoughts.
Art therapy enriches the lives of people through psychological theories and life experiences. It combines creativity with psychological insights. The use of art therapy enriches the reduction of distress and the resolution of conflicts. It improves self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-awareness; promotes emotional resilience; improves communication skills; manages stress; enhances social skills; and develops an optimistic mental state.
In the art theoretical discourse, the therapist first tries to figure out the cause of the distress of the patients, and then the patients are asked to create art that describes the state of their distress or addresses the cause of their distress. The art mediums used for the therapy include painting, drawing, sculpture, sketching, etc. During the session, the patient explains to the therapist about their mental state using their art piece.
Art therapy is undeniably helpful. Studies show that art therapy helps people relieve their anxiety, release their stress, and cope with their depression. While crafting art, people put all of their focus on their art, forgetting about the worries in life. This facilitates a calm state of mind. People undergoing art therapy feel that they have control over their lives and are prone to making effective decisions. Art therapy also assists in managing pain, as the use of art moves people away from painful stimuli. It works with people of all ages. Research has shown that art therapies assist children with autism spectrum disorder, cancer patients, and people with PTSD and dementia. One of the benefits of art therapy is self-expression. There are situations in each of our lives that one can't speak about, so the therapy encourages individuals to be honest with their emotions and pour out emotions in their art. In a nutshell, art therapy is effective in coping with trauma, grief, and crises. Consequently, without any doubt, we can say that art therapy is beneficial.
There is a common misconception that says one needs to be good at art to be fit for art therapy, but that's not true. When we were kids, each of us used to be an artist. That's what you need to do before your art therapist: choose your favourite medium of art and craft your art. Additionally, your art therapist may ask you to use pencils, colours, clay, and crayons, exposing you to different art techniques in order to recover your mental health.
As art gives a sense of ecstasy, art therapy heals mental illnesses. The sole purpose of art therapy is to encourage the idea that illnesses can be recovered through art and that people feel better by using artistic expression. Art therapy empowers people to take control of their mental states; in this way, people can transform their struggles into strengths and mental illnesses into mental well-being.
The gist is that art is a powerful therapeutic tool. So, isn't it a unique and fascinating idea to recover your mental health through art?
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