Therapeutic Arts: Diverse Strokes for Diverse Folks
It’s OK to be messy. Chaos and creativity get along.
Art is Broad
As an umbrella term, the word art could potentially encompass all phenomena really. The candle flickering warmly near me, the curvy salt grinder with personalized engraving, the used napkin scrunched in a spontaneous unrepeatable fashion… Some say that this art as everything I am referencing could also be called Spirit. But let’s keep that for a future post on spirituality and existentialism shall we? Surely art is an umbrella term for drawing and painting, sculpting and photography. But what about music, dance, and poetry? Whittling and improv? Model train and plane building, cooking or baking, and candlestick-making… What exactly counts as therapeutic arts? This post discusses the application, benefits, and forms of artmaking.
Art as Therapy and Art Psychotherapy: The Differences
Art has long been recognized for its therapeutic qualities, serving as a powerful outlet for expression, exploration, and healing both individually and in community settings for time immemorial. Art Psychotherapy in Canada has a colonial and patriarchal history that dates back several decades to the UK. It was first introduced in the 1960s as a form of therapeutic intervention for individuals with mental health challenges. Since then, the field of art therapy has grown significantly, with the establishment of various professional associations and educational programs dedicated to furthering the practice and research of art therapy in Canada.
Art as Therapy encompasses a broad approach that focuses on the intrinsic and personal benefits of engaging in artistic activities. It’s about making art for the sake of making art. Like playing sports or travelling, there is pleasure in the process. As you may or may not be aware, art-making is inherently personal. If I ask a group of people to draw a banana using the medium of their choice, not a single delicious divine fruit art will be the same. That’s because we make art through our conscious and unconscious filters made up of our beliefs, experiences, personalities, interests, values, patterned behaviours, relationships, and technical abilities. Enter art psychotherapy.
Art Psychotherapy is a distinct professional practice in which art is used as a therapeutic tool within a therapeutic relationship facilitated by a qualified and regulated art therapist. Through this specialized form of therapy, individuals are encouraged to engage in artistic processes to gain insight into their emotional struggles, enhance self-awareness, and promote personal growth. The art therapist guides the client in exploring and understanding the symbols, colors, textures, and themes that emerge within their artwork, unlocking deeper layers of meaning and facilitating emotional processing.
In essence, art as therapy and art psychotherapy offer opportunities for individuals to tap into their inherent creativity and experience well-being. Art psychotherapy will take you a level deeper than making art for pleasure and stress relief. A professional art therapist can assist you in safely bringing your inner experiences to the surface and integrating them into your reality. By engaging in the creative process, individuals can gain new perspectives, discover hidden emotions, and find meaning and healing in their life experiences. These therapeutic approaches can be effective for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, addressing a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and self-esteem issues. Make your own banana art and see how you uniquely show up in it.
