What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is the process of creating art to facilitate healing and enhance communication and understanding. The purpose is not necessarily to create a realistic image or something pleasing to the eye. Instead, the goal is authentic self-expression, whatever that might look like.
Common questions:
What if I can't draw?
A talent for "drawing well" is not required for art therapy. In fact, sometimes the pieces that create the most therapeutic change are the ones the client thinks are "ugly."
In addition to painting, drawing, sculpture, or other art forms, scribbling or tearing paper can create highly expressive and helpful pieces.
Will you tell me what my art means?
Even though there are symbol dictionaries and systems available that assign specific meanings to images or color choices, I believe each person's visual language is unique. For example, while one person might have no emotion attached to the image of a chair, for another person it may call up the shame he felt when he was punished, sitting in an uncomfortable chair for long periods of time. For these two people, chairs appearing in their drawings would mean very different things.
The only person who can reveal the meaning of a piece of art is the client who creates it, but an art therapist can help you to translate your own visual language by asking questions and making observations.
What can I learn from my art?
Seemingly unrelated subjects often announce that they are connected through a client's artwork. Imagine your symbol for a persistent illness turns out to look very much like your symbol for a friend who has been causing you a lot of stress. Could it be that your high stress levels have depleted your immune system so that you can't kick that virus?
Who is an art therapist?
The Art Therapy Credentials Board awards the title of Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and Board Certification (ATR-BC) to those who have completed a masters degree in art therapy, a masters degree with an emphasis in art therapy.
For more information:
To learn more about art therapy, you can visit the American Art Therapy Association website: http://www.arttherapy.org/