Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that incorporates visual arts into the treatment process. Although research into the concept began in the late 1900s, art therapy did not become a formal discipline until the 1940s, when a growing number of psychologists and other health care professionals realized that art could play an important role in psychiatric treatment. Art therapy is practiced in countries all over the world under the auspices of organizations like the American Art Therapy Organization (AATA), and finding an art therapist if you’re interested in trying it out for yourself is relatively simple.
Humans have been creating art for thousands of years, and making art is inherently empowering, healing, and cathartic, according to the basic tenet of art therapy. Art can be used to express a wide range of emotions, including those that are difficult for the patient to express verbally. An art therapist hopes to elicit more information from a patient while also assisting the patient in getting better incorporating art into a treatment program.
Art therapy can be found in hospitals, schools, homeless shelters, and other facilities with vulnerable or emotionally troubled populations, in addition to being practiced in a private office. Art therapists frequently elicit strong emotions and intense personal analysis from their patients involving them in the creative process. While creating visual art is cathartic, it also provides the client with a visual reward and record, allowing him or her to see or feel the issues being addressed.
A session of art therapy can take a variety of forms. A preliminary session is usually held the therapist to talk with the patient and assess his or her needs. The therapist provides appropriate tools and supplies for patients to work in sculpture, painting, drawing, pastels, charcoal, collage, and other mediums during the art session. If a patient has a disability, the art therapist adjusts the session to accommodate that disability; for example, people who cannot use their hands can use special tools designed to be held in the mouth or with their feet.
The patient is free to create whatever he or she wants, or an art therapist may give the patient an assignment that the two can discuss at the end of the session. Different art therapists take different approaches; some may engage in talk therapy while the patient works, while others remain silent and ask questions or talk when the artist is not working. Art therapy often contains clear visual messages that are very obvious, but it can also be subtle, and exploring the subtlety is an important part of the process.
Many countries have specific educational requirements that must be met before someone can practice art therapy. Organizations that promote professional standards for the discipline, such as the AATA, usually set these requirements. Depending on personal preference, therapists can specialize in art therapy, such as working with children or the disabled, or take a more broad approach.