What is art therapy?

Overview

According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), art therapy is based on knowledge of human developmental and psychological theories and is an effective treatment for people with developmental, medical, educational, social, or psychological problems. The theory behind art therapy is based partially on the belief that creativity and healing may come from the same place. According to experts, art therapy is not merely arts and crafts, or purely recreational; it is multisensory and teaches people to use objects purposefully and to communicate their pain with the outside world.

Although human beings have used art as a mode of expression for thousands of years, art therapy was not recognized as a distinct profession until the late 1930s, when Margaret Naumberg, now considered the founder of art therapy, advocated using art as a gateway to the subconscious in conjunction with free association and psychoanalytic interpretation.

Artist Adrian Hill took credit for inventing the term “art therapy” in 1942.
While recovering from tuberculosis in a sanitarium, he felt
that his own foray into art led to his emotional recovery. Introducing painting to
his fellow patients, he found that they used artistic expression not only for
enjoyment but also for expressing fears and emotions.

Recognizing that artwork could be useful in helping patients express internal conflicts, the psychiatric staff at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas began to employ art as therapy. The first journal in the field, Bulletin of Art Therapy, began publishing in 1961, and the AATA, a national professional organization that regulates educational, professional, and ethical standards for art therapists, was established in 1969.

Mechanism of Action

There are two different poles of art therapy: art psychotherapy and art as therapy. Proponents of art as therapy suggest that the process of creating art itself is curative and that verbal reflection, discussions, or interpretations about the art itself are not necessary. Advocates believe that creative activity increases brain levels of serotonin, a hormone associated with feelings of well-being, and gives rise to the alpha brainwave patterns typically seen during periods of relaxed alertness.

Uses and Applications

Art psychotherapy proponents believe that artwork is most effective when used as a tool to elicit feelings, fears, and fantasies, which can then be worked through in traditional talk therapy. Regardless of their orientation, most contemporary art therapists integrate a variety of approaches, individualizing the treatment to best meet the needs of a specific client.

Special techniques are often particularly useful in helping people express
their feelings, develop social skills, solve problems, reduce anxiety, or
resolve emotional conflicts. In the unstructured approach, patients might select
from a variety of materials and media (such as paint, pastels, and clay) and use
them however they choose, allowing unconscious material to rise to the surface.
Then the therapist might ask the client to draw a family picture, which can help
elicit complex family dynamics such as unhealthy patterns of relating or poor
communication skills. Groups of people who share similar issues, such as having
had cancer, might work together to create a collage or mural that can then be used
to stimulate discussion of coping strategies.

Art therapists can practice alone or may be part of a treatment team that includes physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and teachers. Art therapy, conducted in individual or group sessions, can be used with people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds who have any one of a number of physical and emotional disorders. The adult coloring book, a loose form of art therapy, has become a mainstream trend.

Choosing a Practitioner

Art
therapists must possess a minimum of a master’s degree and
undergo a supervised practicum and a postgraduate internship before being
certified for practice. Art therapists are registered (the credential ATR) or
board certified (BC), or both, and practice in a variety of settings, including
community mental health centers and psychiatric clinics; hospitals, rehabilitation
facilities, and hospices; correctional facilities; nursing homes and senior
centers; schools and early intervention programs; disaster relief centers;
homeless shelters; and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

Safety Issues

There are no known safety concerns with art therapy.

Bibliography

American Art Therapy Association. http://www.arttherapy.org.

Art Therapy Credentials Board. http://www.atcb.org.

Canadian Art Therapy Association. http://canadianarttherapy.org/.

Craig, Claire. Exploring the Self through Photography: Activities for Use in Group Work. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley, 2009. Print.

Edwards, David. Art Therapy. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2004. Print.

King, Juliet L. Art Therapy, Trauma, and Neuroscience: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2016.

Malchiodi, Cathy A. The Art Therapy Sourcebook. Rev. ed. New York: McGraw, 2007. Print.

Miller, Caroline. Arts Therapists in Multidisciplinary Settings. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley, 2016. Print.

Richardson, Carmen. Expressive Arts Therapy for Traumatized Children and Adolescents: A Four-Phase Model. New York: Routledge, 2016. Print.

Rubin, Judith Aron. The Art of Art Therapy: What Every Art Therapist Needs to Know. New York: Brunner, 2011. Print.