Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living. Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase their awareness of self and others; cope with symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences; enhance their cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art (IATO, 2011).
Introduction to Art Work Therapy
Example of Art Work Therapy
About Artwork Therapy with counsellor Christine Douglas
The art materials and artwork can be used to communicate thoughts, events, and feelings, and may provide a way of symbolising and communicating experiences. At times, images provide a more powerful communication than words, helping the client to express something that has been difficult or impossible to speak about (White, Bull & Beavis, 2008).
Artwork therapy can be a very effective way of making concrete a client’s thoughts and beliefs about different areas of themselves and their life experiences. It can involve asking the person to reflect on the art they have created as something outside of themselves – thereby putting a distance between themselves and often painful experiences and emotions, and making it easier to talk about and reflect on the situation. (For more information, see the section: ‘Exploring feelings through art’.)
Intellectual disability and art therapy
Art therapy for people with learning disability has evolved gradually over several decades. Initially, art therapy was primarily focused on the direct therapeutic value of art making. It is now used as an active therapy to understand emotions, relationships and the client’s own understanding and interpretation of their experiences (White, Bull & Beavis, 2008).
Art therapy is a useful approach in helping clients with an intellectual disability. It can assist in their understanding of abstract concepts by making concepts concrete through the use of pictures. It can be useful for people who have poor verbal ability or difficulty verbalising thoughts and feelings. Art therapy can be less threatening than other forms of therapy because it allows the therapist and the client to externalise the problem, feelings and emotions. This can allow the therapist to get a thorough understanding of the client’s interpretation and insights into their experience.