What is Art Therapy?
April 3, 2023
5 min read
Some forms of therapy don’t require a lot of talking.
Written by Liana De Luna
When you hear the word “therapy”, what comes to mind? I imagine an old Victorian-style parlor lined with bookshelves. A couch and chair in the center of the room. A doctor sits in the chair scribbling on a notepad as a patient talks about their problems, lying on the couch — like a scene out of The Great Gatsby.
This is how many forms of media depict a typical therapy session. It is called cognitive behavioural therapy. The goal involves helping a person figure out how thoughts, attitudes and beliefs affect their actions and behaviour. The sessions teach a person coping skills and how to change these thought patterns to create a lasting positive impact on behaviours.
While this type of therapy is effective, it isn't for everyone. It requires hiring a mental health professional, which is expensive without insurance.
But not all forms of therapy involve a verbal back and forth with a mental health professional. Another option is art therapy, which works as a creative outlet. It helps heal trauma, boost self-awareness, and also helps us view problems in a new way.
A Brief History of Art Therapy
Art has played an important role throughout human history and culture. Therapeutic art rituals go back hundred of years across different societies including the Navajo. But art therapy wasn't coined or used by the Western world until recently.
In the 1900s, psychiatrists in Europe may have sparked the field's interest in art. The doctors believed that the art made by their patients offered clues about their condition.
In the 1940s, the term “art therapy” was coined by Margaret Naumburg in the US. With different types of media including video and digital art now widely available, there is a resurgence in the popularity of art therapy.
Different Types of Art Therapy
There are multiple different mediums for art therapy. If you’re not sure which one will work best for you, you can try out a few different types and see.
Art Therapy
Art therapy refers to anything that you would make with your own two hands. Some forms of art therapy include:
Drawing, sketching, colouring, or painting
Making statues, vases, or sculptures out of different materials
Creating digital drawings or animations
Music Therapy
Basically, anything with a rhythm or a beat is music therapy. Some types of music therapy include:
Singing or writing song lyrics
Learning or playing different instruments like the piano
Dancing
Drama Therapy
Drama therapy is more than just reenacting Shakespeare in the park. Here is a sample of what to expect:
Stand-up comedy or improvisation
Reenacting previous events
Roleplaying and other dramatic exercises
Getting Started With Art Therapy
There are many different ways to get started with art therapy. It is as easy as sketching into a random notebook, or painting on a canvas you picked up at a craft store. You can paint ceramics or make bowls and cups out of clay. Best of all, art therapy can be budget friendly and casual. You can of course make it more elaborate or expensive but it is completely up to you.
The benefits of working with an art therapist
Some people who are able to afford to, will work with an art therapist. As a regulated profession, art therapists go through specialized training to learn their craft. Here’s why many people choose to work with them:
In Canada, art therapists have a Master’s level degree or diploma
Art therapists have spent 700 hours of training with supervision to master the craft
Help you get in touch with, and express your thoughts and emotions
Help direct and guide you, making sessions as helpful as possible
It is more effective with a therapist
How Does Art Therapy Work?
Art therapy translates the “inner dialogue” — the sounds, pictures, and speech we imagine in our heads. Art therapy turns this into paintings, and sketches, poetry and short stories, or dance and music. It provides us with a way to open up about feelings and thoughts that are hard to talk about.
For example, depression sometimes feels like staring into an abyss. This can be hard to explain but I can draw the imagery that I see in my mind’s eye. What do I imagine? I’d draw a craggy, unforgiving cliff sticking out of a gray barren landscape. On the top of the cliff, a woman near the edge is drawn staring at the black hole below.
Is art therapy backed by research?
There are numerous research studies and trials that assess the quality of different forms of art therapy. While many of these studies report positive findings, more research is needed to confirm some of these benefits.
It is hard for researchers to tell if the benefits arise from the art itself or because the patients are being listened to and treated by the therapist.
Takeaway
Anyone can do art therapy, no matter their skill level. Unlike talk therapy, it doesn't have to be expensive. If you’re having trouble getting started on your own, there is help available. A certified art therapist can foster a safe environment where you can be more vulnerable.
Resources: Art Therapy in Canada
Don’t know where to start? Here are a few other resources you can check out:
**Please note, this is article is not therapy or a replacement for it. Engaging with it does not constitute a therapeutic relationship of any kind with the writer. Please seek professional help if needed.**
