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About Art Therapy - American Art Therapy Association

THE ART THERAPY PROFESSION

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Art therapy is a mental health profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

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Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.

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WHO ARE ART THERAPISTS

Art therapists are clinicians with master’s-level or higher degrees trained in art and therapy that serve diverse communities in different settings—from medical institutions and wellness centers, to schools and independent practices. Guided by ethical standards and scope of practice, their education and supervised training prepares them for culturally proficient work with diverse populations in a variety of settings. They are credentialed mental health care professionals who care deeply about the communities they support, helping to advance people’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

WHERE ART THERAPISTS WORK

Art therapists work with individuals, couples, families, and groups in diverse settings. Some examples include:

Hospitals
Schools
Veteran’s clinics
Private practice
Psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities
Community clinics
Crisis centers
Forensic institutions
Senior communities

HOW ART THERAPY WORKS

Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation.

INACCURATE USE OF TERM ‘ART THERAPY’

Inaccurate use of “art therapy” often occurs due to a lack of knowledge about the profession. Such instances provide an opportunity to offer accurate information and educate the public. It is with this in mind that the AATA encourages outreach to individuals and/or companies that may be found to inaccurately categorize activities (such as trainings that are offered by non-art therapists) or products (such as adult coloring books) as “art therapy.”

Additional inquiries can be directed to the AATA at [email protected].

EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES

IN ADVERTISING

On occasion, non-art therapist practitioners might be found to advertise their services as “art therapy.” This is an inaccurate use of the term, as art therapy can only be practiced by an individual who possesses the required training, certification, and/or state licensure. Bona fide art therapy is beyond the scope of practice of non-art therapists.

IN WORKSHOPS

Another context in which art therapy may be inaccurately categorized includes professional trainings that furnish a certificate upon completion, which may mislead the participant to believe that he or she can practice art therapy. These sorts of trainings, workshops, and the like, give attendees the erroneous impression that art therapy is a modality rather than a profession.

To prevent this problem, facilitators are advised to adhere to the AATA’s Ethical Principles: “When providing training and/or supervision to non-art therapists, art therapists take precautions to ensure that trainees understand the nature, objectives, expectations, limitations, and resulting qualifications of the supervision and/or training as distinct from formal studies in art therapy” (8.6). As such, a disclaimer should be used to alert attendees accordingly.

EXAMPLE PRODUCTS

Several products on the market may inaccurately identify the term “art therapy. ” Two such examples include art therapy apps and art therapy coloring books.

IN ADULT COLORING BOOKS

While the AATA does not discourage the use of coloring books for recreation and self-care, coloring activities must be distinguished from art therapy services provided by a credentialed art therapist. Review the AATA’s official statements for details:

Art Therapy and Coloring Books: AATA Draws the Line, January 2016
The Adult Coloring Book Phenomenon, August 2015

For those interested in more information, the following articles provide accurate representations of both art therapy and adult coloring books:

“Adult Coloring Books: A Safe Space to Play with Color” by Conan Milner for the Epoch Times, February 2016
“Color Me Cautious: Don’t Mistake Adult Coloring Books for Art Therapy” by John Diconsiglio for the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, February 2016
“Adult Coloring Books” (Video) with Dr. Val Huet, the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) Chief Executive Officer for Reuters TV, December 2015

What Is Art Therapy? | Psychology.

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Art therapy is a tool therapists use to help patients interpret, express, and resolve their emotions and thoughts. Patients work with an art therapist to explore their emotions, understand conflicts or feelings that are causing them distress, and use art to help them find resolutions to those issues.

Art therapy as a discipline began in the 1940s and became more widespread in the 1970s. Like other expressive arts therapy, such as dance therapy or music therapy, it draws on creativity. Discover the pros and cons of art therapy and how it might work for you.

How Art Therapy Works

Many people ask "What is art therapy and how does it work?" The underlying concepts are that in expressive arts therapies, people can understand and respond to their emotions and thoughts with a valuable new perspective, and that artistic expression is good for mental health.

During a session, an art therapist works with clients to understand what is causing them distress. Then the therapist guides the client to create art that addresses the cause of their issue. During a session, art therapists:

Describe the goal of art therapy
Explain that clients don't have to think of themselves as creative or artistic to benefit
Help the client choose and use a medium, such as drawing, sculpture, collage, or painting
Guide the client through expressing themselves through art, usually by asking questions
Discuss the results, both the work of art and what the client felt
Plan for another session or for the client to work on their own

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Does Art Therapy Work?

How does art therapy work for mental health? Because we don't fully understand how the brain works, we can't fully understand how art therapy itself works, but studies have shown that it can help many mental health conditions.

There's growing evidence that art therapy helps conditions that relate to mood, such as anxiety and depression, trauma, low self-esteem, and similar disorders. It is also effective for people with a serious health condition, such as cancer, and for people working to develop effective coping skills, including prison inmates. Art therapy can also help people who are experiencing physical pain during hospitalization. Evidence also shows that it can be effective for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Because art therapy is relatively new, the evidence is promising but limited for art therapy's effectiveness for serious mental conditions.

Can Art Therapy Cause Harm?

Art therapy, like other forms of therapy, can cause harm. Potential negative effects include:

Higher levels of stress or anxiety
Surfacing emotions without effectively processing them
Difficulty coping if therapy is abruptly terminated

If art therapy is ineffective, it means that the patient's issues cannot be fully addressed. This often increases the patient's distress and may even make a patient resistant to other, better-suited forms of therapy.

Many clients are reluctant to explore art therapy because they think that they have to have artistic talent for it to work, see it as "arts and crafts" rather than an effective tool, or are otherwise unconvinced that it can help them. This limits the effectiveness of art therapy for these clients.

Art therapy is new, so there's not enough evidence to establish which conditions it helps and when it is more effective than other forms of therapy. Patients with serious mental conditions should consider adding art therapy to their treatment rather than using only art therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does art therapy help children?

Many children find it easier to express their emotions through drawing, painting, or other artistic forms than through words. An art therapist can use the child's art to better understand the child's emotional responses and thoughts. They can guide the child to use creativity to deal with emotional issues.

How can I find art therapy near me?

You can find a certified art therapist through the Art Therapy Credentials Board. Certification doesn't guarantee that an art therapist will be right for you, but it does show that the therapist meets professional education standards, including a master's art therapy degree or equivalent counseling degree, and passed the certification examination.

If there is not an art therapist near you, you can ask if your prospective therapist uses creative techniques as part of their practice.

How can I become an art therapist?

To become a certified art therapist, you can earn an undergraduate art therapy degree or other related degree with coursework in art therapy and art. You can then earn a master's degree in art therapy or in a related field such as counseling, with coursework in art therapy.

The American Art Therapy Association lists applicable state licenses.

Is art therapy evidence based?

There's a growing body of evidence that art therapy works for many mental health conditions, though there aren't many large-scale randomized control trials.

Board-certified art therapists are trained to identify and use evidence-based practice. They also are required to participate in continuing education.

Is Art Therapy a Good Fit?

Researchers don't have a solid answer to the question "How does art therapy work?" There's no way to tell for certain whether art therapy is a good fit for any given client. No form of therapy is one-size-fits-all, and a client and therapist may need to explore different approaches before finding the right one.

A client may need to consider several therapists before picking one. As a potential client, ask about:

The therapist's experience with your particular mental health concern
Which kinds of art the therapist uses
How the therapist works with clients with your level of artistic experience
What outcomes to expect from art therapy

You should be able to tell in 1-3 sessions if art therapy works for you.

Art Therapy Certification

Your first step is either becoming a provisional registered art therapist or a registered art therapist (ATR). You must have a master's degree (including an internship and practicum) in art therapy or a related field, coursework in art therapy, and be currently practicing under an approved supervisor.

To become an ATR, you must meet the same educational requirements and have practiced independently as an art therapist. Once you are an ATR, you can pass the national board exam to become a board-certified art therapist.

Some mental health professionals will add art therapy activities and other creative approaches to supplement traditional talk therapy. The certification is not needed to use these methods, but it is needed to claim status as an art therapist speciality.

Reviewed by:

Rayelle Davis, M.Ed., LCPC, NCC, BC-TMH

Rayelle Davis is a nationally board-certified counselor, a licensed clinical professional counselor, and a board-certified telemental health provider. She earned her associate degree in psychology at Allegany College of Maryland. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in psychology online at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Davis then earned her master's degree in counseling education with a concentration in marriage, couples, and family therapy from Duquesne University.

She has taught several undergraduate psychology courses. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Duquesne University where she has also worked as an adjunct instructor and clinical supervisor for master's students. She practices psychotherapy at her private practice in Maryland.

Rayelle Davis is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education freelance review network.

Page last reviewed February 7, 2022

what is art therapy and who is it suitable for

Drawing, dancing, pottery and other forms of art are used to correct mental problems: art therapy helps to cope with strong emotions and survive experiences that are difficult to put into words, such as a suicide attempt.

But not all psychotherapists recognize it as an independent school of therapy. T&P explores whether art can improve mental health, who is not eligible for art therapy, and how art can be used in more conservative approaches to treatment.

History

In 1938, British physician and artist Adrian Hill was treated for tuberculosis in the Midhurst resort. In parallel with the main procedures, Hill painted the landscapes surrounding him and found that creativity was a healthy distraction from illness and improved mood. The following year, he was invited to teach drawing and painting to other Midhurst patients, many of whom were soldiers who had returned from the war. Classes significantly helped to reduce their psychological stress. Hill coined the term "art therapy" at 1942 years old, and later described his work with patients in the book Art Against Diseases. The controversy surrounding this method has not subsided so far.

For example, his American follower Edith Kramer, a big fan of Freud's idea of sublimation (a defense mechanism that transforms destructive desires and impulses into something positive and socially useful), believed that the creative process could heal itself. She confirmed her guesses at the Wiltwick School for Difficult Teens, where she received the title of art therapist. Proponents of this approach argue that0007

creativity helps to live and express intrapersonal conflicts, and the therapist must motivate clients to trust intuition, explore their creations and, accordingly, themselves.

Another American specialist, Margaret Naumburg, on the contrary, argued that the creative process in therapy is only a tool, not a panacea and an end in itself. With this approach, drawings (and other types of creativity) are used more as an additional diagnostic method.

Source: Benjavisa / istockphoto.com

Method

Basically, art therapy techniques are built on the mechanism of projection: the client is given an object blurred in terms of content in order for him to bring his own meaning to it. It can be a Tarot card, the general meaning of which can be interpreted differently by everyone, or, as in art therapy, a fairy-tale creature drawn by the client himself.

“At the first meeting, I often ask to draw a few simple drawings. Feelings that are difficult to pronounce can be reflected on paper without censorship from the mind. This way you can get important material for interpretation and diagnosis,” says practicing psychologist and author of the School of Psychological Competence project Maria Razygrina. For example, when working with children, she often asks to draw a family in order to better understand the environment in which the child lives and how to help him cope with his feelings.

Art therapy can also help with behavior correction, notes Razygrina. For example, if you ask a client to draw their emotions on a body stencil, you can move from thinking to action by locating the problem. Fear in the legs - you can leave. Anger in the throat - to say.

Who needs art therapy?

Art therapy can be an outlet for those who do not want to visit a traditional psychotherapist - for example, for teenagers facing a transitional age crisis. Or people who have experienced experiences that are hard to put into words, such as a suicide attempt. Suicidologist David Webb, who himself tried to commit suicide, believes that measured, rational statements are not suitable for a conversation on this topic: “To break the stigma around suicide, we need to pay attention to a very personal, subjective, sometimes irrational and paradoxical, poetic and the mystical (for some, frightening) language of people who directly encountered this experience.

Art therapy is also useful for people facing chronic pain or a serious illness. A 2018 study found that half of 200 hospitalized subjects benefited from art therapy to significantly reduce pain and anxiety levels and improve their mood.

“When people are constantly in pain, they often think they are losing control of themselves. As if pain dictates to them what to do and what not to do. The practice of art therapy helps to regain a sense of power over your body through self-expression and creating something unique, ”-

says Kelsey Skerpen, art therapist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Art therapy also helps to explore the state of physical and mental health. By drawing pain, you can analyze how it affects your mood and daily life. Englishman Gary Molloy has been living with bipolar disorder for more than 20 years and admits that drawing helps him feel stable: “I constantly encounter radical mood swings. Drawing helps take your mind off that.”

Source: Benjavisa / istockphoto.com

Personal experience

Subject 404 psychological project author Vladislav Kondratenko underwent art therapy to deal with his masculinity. At the sessions, he visualized it with pastel and gouache. “I didn't like my drawings. In addition, when you draw something on a painful topic, and a psychologist (essentially, an outsider) watches it, it is unpleasant, embarrassing and doubly sad, ”says Vladislav.

He shared this feeling with a psychologist, and she suggested changing the drawing as if there had never been any problem with masculinity. Complementing the picture, Vladislav planted a blot and was upset at first: “The psychologist noted my reaction and asked what this blot could mean. I thought that it looks like the sun inside me and actually complements the drawing perfectly. The changed image began to please me more and more.” Because Vladislav drew his developed masculinity, he felt pleasant and well, while rejection and discomfort began to recede.

Vladislav notes that during the sessions, the therapist's eyes frightened him: they seemed too penetrating. He told about this specialist, who offered to draw her eyes, changing them as if they belonged to Vladislav himself. “I did it.

All fear is gone. The effect was almost instantaneous and it blew my mind,” he says on

In the case of Vladislav, art therapy proved to be effective in solving a specific problem. Having dealt with emotions on paper, he transferred the result to real life. “I became more open and sociable. I have a choice that I didn’t have before: somewhere I can show myself courageously, but somewhere I just won’t do it, ”says Vladislav.

At the same time, this method did not help him in the treatment of depression.

Effectiveness

A review of randomized controlled clinical trials of art therapy published in 2014 shows that art therapy can be beneficial for a wide range of people coping with strong emotions, such as war veterans and prisoners. The exception is people with schizophrenia.

Razygrina notes that the effectiveness of art therapy, like other methods, depends on how appropriate and correct it is used: “Inept therapy can exacerbate internal conflict. Show the problem, but don't explain what to do about it. Although

compared to many other areas, art therapy is a fairly safe and even gentle method.”

In another 2015 study, interviewed art therapist clients reported that the sessions taught them to focus on the present moment (which mindfulness practitioners also strive for), feel the connection between emotions and bodily reactions, and strengthened their sense of self. Creativity allowed them to analyze complex sets of sensations (for example, by depicting them all on one sheet of paper) and improve their self-control skills by visually visualizing their moods and feelings. In general, the canvas (or any other medium) becomes a real field of experimentation for those who have not yet figured out their emotions.

Source: Benjavisa / istockphoto.com

Can I do it myself?

On the Internet, you can find many online lessons and self-help books on art therapy. None of this will replace sessions with a qualified specialist, but it certainly won’t hurt and will most likely help reduce anxiety, learn a little more about yourself, throw out negative emotions, increase self-esteem and just be happy (as you know, creativity stimulates the release of dopamine).

It is not necessary to draw if you are not drawn to it. Make a collage of your favorite poems, a box of “self-care” (put everything that cheers you up), sign up for pottery courses, buy an anti-stress coloring book. In the end, numerous psychologists point out that the very existence of a hobby can significantly improve the quality of life.

therapy - what it is, how it helps and what it is : Blog Alter

Many underestimate art therapy and even consider it unscientific. We talk about why art therapy methods work and who they are suitable for.

How Art Therapy Works
Types of art therapy
- isotherapy
- fairy tale therapy
- drama therapy
- puppet therapy
- sand therapy
- Music therapy
Who is this direction for?
What to expect from a session

Art therapy — literally “healing through creativity”; psychotherapy that uses creative techniques. However, it is different from a simple art, music or acting class. The goal of art therapy is not to create an object of art, but to work with one's own Self. It focuses not on the result, but on the process. That's why you don't have to be creative to go to art therapy.

Basically, art therapy methods are used in combination with other psychotherapeutic areas. This combination contributes to the most complete disclosure of the client, the study of injuries and the removal of blocks.

How art therapy works

Art therapy works mainly with unconscious processes. Its origins are well-known psychoanalysts - Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. They noticed that in creativity a person expresses hidden desires and emotions. Later, the artist Adrian Hill, who worked with tuberculosis patients, noticed the positive impact of creativity on the condition of patients. It was he who introduced the concept of "art therapy".

Many people do not understand their own emotions and do not know how to express them; it is difficult for them to establish contact with themselves and others. The reason may be internal prohibitions, negative attitudes or traumas that continue to affect the psyche. Finding and expressing these problems is easier in the creative process. You do not talk about yourself directly - but express yourself metaphorically: color, sound, movement. Then, together with the therapist, "decode" the message and work through it.

Art therapy helps:

increase self-esteem;
reduce stress levels and get rid of chronic stress;
get rid of anxiety disorder and depression;
resolve family and parent-child conflicts;
develop effective behavioral strategies and improve communication skills;
better understand yourself, your desires, needs and goals.

Types of art therapy

Art therapy has many types: as many as there are varieties of creativity. But we will talk about the most common.

Isotherapy

The most famous form of art therapy is drawing therapy. Its popularity is due to the fact that drawing is a natural activity through which a child learns the world. So, everyone has tried it at least once.

Everything is important here: the choice of tools, work with color, texture, image composition. The therapist can set a topic, or he can offer the client to choose it on his own, depending on the request and the characteristics of the person.

Isotherapy works effectively with the sense of one's own boundaries, which is often disturbed in children.

Isotherapy works effectively with the sense of one's own boundaries, which is often disturbed in children. For example, a common technique: the therapist asks the child to lie down on a piece of paper and outline the outline of the body, and then draw something inside and out. So the child begins to better understand himself and his relationship with the world.

Working with paints, crayons, water, paper - all this also develops sensorimotor skills. Which, in turn, push the development of the cognitive sphere.

For an adult client, isotherapy will help overcome constraint, dispel the illusion that he is incapable of creativity and teach new ways of self-expression.

Fairy tale therapy

Psychoanalysts often resort to fairy tale therapy. Coming up with a plot or dressing up his own life situation in a fairy tale, the client may come to an unexpected solution. Free flight of fantasy and associations with childhood contribute to self-disclosure. Therefore, fairy tale therapy is used in work not only with children, but also with adults.

Drama therapy

Improvisation and playing different roles helps to improve the social and communicative sphere. The client develops empathy, learns to better feel his body, express emotions and build interaction with others. Also, drama therapy helps to get rid of muscle blocks and clamps, as a result - to establish psychosomatics.

Puppet therapy

A combination of fairy tale and drama therapy. It shows itself well in working with children: it is natural for them to “act out” traumatic situations and emotional experiences. With the help of doll therapy, the child develops empathy and learns effective behavior patterns.

Sand therapy

Carl Jung was the first to use sand therapy in his work. With the help of creative images in the sand, he addressed the unconscious experience of the client and "extracted" deep emotions and early experiences.

The client draws or creates various forms in the sand, reorganizes them, destroys them, remakes them. In the process, he discusses with the therapist what is happening. Creative flow and sensory impact relax, allow you to open up, “remember” and work through repressed experiences.

Music therapy

Have you noticed that music can change your mood? Art therapy uses this effect. During the session, the client can both listen to musical works, react to them emotionally, discuss it with the therapist, and compose melodies on their own.

For whom this direction is suitable

Art therapy is suitable for both children and adults. Her advantage in working with children is an element of play, expressiveness and no need to talk a lot. Thanks to the latter, art therapy shows itself well in working with children with autism spectrum disorder. There are many among them who find it difficult to express themselves verbally, and the world around them seems to them a chaotic incomprehensible structure.

Many are engaged in creativity in childhood, but stop doing it with age. And they stop being open and forbid themselves emotions.

Art therapy helps develop communication and cognitive skills, understand others and feel more confident.

Art therapy gives adults a better understanding of themselves and their feelings. Many people are engaged in creativity in childhood, but stop doing it with age. And they stop being open and forbid themselves emotions. This is bad for both psychological and physical health - art therapy addresses the "emotional brain" of a person and reveals all its benefits for a person.

Art therapy helps people who have experienced a serious illness to accept what happened and go through treatment. It shows how not to accumulate experiences in yourself, continue to enjoy life, and prevents deep depression.

What to expect from the session

An art therapy session starts the same way as in any other direction: with a request. You will discuss problems and goals with your therapist. During the creative process, the therapist may ask how you feel or guide your activities. Upon completion of the work, you will interpret the result of creativity, discussing what thoughts and memories arose in the process.

The effect can be felt already after the first session, and maybe only after a while. It depends on the individual characteristics of the client and the complexity of the request.

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