Published on 03 October 2021

Art Therapy: Eligibility Elements, Effects

Psychological Therapy art-therapy-eligibility-elements-effects
Table of Contents

We would say that Art is one of those things where humans lose themselves in another world, a world of creativity. Many of us would realize that creating or watching Art diverts our overthinking effectively. This is what art therapy does.

Put, Treating mental or psychological disorders with the help of Art is called art therapy. It's a therapy where patients who deal with stress try to find relief from various arts such as drawing, sculptures, etc. 

The creator of art therapy is Margaret Naumberg, an American psychologist and an artist fascinated by the art form. She was a 20th-century psychologist who established art therapy. 

Art therapy develops a positive attitude concerning feeling good about oneself, meaningful, and understood. Art therapy is one of the primary forms of psychotherapy. The deeper we delve into art therapy, the more interesting it sounds. 

Some sites identified 413 kinds of literature related to art therapy, where they found that art therapy is successfully used in people to reduce mental disorders. To clear out the air. Art therapy is a therapeutic approach to psychoanalysis of every individual facing problems related to depression, Anxiety, and a healthy lifestyle.

Brief About Art Therapy

Art therapy developed through different stages after initially being disapproved as an exact form of treatment scientific evidence. As time passed, psychologists gathered additional research material on art therapy and approved it as part of therapy for psychotherapy. After all these obstacles, finally, it started to become routine; Aroutinerapy was approved as a therapy in the 1940s.

Anyone can opt for Art therapy to cope with psychological problems. It's an experimental form of treatment that boosts your creativity with the help of Art. 
  
As per the American art therapy association, art therapy integrates mental health and human services, enhancing the lives of individuals and families by using active art-making, creative processes, and human experience. 

What Do Psychologists Do In Art Therapy?

Art therapy is the study of different kinds of thinking patterns and minds. The therapist follows no systematic pattern with a particular set of rules. Once an individual enters a consultation for art therapy, they are advised to utilize every aspect of their neuro pathways and colors on the blank sheet of paper. No judgments are passed along any colo. Anysed or strokes are drawn. It gives the patient free will to express themself on paper.

Art therapy is not the only one which is used as creative therapy. Psychologists use many therapies to overcome their person's mental disorders.

Types of Creative Art Therapies

Therapies have been a changeover to medicines. It is one of the ongoing and increasing industries in the world. Many people first try to get therapy as their solutions work; they tend to shift their focus to medication. Therapies such as:

Drama therapy

Every story has a meaning. Whether it be a relatable one or a level where you would get inspiration or motivation. In terms of Drama therapy, it works by giving you medicine, role play, movements, storytelling, or else voice. 

Dance therapy

Dancing is a therapy that makes you groove through the music and enjoy your zone of happiness by moving your hands and legs. It tends to change the emotional perspective, social worries, and other things that cause you mental stress. 

Writing therapy

Writing therapy is a therapy that helps express feelings through words. It is helpful for you that helps to treat conditions and mental illnesses. It helps with stress, depression, and Anxiety.

Music therapy

Music has now become a person's friend, just like therapy. It addresses the emotional, physical, and social needs of a person. It gives a calming effect when you listen or sing out from your heart. 

Expressive therapy

Expressive therapy is a broad category that you use to express through Art, dance, and music, which help transform a person's medical and emotional conditions. It helps with imaginative ideas and being more creative.

Frequently asked questions

Movement, dynamic, contour, and repetition are the four elements that are mentioned most frequently. Color saturation, a mixture of color, and figuration are only noted when a part is absent or present within the art product.
The psychodynamic theory of Freudian analysis is the most well-known theory in art therapy.
Art therapy may be helpful for those who are dealing with mental or psychological disorders. It also boosts your creativity by creating or experiencing art in those without imagination.

Techniques In Art Therapy

As we all know, Art is a medium where many of us communicate with each other. Even though some people expressed their inner thoughts with their Art, such as drawing, coloring, etc.,

Psychologists consider various art forms; when they conduct their sessions, they tell their patients to create Art. With this task, people can feel their inner child, which has been lost for many years, improves self-confidence, etc. 

Following are some techniques used in art therapy

  • Drawing
  • Painting, 
  • Photography,
  • Working with clay,
  • Coloring, 
  • Collage 

Effects Of Art Therapy

Art therapy is not an art class but a therapy for analyzing behavior patterns from a psychotherapy perspective. The role of art therapy is significant for the improved lifestyle of humans on this earth. In this art therapy, psychologists tell their patients to use a variety of Art, such as drawing, painting, etc., to help them cope with mental disorders.

The therapy proved beneficial for analyzing the accuracy of the emotional wound about its impact, depth, and intensity. People undergo different situations differently, and their reactions to them are diverse. Each problem is another, and its effect on each one varies.

As per the study by the American art therapy association, creative activity of less than one hour can reduce stress and have a positive effect on mental health without any artistic experience or talent.

There have been some appreciated effects of art therapy, such as,

  • Regaining confidence
  • Self-realization
  • Reduces stress levels
  • Reduces Anxiety levels
  • Increases self-awareness
  • Boosts self-esteem
  • Emotional stability

Some experiences have been found in adults where they reduce their trauma symptoms during art therapy. Though the exact sequence of these effects varies occasionally, there have been positive changes in people's lives treated by art therapy.

Things to consider 

It is always necessary for you to be considering some things that would be important. Art therapy should be done with a peaceful mind, which will help you immensely.

No need to be artistic

From children to old age, anyone can get Art therapy. You don't need to be an artistic person for this therapy. Some researchers found that the existence of Art can improve mental health effectively. In a 2017 study, Art displayed in a hospital related to the environment made patients feel safe.   

Art therapy can be taken at various places

It is untrue if you think art therapy sessions can only happen in a psychologist's office. Private mental health offices, inpatient offices, schools, colleges and universities, art studios, etc., are where you can get art therapy services. Art is the only one which can be seen anywhere. It all depends on you how you are going to see it. 

Art therapy is not similar to art class

The gene. The public often mistakes art therapy for art classes, but it is not like that. Both situations are different. Art class is like learning Art, whereas art therapy is coping with stress with the help of Art. In art classes, you make various Art through learning, but in art therapy, you make Art express your inner mind.

Who Is Eligible For Art Therapy?

Any person can undergo therapy from a qualified therapist through proper appointment. Counseling is done through art form and analyzed from different aspects of psychology and psychotherapy. Art therapy determines the range of voids a person has gone through. People can visit art therapy sessions and get treated for their discrepancies. Art therapy limits emotional outbursts for a subject seeking an improvement in behavioral aspects or modifications in well-being.

Regarding academic prospects, art therapy can be pursued with a particular set of qualifications required to be a certified practitioner. Several educational websites provide information about psychotherapy, with art therapy as an objective.

Art as Therapy & Art as Psychotherapy

Art therapy is not a mixture of an art class and therapy. The two are different subjects combined with a single mindset toward understanding human behavior from a psychotherapy perspective. If we look at Art as a therapy or an aspect of psychotherapy, we derive different elements.

Analytical:

Analyzing Art is not just an artist's work but is sometimes done by an art therapist to understand a person's mind. An analytical approach to understanding an individual's mind is always right. A person's path of thinking is subjugated to learning his aspects of sadness, depression, Anxiety, and emotional downfall. A detailed analysis cannot be drawn from the strokes or use of colors. However, a specific path to his thinking can be noticed through this method.

Behavioral:

In terms of the behavioral settings of the human mind, art therapy plays a huge role. The entire process of working a human mind can be explained if studied through this method. Art therapy from the behavioral side of exploring the neuropathways of a person can be helpful. It is induced in schools or mental asylums to help challenged personalities overcome behavior fallacies. A particular pattern of the mind can be understood from the behavioral side of art therapy.

Psychological:

There are still undisclosed patterns in Art as therapy. Psychology is psychoanalysis which is one of the cornerstones of artistic analysis. After years of research and studies, artists as individuals were misinterpreted through psychological analysis. Van Gogh, Picasso, and Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings are still studied as subjects of art therapy and Art as psychotherapy. Many scholars have attempted to understand their personalities and psychology through their paintings, but little progress has been made.

Emotional:

If we consider Art as a therapy and part of psychotherapy, a person's emotional well-being can be defined based on the emotions one feels. Emotional outbursts can study provocative actions, and a sudden fall of emotions is observed. A wide range of emotions a person goes through if he suffers from a tragedy, trauma, loss, or accident. Emotional loss can be overbearing as a person cannot understand his flow of feelings toward their tragic loss.

Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

Van Gogh described Art as an open form of expression. The reality contradicts Art being a cumulative form of therapy advancing towards the betterment of humans.

It's a therapy where you express your inner mind through arts such as drawing, painting, etc. There was a time when it was not an approved theory because of a lack of scientific evidence. Still, later, all psychologists came together and approved this therapy. Even there are some studies found where it is noted that Art can reduce stress effectively.  
 
Art describes unseen pictures from a person's mind; those are the harsh realities to be understood. In the end, Picasso needed treatment. After all, he could not be understood as an artist because people failed to understand the severity and act.