Art therapy is the use of artistic methods to treat psychological disorders.
Techniques
Goal: to help people with self expression, in hopes of developing new coping skills and ways to gain personal insight
Creation or appreciation of art is used to help people:
explore emotions
develop self-awareness
cope with stress
boost self-esteem
work on social skills
Techniques include:
What Can Art Therapy Help With
Used to treat a wide range of mental disorders
Used in correspondence with other psychotherapy techniques (ex: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT))
Examples of conditions that art therapy may be used to treat:
Benefits of Art Therapy
Less than an hour of creative activity can reduce stress
Individuals who experience emotional trauma, physical violence, domestic abuse, anxiety, depression, etc can benefit from creative expression
Examples of situations that art therapy may be utilized:
Adults with severe stress
Children experiencing behavioral/social problems
Children and adults who experienced a traumatic event
Children with learning disabilities
Individuals with a brain injury
Effectiveness
In studies with adults who experienced trauma, art therapy significantly reduced trauma symptoms and decreased levels of depression
One review of effectiveness in art therapy found that it helped patients undergoing medical treatment for cancer improve their quality of life and alleviated their psychological symptoms
One study found that art therapy reduced depression and increased self esteem in older adults living in nursing homes
People of all ages can benefit from art therapy. Research emphasizes that the presence of art can contribute to boosting mental health.
