What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapists are trained artists and psychotherapists and are required to be state registered to practice. Art Therapy and Art Psychotherapy are interchangeable terms and involve the same extensive training to Masters level.
Art Therapy can help to increase self-awareness and understanding of our difficulties, not only through talking and reflecting with the therapist, but through paying attention to non-verbal expression, i.e. the visual image/object and use of tactile and visual materials.
An image can hold many layers of non-verbal meaning and communication, which can at times offer a more meaningful description of our feelings than words do.
The process of making art in art therapy can help to increase awareness of deeper feelings that may be harder to understand and access. For the purpose of integrating, letting go and moving forward, making a visual image or object to refer to and look at together, offers a different way of exploring the inner world. Alongside working with the therapist there is a visual ‘cushion’ from which we can explore any intensity to support the unification of what might feel difficult to think about.
You do not have to be good at art to benefit from art therapy. Everyone has used art materials as a child and we can all still tap into this mode of expression if encouraged not to think too much about being ‘artistically accurate’. It can be relaxing, playful and very enjoyable. Art therapy can be useful if verbal communication is difficult, or indeed if there is an overuse or reliance on words.
Art Therapists work alongside you to support you to see the meaning in your artwork. They do not ‘analyse’ your art. Art therapists are trained to guide you in this process, in a gentle and contained way.
