What is Art Therapy?
- Art Therapy is an integrative mental health and human services 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.
- 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 sensory - motor 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. (arttherapy.org)
- Art Therapy is a form of Mental Health counseling that uses therapeutic art activities to help people grow emotionally, cognitively, and socially.
- Artistic experience or talent is not required.Anyone can participate and experience the benefits of their own inner creative wisdom.
- Individuals strugglingwith anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, loss, and difficult life transitions may improve with treatment that accesses the creative side of the brain through a safe and therapeutic method of emotional expression.
- Children and youth who have trouble talking about their thoughts and feelings due to developmental, emotional, or English language skill reasons can use the creative process to learn how to understand their world and share withothers.