Art Therapy Papers

Lefèvre, Ledoux and Filbet (2015) researched the painting therapy not only importing the mental state such as sadness, anxiety and depression. Also, it can enhance

It is easy to dismiss art therapy and to look upon it as a pleasant but unnecessary intervention for older adults because it is not perceived as a cure. Art therapy utilizes visual art making mediums such as painting, drawing, and sculpture (Malchiodi, 2011). The creative process of art making employs the ability of art to express thoughts and feelings in nonverbal communication. Its purpose is to maintain or improve mental and emotional well-being (Malchiodi, 2011). It is worth considering art therapy as a treatment option, aging can cause a significant amount of loss. Deteriorating physical health or decline in cognition, caring for a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimers, dementia or some other form of lost capabilities, loss of independence, social isolation, and grief caused by the death of spouse/partner, or friends are common events that older adults live with. This can affect a person's sense of well being and purpose in life which has been associated with negative effects on their physical health (Pinquart, 2002). Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can increase in people 65 years old and older. Art therapy is particularly good at addressing mental health issues that affect a person's sense of wellbeing. A review of Outcome Studies (Slayton, D'Archer, & Kaplan, 2010) concluded that there is a pool of quantifiable data to support the claim that variety of symptoms, age groups, and disorders can be effectively treated with art therapy. Loss is

Art therapy is a Multi-Functional Psychological therapy that helps the mental mind in connecting things that are disconnected like a patient with alzheimer's where the patient's medial temporal lobe that’s the part of the brain that controls memory. The medial temporal lobe is vital in the brain because that is where the brain recollects the memories and stores them. When you get older the lobe gets weaker in which causes it to disconnect thus causing “memory loss” or dementia. In art therapy we like to cause a visual reconnection of that nerve so in which a patient then can remember more but in a visual stance as in some people like to look at photographs to visually which allows memories to reconnect. These programs are put into place to help anyone with mental issues they are put in place just to help.

Fard, Farah Joan. "The expanding reach of art therapy: though it's a relatively new approach to mental health treatment, art therapy is gaining traction and making a difference in people's lives." Art Business News, Winter 2015, p. 34+. Fine Arts and Music Collection, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=PPFA&sw=w&u=hillsbor&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA436797590&it=r&asid=1bc151430b53c85d758e9329f6ecf46a. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

emotions (Lister et. al, 2008, p. 248). The role of the art therapist is not to prohibit the

Art therapy is based off of experiential family therapy which emerged from the humanistic approach of existential psychology. Gladding (2014) says that The foundation of experiential theory is that the individual within the family are unaware of their true emotions and if they are aware of them they suppress them. Experiential approaches incorporate family play into session which is good because it helps,

Art therapy as an intervention For the purpose of developing a therapeutic intervention we will suppose that a preadolescent child with similar adverse experiences in reffered for art therapy in a school setting due to heightened social anxiety and poor peer relations. Art therapy is appropriate for children who are socially anxious as they often have trouble communicating their emotions verbally. the presence of art between the therapist and client allows for non-verbal communication.

Art as a therapeutic method was my primary focus throughout the psychology program at Ryerson University. I am familiar with much research regarding art therapy for mental disorders such as depression

Expressive arts therapy is the use of art modalities, creative process, and aesthetic experience in a therapeutic context. It is a therapy of the imagination (McNiff, 1992). Effective communication is an essential element in therapeutic relationships and, although verbal language is the most conventional means of conveying information, other forms can convey just as much as words. The arts are an alternative form of communication that has recently received recognition for their value in therapeutic settings. There is a long well-established connection between the arts and psychology. Expressive arts therapy builds on a natural, complimentary relationship between the two disciplines. As a formal therapy, this form is relatively new with its

For a long time I enjoyed creating art work, however I never thought of it as an outlet. I would have never believed that creating art work would be one of the reasons why I am able to come to terms with depression and how it does not define who I am; it allowed me to become who I am. Art therapy allows individuals to engage in the process of art making, ultimately allowing for a chance to release stress, find healing within an individual’s self and to increase a person’s well-being. My counselor did exactly that for me, I am a proud testament for mental disabilities and I advocate for progress and acceptance of individuals. My counselor aided me in discovering more about my depression, she allowed me to understand that depression was not enabling from living my life to its fullest potential, but in fact a chance to come to terms

Before we can understand what expressive art therapy is, however, an understanding of terms, like imagination and creativity, is necessary. There is a lack of consensus about how imagination and creativity are defined and who is capable of it. In therapeutic contexts, the essence of imagination is the substance of dreams. Dreams, however, are not just images. In dreams, sounds, rhythms, acts, etc. can be perceived in a sensory or experiential way (Levine & Levine, 2004). Creativity springs from imagination and is understood in terms of its qualities and characteristics: spontaneity, playfulness, motivation, originality, self-expression, inventiveness, divergent thinking, and intuition. Creativity pushes limits, breaks down barriers, and

To become an art therapist, there are certain duties, special skills and talents, as well as a higher education requirement. As an art therapist, I will need to be able to talk with clients, while involving studio art, such as drawing, painting, sculpting, etc., to asses the disorders or needs of the patient. I will have to write a progress report after every session and, using that, design sessions that are specific to one’s goals in therapy. In most practices, I will have to supervise staff, volunteers, or interns and purchase needed equipment. Depending on the institution I am working for, I will be able to plan art showcases or field trips to museums. The talents an art therapist needs tend be very communicationally skilled. One has to be socially perceptive, an active and appropriate listener, reasonably deductive, orally comprehensive, and recognize speech. Also, one needs to be able to critically think, make decisions, and coordinate

Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. A goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being.

What is art therapy and does it really work? When one thinks of a therapist and an artist you think of two

Art therapy and relaxation therapy are both viable options to reduce depression. Art therapy allows patients to express anger and hostility and helps reduce depression. (Im, 2014) There are many articles to suggest that art therapy is effective; however, there are not enough to understand the long-term effects of art therapy and its ability to reduce depression. (Maujean, 2014) Art therapists need credentials in order to practice and they are not readily available. Relaxation interventions can be given by anyone and can be done at any time; the patient doesn’t need a therapist to continue to do these interventions either. There aren’t any studies about the long term effects of art therapy on depression because when a patient is discharged from inpatient care there aren’t ways for that patient to continue with art therapy; therefore, art therapy, at this point is, only a great short term therapy. Studies to suggest that relaxation has long-term effects are also mostly unreported, but patients who learn relaxation techniques through therapy were able to increase skills that allowed them to reduce their stress and better ways to cope with their symptoms. (Lee, 2009) Relaxation therapy is a widely used therapy to reduce headaches, asthma, hypertension, panic attacks, anxiety and depression that is co-morbid with