Art therapy: psychological therapy through art

It may surprise you to know that art is a very effective therapeutic tool for the treatment of pathologies associated with mental health and well-being. It is a new discipline that aims to promote certain healthy habits, both psychologically and socially, through artistic expression. But, How does art therapy work?

This type of therapy is used as a means of expression, and can help patients to communicate, to reduce stress and to overcome emotional problems.

Art therapy: what is it?

Art therapy is a way of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of art to improve the physical and psychological well-being of the patient.

The expression of one's own emotions through art can help solve past problems and can help improve self-knowledge, self-esteem, emotional control, reduce stress and the anxiety, improve the state of consciousness, attention or creativity.

For someone to benefit from the positive aspects of art therapy, they do not need to be a talented artist, as the goal of this type of therapy is to improve the well-being and quality of lifetime.

Who benefits from it?

Art therapy works with patients suffering from mental disorders, for the rehabilitation of prisoners, to educate young people, to improve the well-being of healthy people, etc.

It is used with individuals with Posttraumatic stress resulting from war conflicts, sexual abuse or natural disasters; with individuals suffering from physical illnesses such as cancer; with individuals suffering from autism, dementia or Alzheimer's, depression and other disorders of a psychological nature.

With art therapy, patients resolve psychological conflicts, improve social and communication skills and manage problem behaviors while enjoying a pleasant and minimally invasive therapy.

Origin of this type of therapy

While humans have used art to express themselves and communicate for centuries, art therapy only began to be formalized in the 20s of the last century.

At that time, health professionals realized that patients with mental disorders tended to expressing themselves through painting or other art forms, which led to exploring the uses of art as a strategy therapy.

How does an art therapist work?

Art therapists who have a postgraduate degree specialized in Art therapy. This profession is framed within the caring professions. In this way, art therapy combines two areas, psychology andArts. Psychology provides the knowledge of the human mind and behavior, its processes and development.

Knowledge about art is important because the art therapist uses different media and techniques to work with his patients (painting, drawing, dramatic art, photography, sculpture, etc.).

The benefits of art therapy

After reviewing the most important aspects of art therapy, below we will summarize in a general way the benefits of art therapy:

• Allows the person to express their feelings, thoughts and emotions, so it acts as a way of liberation.
• It is an effective way to help those people who have difficulty expressing themselves and communicating.
• Promote the emotional self-awareness and the regulation of behavior.
• It is useful in areas such as rehabilitation, education, and mental health.
• Helps to improve the quality of life.
• It is very effective with people who suffer from sensory, physical, motor or social adaptation problems.
• It is useful for use with people with Down syndrome, Alzheimer's and Autism.
• It works with children and adolescents with learning disabilities.
• It can be used to treat phobias.
• Reduces stress and anxiety.
• Helps improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• It is very effective in eating disorders and body image.
• It is used effectively to treat addictions.
• Strengthens the self-esteem and helps patients suffering from depression.
• It has been shown to be effective in helping terminally ill patients.

In general, art therapy makes sense a highly stimulating task that is also very creative. At the same time, it offers a way to express feelings and points of view that, otherwise, would be reserved for the person, sometimes generating frustration.