What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is a way of exploring the spontaneous imagery which
emerges from our psyche, giving each person a way to explore and
deepen her/his understanding of dreams and images which often give
meaning and direction to our lives. It also allows us to move
beyond our usual mental way of trying to ?figure things out? and
find the underlying emotions or images in the total picture. Art
Therapy gives psyche a chance to speak through our hands and our
imaginations as we mold in clay, paint, collage, pastel, cloth or
other materials, and then process what emerges as we work. Through
the art process, as images form a series, clients experience a
?shifting? of the problem, a reworking through the unconscious as
the images change and evolve, pointing towards connections we are
not aware of. |
Art Therapy does not require any particular ?artistic talent? or
training, but focuses on the emotional power of the creative
process. Verbal therapy and Art Therapy go hand in hand, as client
and therapist explore the images, thoughts and feelings that
emerge within the dialogue and interaction of the therapy session.
Art Therapy in conjunction with Counseling is helpful for people
dealing with a wide variety of issues, including a history of
trauma, abuse and neglect, depression, anxiety, grieving, life
transitions, emotional and spiritual crisis or simply a search for
meaning through a deeper connection to the unconscious. |