My Free TV on PC

Friday, June 27, 2014

An Introduction To The Work Of An Art Therapist

By Ina Hunt


For some people traditional methods of therapy may not work. They may be resistant and find it hard to talk about difficult issues. In some cases it may be because they are not confident with their verbal skills. In other instances it may be because they do not want to verbally communicate and this instance an art therapist may work as either an additional therapy or as an alternative to a more traditional discussion with a patient.

It has been known for some time that people suffering from mental, social or emotional problems often expressed themselves through drawing or other forms of art. Indeed a lot of people rightly or wrongly associate creativity with a different kind of mental perspective. It was only until the mid twentieth century that mental health professionals began to develop a formal frame work that would come to be defined as art therapy.

The first thing to understand with this kind of therapy is that it does not necessarily require the client to be a creative person. You do not need incredible artistic skill in order to illustrate feelings. Often the act of creating something and explaining the context of what you have created can be enough.

A good example is if a child or an adult has suffered from a severe trauma. They become withdrawn and unwilling to talk. In other cases they may be defensive and in the most severe cases even be aggressive and lash out at the people trying to help them, something that can often cause distress for friends, family and carers.

With art therapy it is possible to get people to open up through creative work. Whether it is through painting, sculpture or some other form of art it is possible for a patient to focus on the creative work rather than having to verbalise it. Indeed in a lot of cases the very act of creativity itself can release stress and be therapeutic.

In some cases their work may be used to aid diagnosis or it may be a part of the treatment. This is because the symbols people use in their artwork are often unconscious indicators of their current feelings. Often what may initially seem to be about one thing may be an indicator of a more hidden emotion within and a well qualified therapist will be able to recognise this.

However the creative process allows for a more objective perspective for both the therapist and the patient. By not directly talking about issues it ironically often becomes easier to discuss them. Over time this can then make treatment easier as a patient becomes more used to expressing themselves.

You can find numerous therapists online. It is vital to check that they have the appropriate qualifications and experience. In some cases they may also be part of a wider medical or mental health team. Use your regular search engine to find out background information as well as getting feedback from people who have used these services in the past. With the right approach you or someone that you care for will be able to get the full benefit from this kind of treatment.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment