Artwork by Evelyn
Art therapy is a form of psychological therapy that utilizes the process of creating any form of art to enhance emotional, mental, and physical well being. Commonly involving paints, clay, pencils, and other mediums; art therapy focuses on the creative process of making art rather than the final product - which opens up the possibility to stress over the final product rather than enjoying the journey. (ironic, I know)
Distinguishing itself from visual arts, art therapy carries a therapeutic intent, setting it apart from independent art creation. Typically led by licensed therapists, this practice involves individuals or groups guided through the creative process by a professional. This facilitation supports self-exploration and expression, however it’s worth noting that while art therapy can be led by professionals, many individuals have found therapeutic value in engaging in artistic activities independently, with results comparable to professionally guided art therapy.
Regardless of whether art therapy is facilitated or not, it can still help in multiple ways. Art therapy encourages individuals to process their emotions, reducing stress and fostering their self-awareness. This practice provides a non-verbal way for people to express their feelings that may be difficult to put into words, which can provide both a creative and emotional outlet for them, since every individual has different needs to express themselves, and get the help that they need. This non-verbal expression of emotions can also dive deeper into the exploration of the subconscious, as engaging in the creative process can help people tap into their subconscious or their “gut feelings”, tapping into the feelings below the surface that could’ve been ignored or never fully understood.
Despite the fact that most artists consider their creation of art as therapy, this can become easily twisted and turned into a process where they’re too stressed upon the final product that they can’t focus on the process, or stay in the moment and enjoy the experience. This is easily ignorable in the end, but it also draws a fine line between art therapy and the independent creation of art that can have artists hopping from one side of the line to another - which can make the line incredibly blurry.
Even with the (sometimes) blurry boundaries of art therapy and independent art creation, art therapy has various forms to fit an individual’s personal interests and needs. Some of these include drawing, painting, sculpture, clay, and music therapy. These allow participants to explore their emotions, let go of their stress through the art, and enhance self awareness - all the while knowing that they aren’t required to reach a perfect end product. These forms of art therapy serve as outlets for self-expression, creating an opportunity for personal growth and emotional well-being. The key lies in the process itself, promoting a focus on the present moment and the individual's unique creative experience.
To emphasize: art therapy has become incredibly acessible over the years, as people started to lean further and further towards non-verbal self-expression and experimenting the non-traditional ways people chose to cope during the foreign times of COVID-19. Art therapy requires no talent or previous artistic skills, since art is merely the medium used for self expression, instead of the final product (of course, both can apply) Art therapy’s adaptability to diverse needs is also a part of what makes it so accessible, since activities can be modified to suit preferences, cultural backgrounds, therapeutic goals, and individual comforts - since some forms of art therapy can be triggering to other individuals.
Art therapy has also personally helped me through many hard times during the pandemic, as a pathological people pleaser, extrovert, and only child, I struggled to accustom to the “work at home” conditions of the pandemic that everyone else around me seemed to appreciate. I was left alone at home with my dog and homework that would take a total of 30 minutes, which had me finishing school at 12pm. By then I had so much time to kill, that I didn’t know what to do with myself. I started watching a bunch of netflix in hopes that I could escape into a different universe and that time would suddenly start going by faster than I could notice, but as I was trying to force myself to find a distraction, the harder it was to actually distract myself.
This is when I discovered crocheting - which I believe is my form of art therapy that I still do to this day. I had little to no fine motor skills prior to then, which meant that there was a huge mental block for me on how to connect my hands to my brain and get them to do what the lady on youtube was telling me to do. Eventually, I got past the mental block and I let myself loose. I found the entire process really freeing, as I was able to devote more time to myself and teach myself a new skill, and also “escaping” the reality of the pandemic by focusing on the skills I’m building, making anything and everything I wanted to.
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