+ Table of contents Introduction: the aim of this magazine
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What is art? What is psychology? What is psychotherapy?
Art psychotherapy: background and history
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General public opinion Origins and first emergence Art psychotherapy in the present
Types of therapies: differences of each type 10-11 Approaches to psychotherapy Psychoanalysis or psychodynamic Behaviour based Cognitive based Humanistic based Integrative or hollistic
Why art psychotherapy: pros and cons
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Unique features of art psychotherapy Techniques in art psychotherapy Comparison with counselling therapy
Conclusion: overall analysis
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Advantages and disadvantages A recap summarising what has been learnt Current applications and future predictions
Appendix: for your references Bibliography Further reading
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What is art? The oldest documented form of visual art is the Bhimbetka and Daraki Chattan cupules which is a prehistoric art that has been dated to around 700000 BC. Art is often characterised by expression, communication of emotion and often represents reality or society at the time. Most people examine art through its principles: space, color, shape, value, texture and line, and elements: balance, contrast, pattern and movement.
Although these two subjects seem very different, both have theraptic benefits with art proven to be able to help cope with Stress and psychology being a method used to examine and help those in need.
In the early days of psychology, there were two theories regarding how the brain worked: structuralism and functionalism. Structuralism was created by Wilhelm Wundt and suggested that the goal of psychology is to study the structure of the mind and consCiousness. Functionalism was created in response to structuralism and suggested that understanding the purpose of the mind and consciousness is the aim of psychology
What is psychology?
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The ancient Greeks were the first to identify mental sickness as medical conditions rather than as signs of deities or gods When there were suggestions of “talking” in the treatment of emotional problems, the English psychiatrist Walter Cooper Dendy first introduced the term “psychotherapeia” In 1853, Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud began working with neurotic patients and treating them by listening and providing interpretations For the next years, Freud’s methods of psychoanalysis were the main type of psychotherapy practiced in clinics - Over the years, this has been enhanced to include emphasis on the thoughts and feelings of the patient
What is psychotherapy?
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First emerged in the late 1940s, with the British artist Adrien Hill acknowledged as the first person to use the term ‘art therapy’ It was during the end of the 18th century that visual arts became more associated with self expression The first half of the19th century saw the development of psychologically based methods of treatments, including forms of verbal psychotherapy and hints that art, music and drama were useful therapeutic expressions in the treatment of mental patients By the 20th century, art psychotherapy became an official field requiring certifcation and training in both art and psychology To this day, art psychotherapy is still commonly used to help clients tap into their inner thoughts through creative expressions Psychologists use patients' free form art expressions and encouraged them to talk about their feelings towards art pieces Combined with verbal psychotherapy, this can easily help patients deal with strong emotions and improve their self esteem Findings show that art psychotherapy not only help decrease symptoms of stress and improve the quality of living for both adults and children, but also stimulate mental function in older adults with dementia and reduced depression in Parkinson patients However, art psychotherapy can be expensive at times and might not work for everyone as it requires quite a lot of commitment
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1942: The phrase “art therapy” first used While recovering from tuberculosis, Adrian Hill realised the therapuetic value of art for the sick and published his ideas of “art therapy” in the book Art Versus Illness.
~1950: Edith Kramer Kramer taught art in the US and worked with children who were labeled as “disturbed”. She contributed to the fields of art psychotherapy through a number of influential writings such as her book Art as Therapy With Children
~1950: Susan Bach A pioneer for art therapy in Britain - Bach found out patients suffering from mental disorders often had reoccuring colours and symbols in their artworks, allowing her to believe art could work as an aid for mental illnesses.
1964: First art therapy program founded The British Association of Art Therapists - an organisation centered around the visual arts based approaches to treatment for those in need of help - was founded
~1970: Art therapy becomes more common In the 1970s, more attention was placed on art as therapy. Among these were therapists who practised “art as therapy” - the process of art as a healing power, and “art psychotherapists” who used art as a healing tool within frameworks of verbal psychotherapy
~1950: Margaret Naumburg A pioneer for art therapy in the US - Naumburg believed art had the power to unlock repressed feelings and express an individuals’ inner emotions.
1969: American Art Therapy Association Launched Although plans for an art therapy based organisation had been bubbling for years, it was not until May 8 1969 when an organisation specialising in art therapy was officially created.
~2020: Art therapy revitalised Art therapy in the past decade started as a part of expanding social services as well as a focus on the healing aspects of expressive arts. Over time, art therapy has grown to be a bigger community and art therapists now work collaborately with health professionals, trauma relief teams etc to address the needs of those in need of mental support
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Approaches to psychotherapy can be grouped into 5 categories 1.
Psychoanalysis/psychodynamic therapy -
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Characterised by a close working partnership between the therapist and the patient focuses on correcting the patient's problematic behaviours, feelings and thoughts by discovering their unconscious motivation It is mostly closely identified with Sigmund Freud
Behaviour therapy -
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Focuses on teaching patients roles in developing normal behaviours Several variations have developed since it emerged in the 1950s, with the most popular one being cognitive behaviour therapy Classical conditioning is a method often used Classical conditioning was discovered by Ivan Pavlov and is a method related to associative learning An example of classical conditioning is when dogs begin drooling when they hear their dinner bell because they associate the bell with food Desensitising is another form of classical conditioning where the therapist helps resolve the client’s phobia through repeated exposure to the phobia Another important psychologist in behaviour therapy is EL Thorndlike, who discovered operant conditioning Operant conditioning is a type of method that relies on rewards and punishments to shape people’s behaviour
Cognitve therapy -
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Unlike behaviour therapy, cognitive therapy puts heavy emphasis on what the patient thinks instead of what they do The ideology behind cognitive therapy is that its dysfunctional thinking that results in dysfunctional emotions or behaviour, so by changing their thoughts, their behaviour and feelings can change as well Major figures in cognitive therapy include Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck
Humanistic therapy -
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This approach focuses on themes of concern and respect and tests the patient's capacity to make logical choices and develop to their full potential Some important humanistic psychologists include Jean Paul Sartre, Martin Buber and Sører Kierkegaard There are three main types of humanistic therapies: client centered therapy, gestalt therapy and existential therapy Client centered therapy rejects the idea of therapists being authorities to their clients’ experiences and instead help clients change by expressing their concern and interest for the client Gestalt therapy emphasises organismic holism, the importance of being aware of the presence and accepting yourself Existential therapy focuses on free will, the search of meaning and self determination
Intergrative/hollistic therapy -
Many therapists choose to blend elements from the different approaches in order to tailor their treatment so it best suits their clients’ needs
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Art therapy -
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Alternative to traditional talk therapy The goal of art therapy is to improve an individual’s well being by encouraging their exploration into creative development Cost is more reasonable, often cheaper Sessions can be more flexible, based on your own time The total art therapy cost for three months is roughly USD$42.70
Similarities
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More focused on speech An hour session is roughly USD$150 More suited for clients who are more comfortable expressing themselves through words
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Usually one on one sessions but might take place in a group setting depending on the client’s preferences
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Offered in clinical settings
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The therapist usually focuses on building trust with client so they can engage with them at a deeper level
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Over time, the therapist looks at opportunities to help clients identify, express and process their emotions
Counselling Therapy
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Art therapy techniques -
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Perception: art therapy explores an individual’s thoughts towards a created artwork. As one individual's perception of a piece of artwork is different from another’s, by asking patients to address their emotions and thoughts towards a piece of artwork, this helps the individual both recognise and validate their emotions, as well as act as a stress reliever Personal integration: the creative process of producing an artwork allows patients to incorporate their personal experiences and express private thoughts in a non-threatening medium. As they are able to make their emotions visible through artistic processes, this allows them to visualise emotions they may not immediately understand, allowing them to grow more comfortable with their identity and self image Emotional regulation: art therapy focuses on the regulation of emotions as patients channel their expressions through creative processes, leading to patients developing a greater emotional control and the ability to self regulate and assess their emotions in social situations Behaviour modification: the artistic process allows for an alternative and potentially safer way of managing behaviours and emotions, allowing patients to channel their emotions into producing an artwork instead of taking it out on others or themselves
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Although anyone can apply for an art psychotherapy session, it is most recommended for individuals who have suffered from trauma - such as rape or domestic abuse victims, those coping with post traumatic stress - such as military veterans, those suffering from physical health condutions - such as cancer, heart diseases or brain injuries, or those coping with hallucinations or individuals with autism, dementia, social anxiety or any other form of mental disorder that makes verbal communicate dificult
Limitations Although art therapy is considered extremely useful in terms of mental health counselling, there are still limitations and art therapy might not be suitable for everyone Not as independent or private: although both art therapy and counselling therapy allow for one on one sessions, one on one sessions for art therapy is not as common due to convenience so most art therapy sessions take place with one counselor along with several other participants Might not be suitable for those who are not interested in the concept of art therapy: although experience and talent in art is not required to join an art therapy session, art therapy is most ideal for individuals with an artistic background who are either interested in artistic expression or believe this form of therapeutic method be more beneficial than verbal counselling
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ADVANTAGES - good alternative if the patient prefers non verbal means of counselling - helps patients get a better understanding of their emotions - allow patients an alternative method of dealing with stress - help patients keep their feelings under control, be more in tune with their emotions
DISADVANTAGES - might cause frustration for those who are not so interested in the concept - might not be as effective as verbal counselling as it requires for patients to figure out their emotions through art instead of through communicating with the psychologist
Current applications, future predictions As of 2020, the American Art Therapy Association has about 5000 members. On the other hand, art therapy is not very commonly found in Hong Kong and remains an unfamiliar market to many. Many therapists choose to presue a career solely in psychology rather than art psychotherapy. This is due to the difference in salery between the two career paths and the risky reality of persuing a career in art therapy. As most Hong Kong citizens are unfamiliar with the concept of art therapy and with verbal counselling being a lot more wellknown method of psychotherapy, there are not many clinics that focus on art therapy, with only a couple of clinics having listings and sessions for art psychotherapy. Although at first I was skeptical of the benefits of art psychotherapy, after researching and creating this magazine, I think the future of art psychotherapy has a lot of potential, especially for victims suffering from trauma or patients suffering from mental disorders such as anxiety that might result in them feeling uncomfortable with verbal counselling. It is still too early to predict
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+ Bibliography About Art Therapy https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/
Art Therapy - Type of Therapy https://careersinpsychology.org/art-therapy/
History of Psychotherapy https://psychcentral.com/lib/history-of-psychotherapy/
Psychotherapy vs Art Therapy https://christineloughery.wordpress.com/category/psychotherapy-vsart-therapy/
The Arts in Psychotherapy https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S01974556183013 21
What is Psychology https://www.simplypsychology.org/whatispsychology.html
What is Art https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-arthistory/chapter/wha t-is-art/