LIfeLIneS BRENDA SCHOOLFIELD Schoolfield is a freelance medical writer who splits her time between Austin and Seattle.
The Benefits of Art Therapy any people think that art
How Does Making Art Impact the Brain?
What Types of Art Do You Do in Art
therapy is coloring in an adult
“The processes of creativity are healing and
Therapy?
coloring book or taking a craft
life enhancing,” says Juliet King, a
The art therapist tailors the art project to
workshop. While those activities have
researcher in art therapy and neuroscience.
the needs of the client. Projects may
definite mental health benefits, arts and
“We see people feel better, able to talk more
include painting, finger painting,
crafts projects are not the same as art
fluently when they are making art. We see a
watercolors, drawing, mandalas, doodling,
therapy.
decrease in symptoms such as stress.” A
collage, clay, paper mâché, wood working,
recent study used EEG to measure brain
sculpting, jewelry making, sewing, weaving,
patterns of people who were creating art
knitting, scrapbooking, or vision boards.
and people who were tossing coins and
The therapist will evaluate your treatment
rotating pencils. The brains of the people
goals, experience, and therapeutic needs
who were making art showed overall
when developing your projects. Different
increased power compared with the brains
types of media elicit different types of
of the people who were engaged in the rote
responses. Projects may change from
motor tasks of coin tossing and pencil
session to session.
M
What is Art Therapy? Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy. A mental health professional uses the creative process of making art to help clients communicate painful emotions and challenging issues. Art therapy helps us explain feelings or experiences that we haven’t had the words to explain. Many
rotation. Who Can Benefit from Art Therapy?
people who are dealing with challenging emotions can’t articulate how they feel.
Do I Need to Be Artistic to Participate in
Art therapists work many different types of
Young children may not have the
Art Therapy?
clients, including those with:
vocabulary to express what is wrong.
No, you don’t have to be artistic to
Adolescents may be defiant, angry, and
participate in art therapy. This therapy isn’t
refuse to talk. Through this expressive and
like an art class; you don’t have to worry
anxiety, eating disorders, depression,
creative form of therapy, clients can begin
about producing a masterpiece. Art
self-harming
to understand and manage emotions. Self-
therapy helps you express what’s locked
expression through the creative process,
up inside through coaching from the
guided by the therapist, can lead to a path
therapist as you engage in the creative
for healing.
process of making art.
38
March 2020 austinfamily.com
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