Art Therapy
Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses art-making and creativity to increase emotional well-being. Art therapy combines traditional psychotherapeutic theories and techniques with specialized knowledge about the psychological aspects of the creative process, especially the affective properties of different art materials. As a mental health profession, art therapy is employed in many different clinical settings with many different types of patients. Art therapy is present in non-clinical settings as well, such as in art studios and workshops that focus on creativity development.
Art therapy was first practiced in England in the 1940s as a result of the work of artist Adrian Hill and psychotherapist Irene Champernowne. Hill used his art as a means of passing time creatively when he was in hospital with tuberculosis and encouraged other patients to start drawing and painting also. In addition to taking their minds off recovery, painting and drawing appeared to help patients to express their anxieties and the scenes they had witnessed in battle during World War II. Irene Champernowne studied psychology under Carl Jung and became interested in the way Jung encouraged patients to use art to express their unconscious feelings. The center she helped set up in 1942 employed artists, dancers, and musicians alongside medical experts.
According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is based on the belief that the creative process involved in making art is healing and life-enhancing. Through creating and talking about art with an art therapist, one can increase awareness of self, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of artistic creativity. Art therapists are professionals trained in both art and therapy and hold a master's degree in art therapy or a related field. Art therapists work with children, adolescents, and adults and provide services to individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities.
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