What is Art Therapy?
This is my first Blog. I thought about making this when I first began travelling in my van a year ago. But there was always a reason not to start (the van broke down, I needed to find gas and a decent shower, the sea was more appealing than sitting in a cafe - you get the idea). Being faced with the blank page was intimidating. The emptiness and endless possibilities of what I could create felt overwhelming. Until recently, when someone suggested I begin an Art Therapy blog, to help spread the word of what I do. It turned out this was the push I needed to just try it.
Over the next few posts, I plan to give an idea of what Art Therapy is, where it all started, and how it is used today. I hope to include some exercises that I love doing with clients, as well as some interviews with people who have tried art therapy for themselves, and perhaps speak to some other therapists or art therapy students too.
So let's start at the beginning. What is Art Therapy? It can be a difficult thing to define, quantify and prove. But the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) does a good job of trying. They describe it as 'a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary mode of expression and communication.' Essentially, psychotherapy is the theoretical root of Art Therapy, with art acting as a tool to facilitate the process. I use the word 'art' as a broad term to encompass any type of creative process. In my experience, this has taken the form of poetry, singing, creative writing, collaging, sculpting, painting, drawing, even cooking - the list goes on.
A useful way to look at this type of therapy is as a 'triangular relationship' (see Gilroy and McNeilly, 2000, for more information). This term highlights the importance of the art work - the object through which the client and therapist gain new perspectives. As described earlier, the artwork is also used as a form of communication or expression. Freud even goes as far as saying the process of creativity can tap into the unconscious mind, revealing deeper insights into the the clients inner world.
Having said all of this, it is important for me to stress that the making is as important as the final piece. The journey from 'blank canvas' to 'art work' takes time, energy, thought. The client is encouraged to feel safe in the art therapy space, so they are able to be as free with their art making as possible. Allowing for play and experimentation often builds the client's problem solving abilities, empowering them to find solutions or adapt to changes themselves. The final art work can then be observed, reflected on, even destroyed, to highlight what has been gained (or lost) during the session.
Describing the lessons that can be learnt from the process of creativity makes the blankness feel less intimidating to me. I hope that next time you're faced with your own blank canvas, you think about art therapy. Enjoy the process and see where it takes you. Maybe you'll end up writing a blog!