about art therapy
What is art therapy?
Art therapy is an established and regulated form of psychological therapy delivered by Master’s qualified and licensed mental health professionals, called art therapists or art psychotherapists. It is not an art class or group.
Art therapy is designed to help anyone, including those whose life has been affected by adverse experiences, illness or disability. It is a proven treatment method in supporting participants’ social, emotional and mental health and, where needed, helps to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills and reduce or resolve conflicts and distress.
Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses art materials, and not just paper and pens or paint, but it can be clay, sand, magazine cut-outs, papier-mâché, collage, dough, chalk, charcoal, slime, fabric or any number of other materials and media including even water itself. A person can use the art materials to explore kinaesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic ways of expressing themselves, and find a voice through the art.
Creativity is at the core of healing and the act of creating has beneficial effects on the brain and the psyche, empowering and instilling confidence all while allowing the user the space and peace to process their individual stories and traumas.
Art therapy offers a powerful form of restoration that allows people to respond to challenging feelings or situations using an enjoyable, or even playful, therapeutic medium.
”Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” —Pablo Picasso
How long before I feel benefits?
According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, less than an hour of creative activity can reduce your stress and have a positive effect on your mental health, regardless of artistic experience or talent. The written responses of the participants of this study indicated that they found the artmaking session to be relaxing, enjoyable, helpful for learning about new aspects of self, and freeing from constraints. They also reflected that the session evoked a desire to make art in the future.
Other studies suggest that in complex cases, for example those involving deep trauma or serious health issues, the art therapy enables people to cope more effectively with a wide range of stressors but indicated that it was most beneficial when the person engaged over a long period of time.
The length of time you may need to engage in art therapy before you may feel that the process has begun to address the particular concerns that brought you to us will vary very widely. It would largely be dependent on you, the nature of your underlying issues, the nature of your engagement and the complications that may develop concurrently in your life.
At Chrysalis, our art therapists do not rush you or the process but work with you to carefully build the therapeutic relationship and create a safe space in which you can heal. However, we are also experienced in working within varying timeframes and firmly believe that engagement, for however short a time, has largely positive effects and results in an upward scale of successful outcomes, dependent on the length and commitment to the therapy.
What happens when I stop?
Therapy is not designed to last forever but to provide you with resources, skills and strategies to cope with the feelings or situations that have been worrying you, and to help you make better life choices going forward. In your last sessions, your therapist will help you to review your progress and help you establish what is still to be gained. In the closing of the work, your therapist will highlight strategies for you to embed and maintain the therapeutic learning and work towards long-term positive change.
