Is Art Therapy Right For Me?
Are you curious about art therapy but think you’re not good at art?
Many different types of therapy have shown up in the recent decades, to the point where choosing the ‘correct’ therapy for your needs may seem daunting and best and stressful or exhausting at its worst. So how do you know which one is the right one for you?
What is art therapy all about?
Simply put, Art Therapy is a type of therapy which allows the client to use creative outlets to address client concerns and goals. Art Therapy, which is a specific therapy which falls under the ‘Creative Arts Therapies’ umbrella includes many types of creative outlets from drama or theater, to collage, sculpture, movement, painting, drawing, poetry, play writing, dance, etc. Your Art Therapist will work with you to create a creative* experience which helps you heal and reach therapeutic goals. Oftentimes, because art is not taught past grade school and so many of us do not pursue art further, so we feel we are “not good at art.” On the contrary, however, your Art Therapist is not hoping for a masterpiece. We are far more concerned about the process and not the final product.
Can art therapy apply to my experience?
YES! Just the same as traditional ‘talk’ therapy, Art Therapy applies to all the same concerns, and goals alike. Art therapy is for Adults and Children, for couples and individuals, for people exploring their gender identity, for people suffering from PTSD, it is for people with Eating Disorders, for people with addictions, for people who have hallucinations, for people who want help to communicate better with a loved one, it is for people who are grieving, it is for people who are thriving but want support to change a career, it is for people who struggle with parenting, for people who struggle with adulting, it is for brown eyed people, it is for people with blues eyes and it is for people with one brown eye and one blue eye… hopefully you get the point I am trying to make. The beautiful thing about the creative arts therapies is that, just like traditional psychotherapy, Art Therapy can be catered to the individual and their needs.
Can an Art Therapist also do traditional talk therapy?
So long as your creative Arts Therapist attended a Masters level accredited program, your Art Therapist should also be fully proficient in traditional ‘talk’ psychotherapy. Art Therapists and Creative Arts Therapists often use both traditional talk therapy and creative outlets during sessions.