For the makers and lovers of art, it comes as no surprise how impactful the practice of art is. Art therapy and its role in mental health care has been steadily gaining more recognition over the past couple of years. During a time where we all must stay at home for our health and safety, the world outside still changes in ways many of us are struggling to process. Whether you have lost a loved one to Covid-19, faced economic stress, or felt shaken up by the political landscape in America, you deserve to honor and embrace all your emotions and resilience through it all. However you are choosing to usher in the New Year, hopefully, there is a small space in your life for therapeutic art. Below, we will share the history behind art therapy, along with its benefits and range.

Art Therapy: What is it?

The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.” In other words, the combination of psychological theory and art-making are combined in art therapy to help people. The reason why art therapy is distinct from other forms of therapy is its non-reliance on solely verbal articulation. Indeed, art circumvents our conventional forms of expression, pushing on those limits of human connection.

Art therapy was first recognized in 1942 by Adrian Hill, a British artist. While recovering from tuberculosis, he uncovered the benefits of painting and drawing for his recovery process. Hill went on to teach other patients his art practices and further learned how beneficial art was in relieving their mental distress. He wrote many books advocating for art therapy.

Today, certified art therapists work with people dealing with addiction, PTSD, grief, anxiety, depression, etc., so the efficacy of art therapy seems to be even further-reaching than Hill first laid out. While this field is still blooming, non-pharmacological, creative practices for mental health and addiction show great promise.

The Benefits of Art for Your Mental Health

There are countless benefits in adding art-making to your journey around mental health. One element of art therapy is its phenomenological process. As Christina Blohmdal’s research suggests, art therapy focuses on the individual’s perception and autonomy, and the flexibility of the process allows people to not only make visible their inner life, but also promotes new ways of looking at oneself. The enhancement of emotional awareness and mindfulness can provide a sense of relief for those who are processing difficult emotions or situations.

In Hong Kong, Inhabited Studio has provided workshops on art-making for asylum seekers and refugees. While the article states that most refugees do not develop Post-Traumatic Stress disorder, trauma frameworks are often applied in order to fully address the “disadvantaged situation” asylum seekers are living through. The studio understands that trauma can be acknowledged along with promoting healing and resilience through art and mindfulness. They found that these workshops helped refugees regain emotional safety, ground themselves in the present moment through doing rather than thinking, and feel catharsis, along with other positive changes. Combatting political violence and helping survivors in non-pathological methods can allow communities and individuals to heal their relationships with themselves and the world, without judgment.

For young adolescents struggling with mental health issues, it can often be an arduous, long process seeking help and getting better. A research study conducted at Bournemouth University and Queen’s University Belfast explored how music therapy can aid this vulnerable group. Researchers found that it boosted children’s self-esteem and alleviated symptoms of depression. For teens, music therapy also improved their communication and interactive skills, and overall, every age group improved socially. They suggested that music therapy could be included in mainstream treatment.

Art’s focus on the process rather than solely on the final product can reorient how many of us are thinking. The art of making mistakes is invaluable while learning a new craft too. You can learn to let loose, knowing that each step, intentional or not, brought you to your masterpiece. The options are almost endless; you can crochet gloves to keep a loved one warm, play a sweet melody on a guitar, learn a new viral dance, or just pick up a pencil and start sketching. The world is yours to paint anew.

Finding Wellness in Art: Turning Pain into Beauty

Art Therapy: What is it?

The Benefits of Art for Your Mental Health

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