Art Therapy, a Different Way for You To Heal
By: Kala Gattuso, LCSW
You’ve tried talk therapy before, and while it has been nice to talk with someone you had a feeling you needed more. Art Therapy is a non-traditional way to start healing and processing what you couldn’t before. You don’t need to be an artist or have any innate creativity. Art Therapy will open your mind up to all of this and help you manage your daily struggles on top of it.
What Is Art Therapy?
As an art therapist, I will help you heal through different art mediums. These are all unique to you and your struggles. We talk about your history, where you are now, and what you want to work on and discuss what would be the best types of art to achieve your goals. Art Therapy uses a different part of your brain that traditional talk therapy cannot. This can unlock and help you find relief from overwhelming emotions, and trauma, and help deepen your self-awareness.
When we work together you have a place to have more choice, choice in the material you use, what you choose to explore, and how you see your struggles. You start to heal and create integration, the top and bottom parts of your brain talk more which means you understand more about yourself and have the opportunity to release and let go of some things that may be haunting you now.
But I’m Not an Artist!
You don’t have to be an artist, or even have the artistic experience to benefit. Our focus isn’t on how beautifully you can create a piece, but more on what creating this piece does for you. How does the art connect to your past, and how can it support healing for you. If you notice yourself being perfectionistic, self-critical, or self-doubting, art therapy can help you. It is learning, through experience, how to let go, to see beauty in things that aren’t all put together. To see your value and worth beyond perfection.
What Kind of Art Do You Use?
Clay (Various types)
Paint (Ex. watercolor, acrylic, tempera)
Fiber arts
Nature materials (Rocks, sand, leaves, etc.)
Collage
Scratchboard
And many, many more!
It’s not about the PRODUCT, but rather, the PROCESS. As kids, we are encouraged to play. Play is part of what helps our brains develop and advance as children. The problem is that need doesn’t go away when we become adults, we just make less time for it. Art therapy can help us make that shift from focusing only on the outcome and slowing us down into enjoying the here and now.
Art Therapy connects us to play, an essential aspect for reconnecting with ourselves. According to PsychCentral, “Playing is just as important for adults as it is for children. Among its many benefits, adult play can boost your creativity, sharpen your sense of humor, and help you cope better with stress (PsychCentral, 2022).”
Example of Mixed Media Art Therapy Piece
Resources
If you are interested in exploring Art Therapy more reach out!
Sources
(2022, November 9). The Importance of Play for Adults. PsychCentral. Retrieved January 9, 2023, https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-importance-of-play-for-adults