- Collage.
- Coloring.
- Doodling and scribbling.
- Drawing.
- Finger painting.
- Painting.
- Photography.
- Sculpting.
When it comes to mental health, there are many treatments and therapies available to individuals struggling with stress and anxiety. Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy that utilizes creative expression to help individuals better understand and manage their emotions. This form of therapy has been gaining more attention due to its effectiveness in helping individuals process and express their feelings in a creative and constructive manner. In this blog post, we will be exploring the various types of art therapy that can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing. We will delve into the different techniques used in art therapy, as well as the benefits that art therapy can provide to those who practice it. Finally, we will also provide tips and guidelines for those who are interested in beginning their own art therapy journey.
What is Art Therapy?
Types of art therapy
You can customize various forms of art therapy to meet the unique needs of each of your patients. The most popular types of art therapy use basic materials and require little preparation. They can also be used in individual or group settings, depending on your patient’s preferences. You could use the following kinds of art therapy to benefit your patients:
Drawing
Drawing therapy can be used by patients to express their feelings and ideas and to unwind. On various surfaces, patients can draw simple or complex shapes using a writing instrument like a pencil, crayon, or pen. For instance, if you want to keep your patient’s drawings in a folder, they can use paper and a pen, or they can use a dry erase marker and a marker board for less permanent drawings. This form of treatment is beneficial because it allows for freedom and requires little guidance.
Scribbling
Similar to drawing, scribbling involves making shapes on a surface like paper or a marker board using a writing instrument. But writing involves drawing lines without having a clear vision of a picture in mind. You could suggest writing to a patient to help them unwind and reduce stress. It also permits more freedom and less pressure to produce a work of art that is aesthetically pleasing. A patient may be motivated by scribbles to come up with a theme for a more formal or profound piece of art.
Painting
Paint is used to create shapes and letters on canvases or thick pieces of paper using paintbrushes or fingertips in painting, which is another type of art therapy. Patients can use fluid motions to drip, smear, or streak liquid paint across a surface while they are painting. It may be necessary to teach patients the fundamentals of painting, and it can teach people how to overcome obstacles and work within constraints, such as using a limited number of colors to create a picture.
Wood carving
As a tactile art form, wood carving teaches patients to be precise and patient, which can have a calming effect and improve concentration. Patients can carve wood into 3D sculptures or textured designs on planks using tools like knives, gouges, and chisels. Although a wood carving may take longer to complete than an artwork made using another technique, this extra time is frequently beneficial for patients to commit to and develop confidence in their abilities as their carving progresses.
Collage
Patients can benefit from collage-making by releasing the pressure to master art techniques or produce an entirely original work of art. For the base on which to glue or tape images cut from magazines, books, or other printed sources, collage supplies include paper or poster board. Patients can cut these images however they like with scissors or knives, then attach the pieces to their base to make artwork. You could direct the patient to make a collage depicting their feelings or mood.
Modeling clay
Consider using modeling clay as art therapy for patients who enjoy feeling textures with their hands. Modeling clay comes in small or large packages with a variety of color options, and it is softened and molded into a variety of shapes using the heat from a person’s hands. Other instruments include scooped or pointed-ended sculpting tools that assist your patient in drawing designs in their clay. Patients can benefit from this type of art by experiencing it from various angles.
Writing
Writing as art therapy typically entails free writing journal entries, stories, or poems on paper, though some patients may also benefit from writing using computer programs. Writing in therapy is appealing because it allows patients to express themselves creatively, gather their thoughts on paper, and gain a deeper understanding of their own emotions. Giving your patient a topic to write about and allowing them to write whatever thoughts come to mind when they consider that topic is one way to use writing as art therapy.
Digital art
Patients who use digital art in therapy can experiment with a variety of artistic mediums and techniques in one setting. You need a computer with graphic design software for your patient to use, as well as a drawing tablet or digital pen, to conduct this type of art therapy. Patients can then easily fix mistakes or start over on an artwork by using various brushes and colors from the program library. Although using a computer program to create art requires some learning, patients have the most flexibility and options with digital art.
Textile art
Patients can express themselves through their choice of clothing, accessories, and toys by designing or modifying textiles, which also helps patients focus and process their emotions. Patients who want to develop their motor skills can learn to knit, weave, or crochet to make their own textiles. They can also sew with needles and thread, practice embroidery, or do cross-stitching. By creating unique pieces they can wear with pride, these artistic disciplines help patients to define their identities.
Photography
The only equipment needed for photography as an art therapy is a camera, but you could also provide your patients with photo editing software. Patients can use a phone or other type of camera to take pictures to express their worldviews, recreate memories, or reflect more deeply on their surroundings. Patients can express themselves through photography alone, but they can also incorporate their images into other types of art, such as collage or painting, to produce a final piece that best captures their thoughts.
What is art therapy?
The use of artistic expression in therapy patients’ recovery processes is known as art therapy. This form of therapy gives patients the chance to experiment with various artistic mediums in order to express their feelings, deal with their emotions, and enhance their capacity for performing daily tasks. By educating patients on the value of creating art at any level of ability, art therapy can also boost patients’ self-confidence and self-esteem.
Therapy professionals frequently direct and prescribe art therapy, but they can also work remotely and collaborate with other professionals and artists to provide art therapy services to a variety of clients. Some places you might practice art therapy include:
FAQs about offering art therapy
You can read more about some frequently asked questions below if you’re thinking about incorporating art therapy into your therapy practice:
Do you need artistic skills to offer art therapy services?
Art therapy can be provided by therapists who are not necessarily skilled artists. Instead, all you need to know is how each art form can help your patients and the fundamental techniques for using it. You don’t need to be a skilled digital artist to provide this kind of therapy, but it can be helpful to study digital art programs to help your patients better understand the tools.
However, you might choose to collaborate with a qualified artist to provide these services to lone patients or therapy teams. By doing so, you can encourage your clients to ask questions and give curious clients more details to help them hone their own abilities.
Are there special requirements to be an art therapist?
Even though any therapist can provide art therapy services, you might think about having certain credentials to demonstrate your expertise to patients and their families. To practice, you might additionally need a license, depending on your state. To assist you in deciding which national credentials are best for your art therapy career, review the following list provided by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB):
Who can benefit from art therapy?
Because artistic expression is beneficial for a variety of physical, mental, and emotional difficulties, any patient can benefit from art therapy. Patients of any age and skill level can advance in their treatment and improve their quality of life by using art therapy. The following are some circumstances in which art therapy may be helpful:
Please be aware that Indeed is not connected to any of the organizations mentioned in this article.
FAQ
How many types of art therapy are there?
Typically, visual arts like painting, drawing, collage, and sculpture are used in art therapy. Although they are typically viewed as their own distinct modalities, other creative arts like music and writing are also used for therapeutic purposes.
What are the 5 modalities of art therapy?
Expressive arts therapy uses a variety of techniques, such as writing, music, visual arts, drama, and dance, to help people achieve personal growth. It is an integrative, multimodal approach.
What are 3 uses of art therapy?
When used in conjunction with talk therapy, it can assist clients in managing intense emotions, enhancing self-awareness and self-worth, and reducing stress and anxiety. Drawing, painting, coloring, or sculpting are just a few examples of the creative expression that can be used in art therapy.
What are some art therapy techniques?
- Draw or paint your emotions. …
- Create an emotion wheel. …
- Make a stress painting. …
- Put together a journal. …
- Make sock puppets. …
- Use line art. …
- Design a postcard you will never send. …
- Create a sculpture of your anger.
