Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a persons physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It is a mental health 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. Art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone, and it is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.
Art therapy is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, and forensic settings, as well as in private practice, in workshops, and small-group settings. Clients of all ages and backgrounds can benefit from various art therapy formats, and it is an effective treatment for persons experiencing developmental, medical, educational, social, or psychological impairment. Art therapy is facilitated by a professional art therapist, who is a clinician with a master’s-level or higher degree trained in art and therapy that serves diverse communities in different settings.
During an art therapy session, an art therapist works with clients to understand what is communicated through their art, which can help them to resolve issues as well as develop and manage their behaviors and feelings, reduce stress, and improve self-esteem and awareness. The creative process involved in expressing oneself artistically can help people to explore their emotions, understand conflicts or feelings that are causing them distress, and use art to help them find resolutions to those issues. Art therapy can achieve different things for different people, and it can be used for counseling by therapists, healing, treatment, and more.
