When I tell someone I am an Art Therapist they sometimes respond with, “Oh, I love adult coloring books!” This response highlights for me the need for more understanding of what art therapy really is. While adult coloring books are great and they can be beneficial for your mental health, art therapy can be so much more than just this.
Art therapy is the creative expression of yourself through art. It is the process of allowing art to be the vessel of communication of who you are to your therapist. Also, doing art can be therapeutic in itself. Art therapy provides that freedom that you need to create something for yourself, and to mirror yourself back to yourself. It is a brilliant way to actually see what is going on inside of you in a new way. It can be playful or serious, beautiful or ugly, careful or haphazard. You do not even have to be artistic to do art therapy! Your art therapist might introduce you to painting, clay, wax, sand, fabric, yarn, wood, mix media, and so on in your sessions. Your art therapist will work with you, helping and teaching you how to use art in different ways in your healing process.
Art therapy is about you to putting your individual expression into the work, putting your emotions into the work, and allowing your vulnerable parts to be seen, first by yourself and then by your therapist.
As an art therapist at Full Heart Family Therapy, I love working with adults to get back in touch with their creative instincts and use them in a creative healing process. Talking about your work and the meaning it has for you can be vastly therapeutic. I encourage you to consider art therapy as part of your healing journey!
~Kaitlyn Schafer, MCH- TL, MS