Expressive Art Therapy: How Creativity Supports Healing

Introduction

Humanity has used art to express itself in a variety of situations since its existence. Art is a product of human existence, especially emotion, imagination and intuition and efforts to understand and make sense of it. Several definitions can be made about art, but in terms of its use in this sense, R.G. Collingwood supports the view that art is essentially the creative expression or expression of emotions in his book The Principles of Art, 1938. In this article, I will explain expressionist art therapy through the definition that the one’s emotions are an expression through art.

What is Expressive Art Therapy?

Original abstract art paper collage works by Michel Keck. https://www.barnebys.com/ auctions/lot/colorful-collage-abstract-art-michel-keck-slx5f9pb8c

Creative arts therapy or expressive arts therapy is defined as a method that expresses one’s own emotions through art. The person being treated expresses himself through art, or in other words, art is used to express himself as a tool in therapy. In treatment the main domain is painting but other plastic arts include sculpture and collage designs can be tools. Besides, writing, theater, music, and poetry are used for this approach. Also, the feature that distinguishes expressive art therapy from art activities is that it is performed by a psychotherapist with instructions. In an expressive approach, the aesthetic comment is not made to the shares and the work of art, instead, emotions are shared. Expressive art therapy is a way that increases the self-awareness of an individual and in response to this creating art includes a personal meaning and emotional impact. Although clients of all ages will benefit from expressive art therapy, children are more open to it than adults who choose an analytical, verbal approach (Coleman & Farris-Dufrene, 1996).

Aim

The purpose of this approach is to both establish a relationship, create awareness and create the transformation one needs from art. This approach is used to express emotions through art, not to make art or produce an artistic product. Moreover, patient’s perceptions of the external world as well as their inner world play a decisive role here. While the patients reveal and develop their creative skills, the post therapist guides the patients to reach a healthier state with art therapy as well as the psychological therapy they see by following their intuitive perception. The aim does not require skills in any field, the art is not managed, does not contain specific rules and restrictions. And another important feature of expressive art therapy is that participants are not valued with aesthetic pleasure. The therapist guides essential questions to discover the meaning of the artworks that arise.

Differences from Psychotherapy

Art therapy is used as an alternative method of psychotherapy, especially for people who have difficulty in oral communication. It can also be said that the basic structure of the field is based on art rather than psychology. Psychotherapy allows clients to verbalize their unspoken and unfinished problems, while expressive art therapy helps clients mobilize unconstitutional inspiration. Today’s stressful, technical, impersonal and sometimes unstable environment leads to the renewal of cognitive, academic, emotionally affected inspirational and artistic spaces. In this method of therapy, all senses, such as hearing, touch, are used as a means of transfer.

Being an Expressive Art Therapist

Being an effective art therapist requires collecting solutions from a number of innovative methods to encourage clients to communicate their thoughts and feelings in non-verbal, less threatening ways. It also requires specialist training, competence, supervised practice and continuous professional development. Normally, individuals rarely have an awareness of their inner feelings and thoughts, while others are hidden in their subconscious worlds. Therefore, expressive art therapists should have the ability to understand both the inner and outer world of clients and to be in balance.

Sub-Approaches

1. As a part of expressive art therapy, play therapy is a dynamic approach to counseling people not only children but also the elderly. Frey (1994) stated that “play enhances physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in stages of human development” (p. 190) and can therefore serve many adults well. Because playing is a learning opportunity for adults as well as children.  
2. Music therapy is among the expressive therapies that use music to help people enhance their psychological, neurological, motor, mental, and emotional development, behavior and social skills, and overall quality of life through free improvisation, singing, songwriting, listening to music and discussing music.
3. Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is the psychotherapeutic use of rhythm and dance to affect mental, cognitive, social, and behavioral functions. DMT suggests that movement and feeling are tightly connected as expressive therapy.
4. Drama therapy is the use of theatrical tools to help people learn and improve their mental health. Role-playing, group-dynamic games, mime, puppetry, and other improvisational methods are among the various types of dramatic therapies that can be used as expressive ways in therapy.

References

Coleman, V. D.. & Farris-Dufrene, P. M. (1996). Art therapy and psychotherapy. Washington, DC: Accelerated Development.

Collingwood, R. G. (1958). The principles of art (Vol. 11). Oxford University Press.

Frey, D. (1994). The use of play therapy with adults. In K. J. O’Conner & C. E. Schaefer (Eds.), Handbook of play therapy. (pp. 189-205). New York Wiley.

Graves-Alcorn, S. L., & Green, E. J. (2014). The expressive arts therapy continuum: History and theory. Integrating expressive arts and play therapy with children and adolescents, 1-16.

Snyder, B. A. (1997). Expressive art therapy techniques: Healing the soul through creativity. The Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 36(2), 74-82.