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Psychological impact of art
Essays on the benefits of art therapy used for special needs children
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Art Therapy and the Disabled
In chapter twenty-one of the course textbook, the reader is presented with the case of Mrs. Day. Day was in an auto accident and it was necessary to amputate one of her feet. The chapter tells of Day’s progress through art therapy and the issues that had to be overcome in order for Mrs. Day to come to terms with her treatment. Outside research has shown that art therapy is useful in the eyes of the patient with a disability.
The text speaks of the patient as a depressed thirty-five year old woman who after the accident refused to speak of the ordeal with staff or family. The goals of the therapy, as stated in Landgarten are:
“Art therapy goals and treatment in rehabilitation encompass
the following: gain a rapid transference; work on denial as a
defense by having the patient concretize her disability; expression
of rage and impotence; reveal guilt or punishment fantasies;
clarify the prognosis; work through perceptual inaccuracies,
mastery and catharsis; acknowledge former strengths; activate
motivation for recovery; regain some sense of identity; increase
self esteem, accept limitations along with new body image; delineate
new modes of adaptation; deal with discharge anxiety; rehearsal for termination and home reentry.” (Landgarten, 348)
Through the therapy, Mrs. Day seemed to come to terms with her amputation and was able to express things that bothered her. In two articles “Creating Art: Your RX for Health” and “Group-oriented community-based expressive arts programming for individuals with disabilities: participant satisfaction and perceptions of psycho-social impact.” The reader is told about patients who have disabilities or have suffered losses and how art therapy or even just creating art has been very therapeutic for them.
Take for example the case of Randy Souders of Ft. Worth, Texas. Souders, had always liked painting before he had an accident at age seventeen which left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. When he was in the hospital his physical therapist strapped a paintbrush to his hand and insisted he try. Souders says that to his “great shock and surprise the painting turned out much better than I could have dreamed.” He felt a new sense of self worth and has since turned art into a career. (Longman, 69) Helen Kossoff, another disabled person who has turned to art says, “Art is a way of spending time,. Not to be sitting around too much and thinking about yourself.
What comes into one’s mind when they are asked to consider physical disabilities? Pity and embarrassment, or hope and encouragement? Perhaps a mix between the two contrasting emotions? The average, able-bodied person must have a different perspective than a handicapped person, on the quality of life of a physically disabled person. Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, and Harriet McBryde Johnson are three authors who shared their experiences as physically handicapped adults. Although the three authors wrote different pieces, all three essays demonstrate the frustrations, struggles, contemplations, and triumphs from a disabled person’s point of view and are aimed at a reader with no physical disability.
This approach she felt was prominent during the art making portion of the session. Besides from the art portion of a session, Riley believed the verbal component of art therapy was important. Riley explored the stigma surrounding art therapy and the client's verbal expressions. From the book, Integrative Approaches to Family Art Therapy (Riley & Malchiodi, 1994), Riley states: “Hearing client’s language does not negate the process of looking at the art product. It is a synthesis of two creative means of communication.” Joining these two stories was key in Riley’s
In this reading, the author discusses their opinion on Deaf Art. During their own experience, they explain the expression and point of view of Deaf artists. As seen in their work, these artists gather their point of views: positive and negative. The author also discusses two of the Deaf artists that have influenced themselves the most. One of these artists is Chuck Baird and the other is Betty G. Miller. Seen on the website, the two pieces created by these artists seem to have significant meanings behind them. Furthermore into the author’s view of Deaf Art, he/she shares the value of Deaf art to this community. Because Sign Language is a visual way of communication, it makes sense that the community creates expressive art without words. This can also be seen in Deaf theater, storytelling, performances, etc. Not only does this art effect the Hearing world, but also strongly impacts the Deaf community.
I then came across the practice of art therapy. As a child, I've had a love for drawing and art, and I never really grew out of it. I saw art therapy as a wonderful opportunity for me since I found this both an enjoyable and useful study. I became interested in art therapy because it serves as a creative outlet for me to help people by applying what I love for them. I believe art therapy can help troubling patients because it connects with troubling patients at
Foster provides many examples of how physical disabilities are more than what they appear to be to the naked eye, throughout the chapters on deformities. He well argues how they are symbolic and make the reader
What do you do without either of your arms? What do you do for a living constrained to a wheelchair? What do you do without control over your own body? Many people in the world today spend their lives wishing things were not as they were, attempting to forget how they are, or trying to change how they are going to be. When "disabled" people succeed, it is commonly thought that those individuals are amazing for overcoming their disabilities and thriving in life. Is this really what they are doing? The following three women, Mary Duffy, Frieda Kahlo, and Vassar Miller transform their disabilities into the ability to create complex forms of art that force the audience to gain a different perspective on disabilities. Their disabilities become their power. The artists use this power to force their audiences to look at their disabilities in an utterly new way using the "stare and tell" method. These women do not succeed despite their disabilities, but instead succeed because of them
People from all around the world suffer from many different anxieties and troubles. They turn to things they enjoy so that they can forget reality and be somewhat happy or simply to communicate with one another. Most of the enjoyment is temporary and not sufficient, that is why they continue doing what they do. Creative Arts Therapy, also known as Expressive Arts Therapy, helps those who find themselves completely lost and have nowhere to go or anyone to go to. They can express themselves however they please. In order to better understand arts therapy one must have a knowledge of creativity, emotions and, of course, people.
“Art therapy is a form of therapy in making of visual images (paintings, drawings, models etc.) in the presences of a qualified art therapist contributes towards externalization of thoughts and feelings which may otherwise remain unexpressed”(Walter & Gilory, 1992).
For some, arts and music are the only creative outlets for students to express what they cannot put into words, and if these programs are cut, schools are robbing these students from the only thing they have to identify themselves with Students who have difficulty in regards to socializing in particular find a safe haven in these classrooms, clubs and events where they can unleash their creativity on paper, or through song. Not only do the arts programs provide academic benefits, but they also act as therapy and an emotional release for students. Elbert Hubbard said, “art is not a thing; it is a way”, so why do we regard something so crucial in a human being’s life as something so insignificant?
Kramer, Edith. “The Art Therapists Third Hand: Reflections on Art, Art Therapy, and Society at Large.” American Journal of Art Therapy Feb. 1986: 71-86.
...2005). Chapter 31: Arts and crafts as meaningful occupation. In K. Sladyk, & S. Ryan (Eds.), Ryan's Occupational Therapy Assistant: Principles, Practice Issues, and Techniques (4 ed., pp. 399-404). Thorofare, NJ: Slack Incorporated.
Art can benefit the unhealthy as well. With 34,000 soldiers coming back from Afghanistan as proposed by Barack Obama, there are many who consequently have mental disabilities or post-traumatic stress disorder. To cope with depression, or other symptoms, many doctors have used art programs...
Fortunately, a few weeks were given to me to observe in person the sessions, and I am supported by my on-site supervisor and learning from art therapy classes. The points I may miss in my art therapy sessions will be learned from supervisors or art therapy class and classmates. I also would like to share my experience. The relationship between the supervisors and the intern will be an important factor that elicits better effects of art therapy, as much as the relationship between the therapist and the client.
Trauma, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. In order to process and overcome a traumatic experience, most seek a therapist. This is especially true for individuals who have dealt with childhood sexual abuse. There are different types of therapy and therapists that exist that individuals go to. Art therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that uses art as it’s main technique of communications in order to improve the emotional and mental well being of the patients. It combines the areas of human development, visual art such as drawing, sculpture, painting and other kinds of art and the artistic process with counseling and psychotherapy.
The arts have influenced my life in amazing ways. Throughout my life, art has been the place I run to and my escape from the world. As I’ve grown older, art has become so much more than that. Every piece of art I create is a journey into my soul. It’s a priceless way to deal with my emotions and my struggles. I create art not only because I enjoy it and because I want to, but because I have to. Somewhere deep inside there is a driving force, urging me to put my heart down on paper. I become emotionally attached to each of my pieces because they are like dashes on the wall marking my growth. Each one is the solution to a problem I have dealt with and overcome.