Essay On Art Therapy

Art therapy is probably one of the more common therapies in terms of all the creative art therapies. However, I still did not know much about it before this course. It is easy for people who do not know much about the creative art therapies to misunderstand the intentions behind the therapy and view it as just a “music, art, or dance class.” However, through exposure of each of the therapies, I gain an appreciation and understanding of how each modality is used to help clients cope, recover, and express themselves in a nonverbally; especially when they struggle to find the words to communicate how they feel. Art therapy, as a discipline, integrates the field of psychology and art (Bui, 2016). It is noted that from a quick glance, it is does not look too different than a typical art class. However, what separates it is the cognitive processes going on inside the therapists’ head. Some people relate art therapy back to the roots of love (Moon, 1994). It is “the will to attend to others and to self” (Moon, 1994, p.10). Those who come to an art therapy session, are wounded in some psychological or mental capacity. They crave connection towards others and to experience love for themselves and others. Art therapy can be an outlet for them to express their desires and start to break down the walls they built up.

However, one of the main elements involved in art therapy is faith (Moon, 1994). Clients need to trust the process and trust themselves. There needs to be a level of “faith in the goodness of life, the arts, others, and ourselves” (Moon, 1994, p. 22). When clients have faith in themselves and establish a strong rapport with the art therapist, they are able to take more risks and allow themselves to be more vulnerable. Having these key points in mind shows the distinction and value of art therapy which is not found in a regular art