Losing Yourself in Art

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Recommended: Importance of art education

Most people have had to take multiple art classes through their years in school. In elementary through middle school, it is a required class for most students. In high school it is considered a fine art, which means that it is not fully required, but most students take an introduction to art class of some kind. Then in college, it is not a requirement, but it is strongly suggested for most to take the class. Depending on the college, it also counts as a fine art credit. Usually, students who only take these classes as a credit take introduction to art. This is where people sometimes discover how much they like art classes. For some, art is relaxing and fun, it is an easy way to express one’s self and to lose themselves in such a healthy way. There is a well-known quote that says, “Art helps you to not only lose yourself, but find yourself in the process.” Through the research I have done, I find this to be completely true for people who participate in art therapy. Even though it is not a very widely known therapy, art therapy is a technique that combines a safe place to talk about anything going on in a person’s life, with any form of art which can benefit many people. Art therapy can be utilized by the therapist in two different ways. The first way, the therapist talks to the patient as the patient draws. They not only listen to what the person is saying, but also observe non-verbals which is, how they act while drawing. When the patient is drawing, he/she is more likely to open up for conversations. For children especially, it is easier to use the art as almost a distraction. It can help them to talk about whatever may come to their minds, or answer questions without really thinking too hard about it because their focus would b... ... middle of paper ... ...p, Kevin E., et al. "Case Report and Theoretical Description of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) For Military-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Military Medicine 179.1 (2014): 31-37. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Rosen Saltzman, Marni, Monique Matic, and Emily Marsden. "Adlerian Art Therapy with Sexual Abuse and Assault Survivors." Journal of Individual Psychology 69.3 (2013): 223-244. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Thompson, E., and Shannon Trice-Black. "School-Based Group Interventions For Children Exposed To Domestic Violence." Journal of Family Violence 27.3 (2012): 233-241. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. Ullbricht, Catherine. "Alzheimer’s Disease: An Integrative Approach: A Natural Standard Monograph." Alternative & Complementary Therapies 15.5 (2009): 238-247. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

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