For centuries people have known about the benefits of art. The best pieces can allow people to calm themselves or alternatively express inner anguish. In recent times people have learned to specifically train in order to use art for therapeutic purposes and an art therapist is someone who is qualified to do this.
From the early days of Freud and Jung most therapists have known about the power of creativity. They will have noted how the things people make in their creative projects may be symbols of deeper subconscious issues. A classic example of this was the ink blot Rosarch test in which patients looked at an ink blot and told the therapist what they thought it represented.
The first thing to understand with this kind of therapy is that it does not necessarily require the client to be a creative person. You do not need incredible artistic skill in order to illustrate feelings. Often the act of creating something and explaining the context of what you have created can be enough.
A good example is if a child or an adult has suffered from a severe trauma. They become withdrawn and unwilling to talk. In other cases they may be defensive and in the most severe cases even be aggressive and lash out at the people trying to help them, something that can often cause distress for friends, family and carers.
With art therapy it is possible to get people to open up through creative work. Whether it is through painting, sculpture or some other form of art it is possible for a patient to focus on the creative work rather than having to verbalise it. Indeed in a lot of cases the very act of creativity itself can release stress and be therapeutic.
It is important to emphasise that the end product is not the issue. Anyone making something does not necessarily need to be a brilliant artist in order to produce an artwork that a therapist can interpret. However the therapist will need to have sufficient art qualifications in order to ensure the work is properly supervised.
However the creative process allows for a more objective perspective for both the therapist and the patient. By not directly talking about issues it ironically often becomes easier to discuss them. Over time this can then make treatment easier as a patient becomes more used to expressing themselves.
There are a number of independent therapists and professionals who are part of treatment units. You can find out more about services in your local area by looking online as well as getting recommendations from patients or carers that have used their services in the past. If you are willing to look help is available and even patients who have had severe problems can learn to cope with the right treatment or combination of treatments.
From the early days of Freud and Jung most therapists have known about the power of creativity. They will have noted how the things people make in their creative projects may be symbols of deeper subconscious issues. A classic example of this was the ink blot Rosarch test in which patients looked at an ink blot and told the therapist what they thought it represented.
The first thing to understand with this kind of therapy is that it does not necessarily require the client to be a creative person. You do not need incredible artistic skill in order to illustrate feelings. Often the act of creating something and explaining the context of what you have created can be enough.
A good example is if a child or an adult has suffered from a severe trauma. They become withdrawn and unwilling to talk. In other cases they may be defensive and in the most severe cases even be aggressive and lash out at the people trying to help them, something that can often cause distress for friends, family and carers.
With art therapy it is possible to get people to open up through creative work. Whether it is through painting, sculpture or some other form of art it is possible for a patient to focus on the creative work rather than having to verbalise it. Indeed in a lot of cases the very act of creativity itself can release stress and be therapeutic.
It is important to emphasise that the end product is not the issue. Anyone making something does not necessarily need to be a brilliant artist in order to produce an artwork that a therapist can interpret. However the therapist will need to have sufficient art qualifications in order to ensure the work is properly supervised.
However the creative process allows for a more objective perspective for both the therapist and the patient. By not directly talking about issues it ironically often becomes easier to discuss them. Over time this can then make treatment easier as a patient becomes more used to expressing themselves.
There are a number of independent therapists and professionals who are part of treatment units. You can find out more about services in your local area by looking online as well as getting recommendations from patients or carers that have used their services in the past. If you are willing to look help is available and even patients who have had severe problems can learn to cope with the right treatment or combination of treatments.
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We can help you make the right decision with regards to choosing art therapist for your needs. To get the full details, see our official site at http://juliecast.net.
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