Art therapy
I have suddenly realised how much there is out there on the net about ‘art therapy’, and I can’t help but think ….. what a wonderful idea. I think we should all indulge in a little Art Therapy now and again, I’m sure it would help us to de-stress and relax a bit more. All the images on this page have been produced in Art Therapy sessions, take a look, there is so much out there all you need to is put ‘Art Therapy’ in the search engine, you will be amazed. This is just to whet your appetite for more.
Art therapy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses art materials, such as paints, chalk and markers. Art therapy combines traditional psychotherapeutic theories and techniques with an understanding of the psychological aspects of the creative process, especially the affective properties of the different art materials.
As a mental health profession, art therapy is employed in many clinical settings with diverse populations. Art therapy can be found in non-clinical settings as well, such as in art studios and in workshops that focus on creativity development. Closely related in practice to marriage and family therapists, many art therapists are certified additionally as MFTs. Art therapists work with children, adolescents, and adults and provide services to individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities.
Complementary Healthcare Information Service - UK
The use of art has always been used for self-expression and to convey ideas and emotions that are difficult to describe verbally. It's potential as a therapeutic tool became apparent after World War 2 when survivors of the war used art in hospitals and rehabilitation centres to help to overcome the traumas they had experienced. Art Therapy is a non-verbal way of revealing deeper emotions that may not otherwise be clearly expressed.
READ MORE HERE
http://www.chisuk.org.uk/bodymind/whatis/arttherapy.php
NHS art therapy for schizophrenia
Emma Wilkinson
Health reporter, BBC News Government advisers are expected to recommend art therapy on the NHS for people with schizophrenia.
The National Institute of Clinical and Health Excellence (NICE) will promote use of programmes offering music, art and dance therapy for the first time.
READ MORE HERE
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7612901.stm
Thank you for this excellent post. I am just recently exploring my creativity-since retirement that I now have more time, and it is the best therapy there is. I wish I would have learned this sooner as it would have helped me in my younger days when I was working soooo many hours per day.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this Loretta. Both of our little ones have trouble falling asleep in the evening during Daylight Savings Time, it is still daylight and they are keyed up from a day of outdoor activities. I remembered back to one of my favorite things as a child, finger painting. So we tried it with the children, only with a different twist. There is a product on the market that is like paint, but has a soap base and is used to 'finger paint' in the bathtub. It can be used on the porcelain tub and the ceramic tiles and is totally washable, does not stain. Many a mural has been created on the tub and shower walls before bedtime. Lots of fun, laughter and relaxation, makes it easier to unwind and fall asleep before the sun sets. A photograph or two to preserve some of the art and a quick rinse with a hand held shower and the clean-up is done.
ReplyDeleteGranted this is not the professional setting or the treatment of deeply rooted problems, but the similarity does strike me. For its purpose, it is a lot of fun and soooo much less expensive.
this is great
ReplyDeleteMany times I have sketched when tired or worried and it is interesting what those drawings reveal when I look at them later. I have also taken a workshop in "Drawing with the left hand" in which one uses the left hand (or right if you are naturally left-handed) to draw - many emotions are evoked in this way that can be dealt with by the skilled therapist.
ReplyDeletestrange... i particularly like the tree...i had to come back and look at it again! its really captivating!
ReplyDeleteI'm all for this, particularly as you can have tutors to coach you on. I have to do some painting soon, and it's been a while since I approached my easel. I've been far more concerned with my writing but now it's time to get back. Oh, and talking about 'art therapy' Loretta, yesterday I bought some very cheapo cakes of soap and did some soap carving while I was sitting on my sofa. Soap carves up nicely and I made a little horse statue. I think I could take to some whittling, as I like sculpture. While I was whittling away getting soap powder up my nostrils, I was thinking of Michaelangelo (for goodness sake!) and to his David statue. There's me whittling a 25cent bar of pink soap and I'm thinking of David LMAO!
ReplyDeleteI just had to be amazed, however, how geniuses like Michaelangelo could have sculptured such amazing works out of huge blocks of marble.
I've got two blue dots on my hand from work today. I don't remember when I got them, but I agree that this would be an excellent way to get rid of stress. However, in my case none of my drawings would turn out as nice as these nor would anyone, including me, know what they represent. Thanks for another interesting post.
ReplyDeletei just doodle
ReplyDelete:)
Oh the other thought I had was about art therapy. I reckon it's good to be able to have all the paint you want and just let fly with it - go wherever the paint and urge leads you - as your very free pictures illustrate.
ReplyDelete