Therapies
Art
Therapy
What
is Art Therapy
Art Therapy is the creative use of paint, pastels,
clay or art materials to help people communicate and overcome emotional and
mental problems. Art is a powerful form of self expression and is now
considered to be a valuable therapeutic tool, particularly in helping to
rehabilitate patients who are mentally ill or emotionally disturbed.
Art Therapy is mainly used in psychiatric hospitals and day centres, and is
practised by qualified Art Therapists or occasionally by psychologists. It
is not only a valuable therapeutic aid for emotionally/mentally disturbed
patients, but also a wonderful means to help ‘well’ people develop their
creativity and express themselves more freely.
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What is the history of Art
Therapy?
In the 1940’s, artists working in psychiatric
hospitals became aware that painting, drawing and other forms of artwork
could form the basis of a therapeutic relationship between patient and
therapist. The patients’ creations are said to reveal hidden feelings and
emotions and so help the therapist to better understand the patient as well
as being an important medium for communication.
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