Art therapy is a relatively new technique, which, nevertheless, is actively used in modern psychology. This type of correction is based on a person’s creative activity, which, in fact, is evidenced by his name (art from English - art).
Art therapy and the history of its development
Of course, art and artistic activity began to appear even among primitive people. In ancient times, it was art that served as a means of communication. The term itself was coined by Adrian Hill in 1938. During this period, the artist worked in sanatoriums, mainly with tuberculosis patients. It was he who first noted that art classes have a positive effect on the condition of patients and accelerate the healing process.
The first professional use of this technique was carried out in the USA - then art therapy was used for children who were taken out of the Nazi camps during the war. And already in 1960, the American Art Therapy Association was created. Since then, a similar type of psychocorrection has become increasingly popular.
After all, art therapy has no contraindications or any side effects. This technique can be used in almost any case with any patient, whether it be a child or an elderly person.
Art therapy and its main types
Today, there are many varieties of art therapy. In fact, practically any kind of art is suitable for treatment in which a person can express himself in one way or another.
- Naturally, the most popular technique is art therapy (in the narrow sense). This implies the use of all pictorial art forms, from drawings and photographs to sculptures and other crafts.
- Music therapy - of course, with the help of sounds, a person can express his emotions and feelings, which is what doctors use.
- Bibliotherapy is another interesting type of treatment, which includes not only reading ready-made literary works, but also composing your own stories, poems and fairy tales.
- Dance Therapy - It has been observed that it is much easier for some patients to release feelings in the dance.
Of course, these are far from all treatments. Art therapy uses a wide variety of art forms. It is worth noting that the number of correction methods is growing all the time.
Art Therapy: Key Tasks
To date, fans of the “art treatment” are sure that the inner “I” of a person can be discerned in those images that he creates during the session. Such treatment is aimed primarily at self-knowledge. With the help of fine art, a person can express and study a variety of feelings, starting from love, ending with resentment and fear. By the way, art therapy is very often used as a fight against a variety of phobias.
During an at-therapy session, the following tasks are carried out:
- with the help of a drawing, a person gives vent to negative emotions - resentment, aggression, hatred, anger;
- art helps the patient concentrate on their own feelings and feelings;
- regular art therapy classes help to work out even the most suppressed feelings and thoughts, as well as gradually develop self-control;
- In addition, the psychologist receives very valuable material for psychodiagnostics, because the drawings can give a lot of information useful to the specialist and discover hidden problems.
As for the indications for such treatment, there are a lot of them - this is depression and fear, as well as low self-esteem, conflicts, anxiety, loneliness, etc.
Art therapy: exercises for self-treatment
In fact, there are many ways to get rid of negativity and express your own feelings. Of course, it is best to turn to a specialist for help, but you can try to conduct several sessions yourself. Experiment with colors, shapes, textures, etc.
Another interesting way is the so-called “scribble exercise”. To get started, draw a complex tangle of lines on the sheet. When drawing, try not to follow the lines - just let your hand move freely. After peering into the scribbles you painted, try to comprehend their meaning, to determine the feelings that make you senseless at first glance drawing. Below, write a short commentary on the picture, in which express the experienced emotions. Repeat the exercise systematically and compare comments.