What is Art Therapy?

Art Therapy is way to tap into our authentic selves through inquiry and freedom that at times may be difficult to reach through words. There is a seed of creativity in each of us. We know this intrinsically as children. We play, create freely, and find ourselves covered in paint and clay while we experiment with color and form. We share our world view through images and narratives while including family members, friends, animals, dreams and more.  Art is a language that crosses geographic boarders, cultures, socioeconomic status, gender, age; it connects us to our deepest self, community, and the world at large. This makes the healing qualities of art accessible to many and reveals the true nature of art as medicine.

“More and more research is showing how creative process and art making is inherently therapeutic. It helps with cognition, aides in release and insight to emotions, and is somatic, using the body to create. Art therapy is a discipline intentionally using creative process with a variety of materials as a way to gain insight, integrate memory and the mind-body connection, learn new ways of being, and heal. It is most often used with psychotherapy and together help to treat a variety of mental health issues from trauma, anxiety, depression to issues with relationship and life transitions.  Art therapy can be used with young children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. A person does not need to have any artistic skill to engage in this kind of therapy as it is not about what the art product looks like, it is focused more on the process, meaning and feeling of the art making Art Therapists have a master’s level degree and use a wide variety of media like clay, sculpture materials, craft supplies, paint, chalk, and pencils. They are trained to also help teach people how to use media as part of the process and know how to use certain media as a way to enhance the therapeutic process for an individual’s needs. The final product is always viewed in non-judgmental ways and clients have visual progress of therapy in their artwork. “(Evergreen art therapy association). 

Students who graduate from the pre professional program in art therapy at Emmanuel College gain knowledge in psychology, studio art, art history, and art therapy. Senior year, they complete a full year at a practicum site, write a thesis, work on an art piece, and are prepared to continue their studies in art therapy should they choose to.