Art therapy is a discipline that incorporates creative methods of visual expression, rooted in both art and psychotherapy, in which practitioners use paint, paper and pen, clay, sand, fabric or other media to help a person understand and express their emotions through painting, drawing or modeling. It takes three main forms: analytic art therapy, grounded in analytical psychology and psychoanalysis; art psychotherapy, which emphasizes verbal analysis of the artwork produced; and art as therapy, which prioritizes the creative process itself. The practice aims to improve cognitive and sensory-motor function, self-esteem, self-awareness and emotional resilience and to help resolve conflict and reduce distress, though a 2023 French nursing council review of about forty meta-analyses covering more than 2,500 studies found no evidence of its actual effectiveness on patients' health.
Facts
Origin YearSourced to the subject's own account Art Therapy
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FAQs
Is art therapy the same as an art class?
No. It is a mental health profession that uses art-making within a therapeutic relationship.
The American Art Therapy Association describes art therapy as a mental health profession. It works through active art-making, the creative process and applied psychological theory, within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
2. Art Therapy (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, Adrian Hill paragraph
British artist Adrian Hill coined the term "art therapy" in 1942.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_therapy, lead section
Art therapy is a distinct discipline that incorporates creative methods of expression through visual art media.
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