What is Creative Arts Therapy?

Creative arts therapy is the process of expressing, communicating and exchanging conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings through the arts. It includes the visual arts, dance, music, poetry and drama. It is a method of exploring the self; new thoughts, feelings and obtaining a deeper understanding of oneself that might not have been recognized without seeing it visually or through performance.

Creative Arts therapy is about giving individuals the opportunity to use creative materials to express themselves through art, music, poetry, dance and even drama. They may be asked to draw about a specific topic or write about an event with a specific therapeutic goal.

Sometimes the unconscious is able to communicate what we are unable or unwilling to see consciously. Creating art and then taking a step back to look at it may help individuals connect meaning for themselves in the artwork. Often, the physical act of creating an artwork can help a person work through a solution to a problem.

What is Art Therapy?

When most people hear the term 'art therapist', they assume it is someone who can interpret drawings. The role of the art therapist is not to interpret the art but use the art as a tool to therapeutically work through a problem or issue. Art therapy is a combination of art and therapy. Similar to verbal therapy, a therapist would never try to interpret what a client was thinking; instead using psychotherapy techniques, a process of verbal exchanges would take place.

Art therapists work in the same manner with the advantage of having a visual image. They can observe the way the individual uses the material, interacts with a group, and will appropriately investigate the artwork with the individual.

Art therapists are trained to process the art created. They may ask questions about the art or what the individual said in response to the art. The session becomes similar to verbal therapy, with the art being the method through which they may gather more information, have a permanent record and help the person get closer to the issue.