Art is defined as the expression of human imagination and creativity through aesthetic skill. In the archaeological excavations, it is seen that even the first people who existed in history expressed their feelings, thoughts and experiences in various artistic ways such as painting and sculpture. This reveals how art is intertwined with being human and how important it is for humans. ) and art with its emotional aspects; It has been a means of conveying feelings, creating empathy and relaxation on behalf of both the artist who reveals the art and the individual who follows the art. It has been realized that it has a healing power, and as a result of the studies carried out in this field, the art therapy school has begun to be developed. Today, art therapy has become a school of therapy that is frequently used in coping with the difficulties of daily life or in the treatment of psychological problems.
WHAT IS ART THERAPY?
Art therapy; It is a form of therapy that uses various branches of visual arts such as painting, painting, and clay work to help clients feel better and better mentally, accompanied by a mental health specialist (psychologist, psychological counselor, psychiatrist) who has completed their training in this field. Art therapy can also be actively used in individual therapy or group therapy, therapy work with children, and family therapy. Art therapy can be used throughout the psychotherapy process of the person, or it can be applied by the therapist at the points needed in methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Schema Therapy, Play Therapy.
In the art therapy method, emotions are primarily expressed through art. While making this expression, it is not necessary to explain all the problems verbally. Art plays a mediating role in expressing feelings and experiences. In the stage of expressing emotions, many senses such as touch, sight, balance and movement, smell come into play.
Art in The artistic products obtained in the rapport can also be interpreted in symbolic ways and analyzed psychologically by the mental health specialist. Thanks to the interpretation of the resulting products in symbolic ways, unconscious contents are also reflected in art therapy. In this case, the individual can observe himself more objectively in sensory, mental, emotional, intellectual, behavioral, experiential and cultural meanings. Moreover, this observation can be made both at the conscious and unconscious level. For example, the use of black colors in the client's painting, when interpreted from a psychoanalytic point of view, usually expresses feelings such as darkness, sadness, anxiety or depression. Or, the fact that the painting is located on the left side of the paper may reflect the artist's connection with the past or the mother, considering that it is generally associated with the past, the mother figure and feminine energy. These comments on the pictures drawn by the client are usually quite effective in revealing the unconscious emotional contents of the client. can create confusion. For this reason, the issue of what art therapy is not is also very important. So what is art therapy not?
It is not an art course.
Art therapy is not a teaching method like art courses. For example, a painting course has a structure in which educational studies are carried out on how to make paintings and creating aesthetic products is at the forefront. However, in art therapy, clients have the freedom to use whatever material they want as they wish. It does not contain any aesthetic concerns. The goal is to reflect the inner world of the client.
It cannot be applied by every person who understands art or is an artist.
As art therapy is a psychotherapy school, it can be applied by psychotherapists who have received art therapy training.
It is not restrictive and prescriptive.
Clients can freely use all the products available in therapy as they wish to reflect their inner world.
It is not a hobby.
Art is enjoyable and enjoyable It is an area that can also be used as a hobby. Moment But art therapy isn't just about doing a pleasurable activity. Art is used as a psychotherapy tool. Since it is a therapy method, it is aimed to increase psychological well-being in terms of emotion, thought and behavior as a result of art therapy.
It is not a method that requires explaining and talking about everything.
In art therapy, clients can share as much of their experiences as they want. . In areas where my verbal expression cannot be sustained for various reasons, expression is provided through art. The inner world can be transferred through art. For this reason, it is used as an effective method especially for people who have difficulty in describing their problems and suppress their emotions.
WHAT TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS ARE USED IN ART THERAPY?
Visual arts are used in art therapy applications. Many materials used in visual arts are also used during therapy. The techniques and materials used in therapy will be listed below, but other materials can be used depending on imagination and creativity.
Techniques Used:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Clay works
- Sculpture
- Photo
Since painting, drawing, sculpture, and techniques such as psychological treatment are used together, different methods of art therapy have emerged. Some of these methods are as follows:
Blank Page Technique: In this technique, before drawing anything on a blank page, clients are asked to visualize the page as if it were just full. They are then told to draw so that they completely fill the page. This technique allows clients to express themselves using their imaginations.
Line and Shape Technique: In this technique, clients are given a page with certain shapes or lines. Clients make their own drawings using these shapes. This technique allows clients to express themselves using their creativity and intellectual skills.
Representation Technique: In this technique, clients are asked to picture a specific topic. This issue may be a problem in the inner world of the client or a trauma experienced. D
Color Therapy: In this technique, clients are asked to paint using a specific color or color combination. Each color is associated with certain emotional states. Therefore, it helps clients to understand their emotional state through the colors they choose.
Materials Used:
- Dry/Water/Pastel Color
- Gouache Paint
- Finger Paint
- Oil Paint
- Canvas
- Pencil
- Clay
- Paper
- Nature Products (such as leaves, twigs, cones)
- Cardboard, colored papers
- Scissors
- Brush
- Sims, stamps
- Newspapers
- Stickers
WHO CAN ART THERAPY BE APPLIED?
Art therapy, from childhood to old age applicable to all age groups. It is especially important to apply to children. Because children often have difficulty expressing their feelings with verbal expression. Art therapy helps children express their emotions, relieve stress, and increase self-confidence.
Art therapy is also used during recovery from illness or trauma. For example, art therapy can be very beneficial in the treatment process for cancer patients, those with post-traumatic stress disorder, those with chronic pain and other health problems. Art therapy provides many benefits such as emotional relaxation, creativity development and self-confidence in clients.
Art therapy is also applied to people with psychological disorders. For example, for people with depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other psychological disorders, art therapy plays an important role in the treatment process. Art therapy in these people; It provides many benefits such as emotional relaxation, stress reduction, healing of emotional wounds, enhancing creativity and increasing self-confidence.
As a result, art therapy is a type of therapy used to improve people's emotional, social and psychological health. It can be applied to people of all ages and has many benefits such as emotional relaxation, stress reduction, anxiety treatment, depression treatment, creativity development, self-confidence. has.
Art therapy can be used especially in the following situations:
Anxiety and Stress: Art therapy helps clients with anxiety disorders calm down and relax by reducing their stress levels.
Depression : Art therapy helps clients with depression improve their emotional state. It also helps them express themselves, add meaning to their lives and increase their motivation.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Art therapy helps clients who experience stress after a traumatic event improve their emotional state. It helps clients to express their traumatic experiences, reduce their stress levels and experience emotional relaxation.
Addiction: Art therapy is also used in the treatment of clients struggling with addiction. It helps clients to express themselves, reduce their stress levels and experience emotional relaxation.
WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE ART THERAPY?
As an answer to this question, first of all, art therapy; It is a very effective therapy method in emotionally struggling with daily life difficulties and improving psychological health and resilience. Other benefits from art therapy include:
Self-expression and awareness
Art therapy allows clients to express themselves. This emotional expression is made with various techniques other than verbalization. This helps clients understand their emotional state. As a result, clients who express themselves through art gain awareness of their own feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
Stress reduction
Art therapy helps reduce stress. Drawing or painting on a blank sheet of paper or canvas helps unwind after a stressful day. Art therapy can also help learn to cope with future stresses by helping to understand sources of stress.
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