Expressive Art Therapy
When people think of going to therapy they typically think of traditional talk therapy.
While talk therapy can be very helpful it is not the only form of therapy and it may not be the most effective form of therapy for everyone. For people who are suffering from trauma, who struggle with self-expression, self-consciousness, performance anxiety, for those who have a hard time looking inward, who might be too young to express themselves or struggle with memory/recall, non-verbal and body based forms of therapy like expressive arts therapy can be life changing.
For those who find talk therapy difficult or overwhelming, finding the right words and sharing their inner world can be extremely difficult and dysregulating, leaving them feeling even more isolated and misunderstood than before. Expressive art therapy draws on non-verbal forms of communication like image making, music, poetry, and movement such as yoga, dance, or drama to help people express what words cannot. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with traditional mental health treatment for a variety of mental health conditions including: Depression, Anxiety disorders, PTSD and other trauma related disorders, grief and loss, attention disorders and even addiction. Combined with talk therapy, it can help people deal with strong emotions, increase self-awareness and self-worth and decrease stress and anxiety.
Some of the benefits of expressive art therapy include:
Self-discovery: Creating art can help you acknowledge and recognize feelings that have been lurking in your subconscious.
Self-esteem: The process will give you a feeling of self-accomplishment which can be very valuable to improve your self-appreciation and confidence.
Emotional release: The greatest benefit of art therapy is giving you a healthy outlet for expressing and letting go all your feelings and fears. Complex emotions such as sadness or anger sometimes cannot be expressed with words. When you are unable to express yourself, but you desire emotional release, making art may help you to do it.
Stress relief: Fighting anxiety, depression or emotional trauma can be very stressful for you both mentally and physically. Creating art can be used to relieve stress and relax your mind and body by soothing the central nervous system.
If you feel like you might benefit from expressive art therapy but are hesitant to try it because you feel you are not artistically gifted or musically inclined, rest assured that you do not need to be a talented artist for this style of therapy to be effective. The purpose of the creative process here is not to create great art, but to find an outlet of self-expression outside of the typical conversational style of therapy, to show rather than tell. Through image and symbol making, you will find ways of mobilizing stuck emotion and release pain from your mind and body. If you have struggled in the past with traditional talk therapy and are interested in learning more about expressive art therapies check back over the next few weeks for more information about how these therapies benefit anxiety, depression, trauma and self-discovery.
If you are local to Redding, CA please reach out to discuss setting up an appointment for expressive art therapy.
