What is art therapy?
Art therapies combine all forms of art and use them in a therapeutic environment with a fully qualified therapist. Using the arts as therapy can have many benefits. It helps people to find a way of expressing themselves in a comfortable and safe environment. Often, people with mental health problems find opening up about how they feel and exploring their emotions difficult and overwhelming, but through art therapy people have the freedom to create something. Them, with the help and support of the therapist, they can explore their creation and what it says about them and how they feel. They can then get to grips with their state of mind and get on the road to recovery. These types of therapy can provide a powerful method of expression and a release from trauma.
What types of art therapy are available?
The therapy forms that are recognised and regulated are:
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Dance Movement therapy
- Voice Movement therapy
- Drama therapy
If you watched "Don't call me Crazy" on BBC3 recently, you may have noticed art therapy being used on the unit. It's used commonly and seems to be a really effective way of helping those suffering with mental health problems. In addition to this, Channel 4, a few weeks ago, aired a programme called "notes from the inside with James Rhodes". This explored the concept of music and mental illness. James Rhodes is a concert pianist, and once a psychiatric patient under a section himself. He went into a psychiatric hospital to see if music could help the patients in the same way it helped him. It shows how much people can relate and express their feelings through art, in all it's forms. - It's a very interesting insight and emotional viewing, worth a watch! It's available on 4OD.
I'll be exploring some of these therapies in more detail throughout next week, so check back soon for more!
Twitter: @psych_discuss
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