Why Art Therapy?
Here are some comments from clients and evidence based literature, on why people found art therapy useful or preferable over other forms of therapy.
(This post is not meant to discredit other forms of therapy as we believe that every form of therapy has its strengths. Our intention is to highlight the strengths of art therapy and why it might be preferable for some people.)
Artwork: Gravity, watercolour, charcoal and gold ink, by our art therapist Shuyin.
1. Less Direct
Some clients said they found it helpful that art therapy was less direct than talk therapy. Some people such as neurodivergent people or those who experienced trauma, may find talk therapy too direct. Clients may appear to understand or resolve the issues at a cognitive level. However they may still feel like what they know is disconnected from their deeper emotions.
Art therapy being less direct may also allow more 'space' and opportunities for clients to arrive at new discoveries about themselves, sometimes unexpectedly. This allows for a somewhat organic process that enables the client to 'lead' the session in a way.
2. More Than Verbal
Art therapy goes beyond the verbal, as we focus also on the process (doing), the artwork (visuals), felt sense (sensory), emotions (feelings) and importantly, relational (therapeutic relationship). Hence, although not much may have been said in the session, the therapy goes much beyond that, possibly at a deeper level of how one feels about themselves and/or the situation.
Neurodivergent people operate sensorially rather than verbally. Survivors of trauma may also have physically adapted to their stressors and have heightened body sensitivity.
3. Embodied Experience
Following from the first two points, art therapy is an embodied experience. Neuro-developmental Art Therapy and Neurobiologically-informed Art Therapy consider the artistic process and its effect on the nervous system.
Art-making and relational support from the therapist activate the Ventral Vagal nerve to regulate the nervous system and achieve a safe and social state. Survivors of trauma, neurodivergent people and even sufferers of depression and anxiety, benefit from the mind-body effects of art therapy. Studies have shown the strong mind-body connection of mental health with physical health, as how we think and feel are closely related to our body's health (for example gut health, inflammation, immune system-related disorders such as asthma, eczema, migraine which are linked to stress).