#art therapy for mental health

[timot-ei]

You don't need to earn rest, you deserve it and it is a normal part of self care.

[selflessartgallery]

Selfless Art Gallery

Website: https://www.selflessart.com/

Address: New York, USA

Selfless Art Gallery, founded in New York City in 2022, endeavors to foster Self-awareness through meticulously curated collections of abstract, contemporary, and representational art. Representing some of the world's most potent and influential abstract and contemporary artists, the gallery aspires to remind individuals that everything they seek resides within. Through curated online exhibitions, Selfless Art challenges perceptions of identity and self, while artworks sold serve as aspirational reminders to remain present and resist negative thoughts, thereby contributing to mental well-being.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selflessartgallery

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selflessartgallery/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/selflessartgallery/

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[solhwellness]

Art Therapy: An Artistic approach towards Mental Wellness | Solh Wellness

Throughout history, human beings have used the arts to express their deepest ideas and emotions. However, art therapy did not begin to evolve into an acknowledged problem of study until the 1940s. The study of art as a clinical tool started when clinical practitioners observed that people with mental illness often expressed themselves through art.

Art therapy is now an essential part of therapeutic practice, with a focus on using creative expression to promote emotional and mental well-being. Art therapy is a creative therapy that is utilized in a plethora of diagnostic and treatment procedures. People can unleash their creativity and explore their innermost thoughts and feelings in a safe and encouraging setting by using the power of art. Art therapy provides a unique and efficient approach to healing, whether you are trying to address past traumas, cope with stress, or simply achieve a deeper understanding of yourself.

A range of disorders, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder, can be helped by art therapy. Those who find it difficult to verbally communicate their thoughts and feelings may benefit significantly from the creative process of creating art as it provides them with a non-verbal outlet.

There are various techniques in art therapy, each with outstanding benefits. Here are a few of the most popular methods:

Drawing and Painting: Clients are encouraged to create something without thinking about the outcome.

Guided Imagery: Following a visualization exercise, clients reflect on their experience by producing art.

Collage: Clients make a collage out of pictures from magazines or other sources to reflect their ideas and feelings.

Sculpting: Clients make sculptures portraying their emotions or experiences out of dough or other materials.

Mask-making: Clients are prompted to design two masks: one to reflect their public persona and the other to represent their intimate selves.

Art Journaling: Clients produce art in their journals and record their experiences there.

Coloring: Clients fill pre-drawn designs with colors to reduce stress and foster creativity.

Doodling and Scribbling: Clients produce spontaneous and abstract designs to explore unconscious thoughts and ideas and to solve problems.

Finger Painting: Clients explore their emotions through touch and movement by using tactile and sensory experiences.

Photography: Clients capture images that express their feelings or experiences.

Clay Art: Clients are encouraged to make sculptures that reflect ideas or sensations, as well as for stress and anxiety management.

Expressive Art Therapy

Art therapy comes in a broad range of forms, such as dance movement therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and visual art therapy. Now, we will look at the effectiveness and benefits of each of these types of art therapy for mental health:

Dance Movement Therapy: Dancing movement therapy is a type of art therapy that encourages movement as a way for people to express themselves and feel better. It asserts that our bodies and minds are intertwined and that exercise can provide us with a sense of increased wholeness. Those who dance can better understand themselves, discover new coping mechanisms, and communicate effectively. Those who have had unpleasant experiences or find it difficult to talk about their thoughts may find it very helpful. Moreover, dancing to music can make us feel more resilient and relaxed.

Music Therapy: Music therapy is a type of art therapy in which music is used to assist people in addressing physical, emotional, cognitive, and social issues. It involves a licensed music therapist who uses a variety of musical treatments, such as singing, playing an instrument, listening, and composing, to enhance a person's overall wellbeing. Many conditions, including anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, have been successfully treated using music therapy. It can aid in reducing stress, encouraging relaxation, and improving social and communication skills. Each person's tastes and needs are taken into consideration.

Drama Therapy: Drama therapy is a type of art therapy that uses storytelling, improvisation, and role-playing to help patients express themselves and find healing. It involves the use of a skilled drama therapist who guides clients through a variety of theatrical exercises and procedures to encourage self-discovery, raise self-awareness, and enhance social skills. Drama therapy can be incredibly helpful for people who have trouble communicating, feeling good about themselves, or controlling their emotions.

Visual Art Therapy: Visual art therapy employs artistic mediums like paint, clay, and collage for the purpose of assisting people in expressing themselves and healing. It involves an art therapist who has received training in the field to encourage self-expression, self-awareness, and emotional control. They lead people through various artistic activities and techniques. Visual art therapy can be especially beneficial for people who struggle with verbal communication or have undergone trauma. The creative process can provide a nonverbal outlet for feelings and thoughts.

Effectiveness of Art Therapy 

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression through art-making to promote emotional, cognitive, and physical healing. It has successfully managed physical symptoms, addressed mental health conditions, and encouraged social support and connection. Some situations where art therapy can be utilized include helping adults with severe stress, benefiting children with behavioral issues, supporting trauma survivors' mental health, aiding learning in children with disabilities, enhancing life for individuals with brain injuries, and helping with mental health problems.

Conclusion

More research is required to assess its efficacy and provide standardized implementation strategies fully. However, art therapy has proven to be a successful and unique treatment in most cases of anxiety and PTSD. It has substantial possible benefits and gives people another means of expressing their feelings and resolving psychological problems.

[haleyincarnate]

Reminder to be gentle with yourself today. You are living and loving the best you can in the position you're currently in. Rest when you need. Tuck yourself in at night. Keep doing what you can.

[annasellheim]

next part

[birdhism]

💊 Birbitol has helped me overcome many dark times in my life.

Side effects make include loss of sleep (in the AM), spontaneous bleeding, hearing loss.

[liberaljane]

🧡 therapy literally saved my life 🧡

digital illustration of a Black nonbinary teen sitting on a green chair. They have long dreads, and orange glasses. They are wearing a green shirt with flowers, pink bike shorts, orange socks and short green boots. There's text that reads, 'access to mental health care should be a right - not a privilege'

[papyrus-in-practice]

IT'S WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY, FOLKS!!!!

So, I wanted to post something a bit different!

A common prompt I use with my clients is a positive affirmation jar which is a project in which the client decorates a jar and writes positive affirmation on slips of paper to keep in the jar. In the case that I run out of jars, I make boxes out of paper. A couple weeks ago, I had an idea while and that was to fuse this prompt and Superhero Therapy.

Superhero therapy was initially conceptualized as a form of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy that used superheroes or other characters from media to facilitate the acceptance of oneself and one’s emotions and the commitment to move forward. 

Clients engaging in superhero therapy may be prompted to reflect on their own experiences in life and identify a “superhero” they may relate to or look up to. “Superheroes” don’t have to be the cape-wearing people with superhuman abilities. They can be any characters we find in any media. What defines a “superhero” in superhero therapy is a character that you can relate to on some level and one that possesses strength, wisdom, or other traits you admire. 

Especially when diving into the topic of change, clients might be encouraged to imagine: if that “superhero” showed up at the exact moment you needed them the most, what kind of message would they tell you? This prompt takes that part and creates a physical object that can relay those messages when you need it most. 

Basically, what I did is I thought of characters that I felt I could relate to or look up to. These are my “superheroes”, characters that have strength, wisdom, or another trait that I admire. I drew these characters out and collaged them onto a box.

After the box was done, I wrote short lines that each character might say to me during times when I need encouragement the most. I made sure to label each one so I knew who was talking. I'm still adding some messages, so it's almost "done".

Since I tend to need encouragement the most when I’m at work, I put it in my office!

It was a fun project and I wanted to share it with y’all.

Quick disclaimer, this isn’t therapy nor any kind of substitute for therapy. This is more of a project I did to essentially play-test a prompt. Still, I think other folks could benefit from doing it, too. We’ve all got our own self-defeating thoughts rampaging through our brains and, sometimes, we need a reminder from our inspirations to direct us towards our values. Superhero therapy is a lot about naming and recognizing our unhelpful thoughts as thoughts. Then, we make the commitment by pursuing our values through the characters we admire

Characters from left to right:

Toriel(Toby Fox's Undertale)

Papyrus(Toby Fox's Undertale/Papyrus in Practice)

Sans(Toby Fox's Undertale)

Doc(@tehrogueva Therapist!Sans)

Baggs(@megalommi Megalosomnia)

Dream(@jokublog Dreamtale)

Nightmare(@jokublog Dreamtale)

I also wanted to shout out @wishing-stones Rabble and Rampallians since I also felt really connected with their portrayal of Baggs, Dream, and Nightmare!

Luz and Eda(The Owl House by Dana Terrace)

Andromachus(Vampire Therapist by Cyrus Nemati, @littlebatgames)

References: 

Scarlet, J., & Alves, W. (2017). Superhero therapy: Mindfulness skills to help teens and young adults deal with anxiety, depression, and trauma. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Washington, K. (2019, April 25). What is Superhero Therapy? Denver Health. October 10, 2024, https://www.denverhealth.org/blog/2019/04/what-is-superhero-therapy

[hello-friends9500]

[tea-tuesday]

from two months ago, when i was busy with my last ever finals (i meant to post this back then)!! my 3L hobonichi ended in march so i had to use the last few grid pages as a weekly schedule bc i wanted to keep the school year contained in one planner, which actually worked out great since i wasn't doing much everyday aside from studying....

[argyleheir]

Recovery, by Anonymous

From the American Visionary Art Museum

This lone figure was carved from a single apple tree trunk. It was created as a self-portrait by a British mental patient who had a distinctive concave chest from years of tuberculosis. His doctor remembered that he took no interest in making art until he encountered a fallen apple tree during a walk on the hospital grounds and asked for help in dragging it indoors and getting simple carving tools. At that time, there was hospital prohibition for mental patients handling what could be 'lethal' instruments. However, Edward Adamson, a pioneer in using art to treat mental illness, persuaded the authorities to relax this rule, and trust the patient. The result, 'Recovery,' was a vindication of Edward's remarkable insight. For a month, the patient whittled the wood down to this figure. The artist, in his thirties, committed suicide about two years after leaving the hospital. This applewood figure is his only known work of art.

Source

[timot-ei]

Two steps forward and one step back is still progress forwards. Healing isn't linear. You'll be ok <3

[tapeworrmart]

Hole in the head 🕳️🧠

[biblicallyaccuratemoth]

I would love myself if I was a worm. Because I'm a fucking badass and being worm wouldn't change anything but how fast I can type.

I want to be clear that the, "Would you still love me if I were a worm" question is very, very funny. And I definitely have asked my boyfriend that question before. He said yes.

[haleyincarnate]

In every ending there is a beginning I am willing to chase. In every beginning there is the fear of it all coming to an end.

Give yourself the time to mourn what was and then allow yourself to feel the bliss of starting anew.

[barbielore]

2024 has brought us the first Barbie doll to have a career in mental health or therapy with Art Therapist Barbie.

Not only does the Barbie playset come with a variety of art tools, but the child doll's shirt has a changeable emoji on it so you can indicate different emotions that she is experiencing.

Naturally I'm pretty excited because Art Therapist Barbie is yet another Barbie depicted wearing glasses for (presumably) vision correction. And not only that - she is actually shown wearing them in the box, not simply holding them in her hand or propping them on top of her head as many other dolls do.

Although Barbie has of course had a great deal of other careers in the medical industry, this is the first that shows a direct addressing of mental health and emotions in a clinical setting. I suppose it's a natural emergence from the wellness and self-care Barbies from the past few years.

Honestly, Art Therapist Barbie is the first Barbie release I have genuinely been tempted to buy since I got back into Barbie.