According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is the therapeutic use of creating art by individuals who have gone through illness, trauma, or other challenges that have resulted in varying degrees of dysfunction in their lives, while in a professional relationship. People who seek personal growth through making art and reflecting on their creations and the creative process may find art therapy to be beneficial. One develops a greater sense of self through art therapy. In art therapy, the self that manifests through the making of art is strengthened and stabilised, empowering one to deal with difficulties, stresses, and trauma.
How Art Therapy Works
When used in a professional setting, art therapy helps people who are elderly, suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, or have mental illnesses develop a sense of self. Where there is a deficit in sensory stimulation and sense of self, art-making fills the gap. Any and all forms of visual arts, such as painting, drawing, watercolour, collage, or sculpture, can be used to demonstrate this.