What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy, as defined by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA):
Organization:
The American Art Therapy Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization dedicated to the growth and development of the art therapy profession. Founded in 1969, The American Art Therapy Association is one of the world’s leading art therapy membership organizations.
(Concise) Definition of Art Therapy:
Art Therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship. Art Therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.
(Broader) Definition of Art Therapy:
Art Therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship. Art Therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change. Art therapists are master-level clinicians who work with people of all ages across a broad spectrum of practice. Guided by ethical standards and scope of practice, their education and supervised training prepares them for culturally proficient work with diverse populations in a variety of settings. Honoring individuals’ values and beliefs, art therapists work with people who are challenged with medical and mental health problems, as well as individuals seeking emotional, creative, and spiritual growth. Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience, and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation.
(My) Definition of Art Therapy:
In addition to all of the above, I view art therapy as a tool in my tool box. Art therapy is an alternate and more subjective method of communication, and can be helpful when words can’t quite describe something. Art Therapy is not a requirement, and can be an extension of typical talk therapy sessions. It is about the process, the feelings, and the sensory experiences, not about the final product; therefore, it requires no skill.
