What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a powerful therapeutic modality that combines the creative process with psychological counselling to promote healing and well-being. When you hear "art therapy," you might think of kids making art—and a mess. Or perhaps you picture a beautiful painting in an art gallery. While these are both possibilities, art therapy is so much more.
Art therapy isn't just for children or 'artistic' people. It uses creative activities like drawing, painting, sculpting, or collage as a way to express emotions and process experiences. The focus is on the process, not creating a masterpiece—so zero talent or experience with art-making is needed. This approach is accessible for all ages, from toddlers to seniors.
The Art Therapy Process
In an art therapy session, you can expect a welcoming, judgment-free space with various art materials to choose from. Your therapist will offer gentle guidance, allowing time for you to create and reflect on your artwork. Sessions might involve specific prompts or free expression, depending on your needs and goals. Afterwards, you'll discuss themes or emotions that emerged during the creative process.
Creating art on your own can certainly be therapeutic, but art therapy requires a trained professional who can guide you through the process and help you unpack the emotions and insights that arise. Art therapists are skilled in both psychological counselling and artistic techniques, allowing them to tailor the creative process to your specific needs and goals.
Art Therapy for Trauma Recovery
Much of our work at Valley Art Therapy is focused on trauma recovery. Art Therapy is foundational in the trauma work that we do. It offers non-verbal expression, which is helpful when trauma is difficult to talk about. The sensory engagement of creating art can help traumatic memories stored in the body get "unstuck". Artwork provides a safe distance from the trauma or difficult experiences, allowing you to process them in a safe and more manageable way. The act of creating can be empowering, helping you feel more in control and confident. Art-making often reveals patterns or insights you might not have noticed before, and the creative process itself can be calming and meditative, offering stress relief.
Art as a Counselling Tool
While not all of our Valley Art Therapy team are trained art therapists, many of our counsellors use art-making as a counselling tool. This approach is not art therapy, but can be very beneficial. When working with kids and teens, art can be a partner in building a positive therapeutic relationship. It can serve as a bridge in communication and in accessing difficult emotions. Art-making is also one of the many positive coping skills that clients can learn to apply in their daily lives to better manage their emotions and stress. It can be used to set goals, explore emotions, or reflect on different aspects of your life.
Integrating Art Therapy with Other Modalities
Art Therapy is easily integrated with other healing modalities. As an art therapist, Dana Corr integrates art therapy with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Somatic Experiencing in her work with clients. These approaches can help process traumatic memories and regulate the nervous system.
Robyn Nerbas has completed her art therapy program, and is also a Reiki Master and teacher. She has conducted research exploring the effects of art therapy with and without Reiki on people's sense of stress. From her work, she has created and is offering Reiki-Art Therapy sessions. Combining art therapy with Reiki, an energy healing technique, can enhance the healing experience for many clients. Some find that receiving Reiki while engaging in art-making leads to profound insights and emotional release. This integrative approach addresses healing on multiple levels - mental, emotional, and energetic - creating a holistic path to wellness.
We are excited to offer Reiki-Art Therapy for clients aligned with holistic healing, and love that the sessions can be scheduled just one time, or on a regular basis.
Art Therapy and Reiki-Art Therapy both provide a unique blend of creativity and traditional therapy techniques, and can be powerful modalities to support you in your healing journey. They can help you process emotions and difficult life events, reduce stress, and gain new insights about yourself.
If you're interested in learning more about how art therapy or our combined Reiki and art therapy sessions might fit into your healing and wellness journey, we'd love to talk more! Contact us at care@valleyarttherapy.com or 204 842 3869.
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