Did you know therapy doesn’t have to mean sitting across from someone and talking to them? Whether you’re not a particularly verbal person, you don’t think talk therapy sounds right for you, or you’re looking for an alternative way to work through the issues you’re facing, you should know that art therapy is an option.
This type of therapy is a clinical approach and is evidence-based, but it’s also an opportunity to try something different. During art therapy, you paint or draw as a way of expressing what you’re feeling or as a means to look at a problem from a new angle. And no, you certainly don’t need to be an artist to do it. In fact, part of what makes this type of therapy so powerful is the opportunity it presents to try something new.
Thinking art therapy could be right for you? Here are the benefits that can come from giving it a try.
It helps you get to know yourself.
If you’re feeling off or bad but you can’t quite identify the root of the issue, art therapy could be perfect for you. When you have a blank canvas (or piece of paper) in front of you, what thoughts and emotions come up first? Sitting with the possibility to create virtually anything helps you tap into what you’re thinking and feeling.
It helps you express things you don’t know how to say.
Art therapy is an opportunity to find a way to express what you’re feeling even if you’re finding it impossible to put it into words. Using colors and shapes can help you articulate what’s going on inside your head. What’s more, it can even get to the deeper layers of what’s going on subconsciously. And you get to do all of this in a totally safe space. It’s just a drawing or a painting, after all.
It helps you focus.
Whether you’re dealing with addiction or avoidance because of past trauma, you might be feeling like you’re not in control of your thoughts. Sitting down to paint, draw, or make whatever kind of art appeals to you is an opportunity to practice focus and self-discipline in a safe, supported, judgment-free way.
It helps you see from a different perspective.
Often, our own internal monologue expresses things the same way over and over. If you have an issue you’re facing, you’ve probably explained it — both to others and to yourself — countless times. But odds are high you used the same, or at least similar, words each time.
Expressing something through art therapy forces you to set aside the narrative you’ve established. Since you can’t use words, you have to find a different way to share what you’re feeling. This can help open you up to a new perspective.
It helps you destress.
We live in a go-go-go world. When’s the last time you sat down to do something for yourself? Creating art can be a calming and centering experience. It’s dedicated time to slow down and create something meaningful.
Want to get started with art therapy? Contact our team at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center and we’ll get you set up.
