As Picasso said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” For some, art teaches responsibility, precision and perhaps most importantly, self-awareness. Art through any means serves as a medium for creative expression, thus granting the opportunity for self-connection and self-awareness. Art therapy puts these attributes of art into practice, serving as a means for mental rehabilitation through the lowering of stress and decreasing of depressive symptoms. A case study entitled, “The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature” published in the American Journal of Public Health by Heather L. Stuckey and Jeremy Noble, supports these notions about the positive impact that art therapy has on the mental health of subjects older than eighteen years of age. 

Often, art therapy is administered in conjunction with more traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is a form of talk-therapy aimed at restructuring inaccurate thinking processes. Art therapy itself can be described as “a specialized area of mental health that uses art materials and the creative process to explore emotions, reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem, and resolve other psychological conflicts” (Mitchell “Creative Healing”). Trained professionals supply their clients with a means for artistic expression; in the research by Stuckey and Noble, they found that the four areas of creative expression includes: expressive writing, visual arts therapy, music engagement, and dance. These are all mediums available to reduce stress and bring positive attention inward; however, for this investigation, the primary focus is on visual arts therapy. A typical art therapy session is very relaxed, with minimal constricting guidelines to follow. Instead, the art therapist focuses on three main elements for administering therapy, as the Art Therapy Resources website details: art medium, theme and process. 

The success of art therapy is innumerable and has demonstrated positive effects on mental health for populations above eighteen years of age. A visual arts study referenced in the Stuckey and Noble’s research by Reynolds and Lim references an examination of psychological well-being of cancer patients. This study examined the role of art in processing the psychological effects of cancer on several women cancer patients. As described in the study, “engaging in different types of visual art (textiles, card making, collage, pottery, watercolor, and acrylics) helped these women in four major ways. First, it helped them focus on positive life experiences, relieving their ongoing preoccupation with cancer. Second, it enhanced their self-worth and identity by providing them with opportunities to demonstrate continuity, challenge, and achievement. Third, it enabled them to maintain a social identity that resisted being defined by cancer. Finally, it allowed them to express their feelings in a symbolic manner, especially during chemotherapy” (Stuckey, Noble “The Connection Between Art, Healing and Public Health). This demonstrates the positive effects of visual therapy on mental health. 

In conclusion, the benefits of art therapy are considerable and impactful on the college youth population, as well as in other ages. Art allows personal expression, freedom and understanding, which are all attributes necessary for bettering one’s mental health. The significance of these findings is the presentation of a less daunting, structured, traditional form of therapy. Often, preconceived notions of therapy are inherently negative, causing hesitancy in the population for pursuing proper treatment. It is to be noted that everyone is different, and art therapy may be more appealing for some more than others. Still, art therapy allows for a creative and effective alternative form of therapy, and its benefits are apparent. 

References:

Kim, Narae. How Art Therapy Can Assist College Students from Diverse Backgrounds in Overcoming Cultural Differences. 2017. University of Wisconsin. Graduate Thesis. 

Mitchell, Douglas. “Creative Healing: Frequently Asked Questions about How Art Therapy Works.” Good Therapy, 22 July 2013, https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creative-healing-frequently-asked-questions-about-how-art-therapy-works-0722135

Stuckey, Heather L, and Jeremy Nobel. “The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature.” American Journal of Public Health vol. 100, 2 (2010): 254-63. 

“What Happens in An Art Therapy Session.” Art Therapy Resources, 2020, https://arttherapyresources.com.au/happens-art-therapy-session/