Hello!
Expressive Art therapy practices are a mouthful and can lead to many questions. Before we get into the details, let us address the most common concern: I am not good at art. Do I need to be an artist or good to practice EXA?
The answer is no, you don't need to have any artistic background. On the contrary, not having made art in a while can be an invitation to explore, and find play again. As humans, we, have an innate desire to create and a unique voice to express. Our focus is not on the final product or outcome but on the creator and the unfolding process of making.
So, you can relax and let the worries of good art grounded in school or appearance rest and make something meaningful and personal to you. And may be rediscover play as you do it!
Now to other things…
What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy uses active art-making, the creative process, and applied psychological theory—within a psychotherapeutic relationship—to enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities. - AATA
It can help us:
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Promote emotional well-being
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Improve self-esteem
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Boost creativity and movement skills,
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Build confidence and self-awareness,
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Develop emotional resources and resilience
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Encourage understanding and insight
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Improve social skills
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Help solve problems and reduce stress
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Support social and environmental improvements
Creative processes involve various forms of art that help us tell our stories - visual art, painting, movement, music, drama, storytelling, working with clay - any medium that we can be creative with. It is not concerned with the final product of creation, for example, “A painting that can be framed”. The focus is on the process of creating, on the inner exploration of feelings, sensations, or memories as one creates and engages with the art form.
We create so we may tell our story, make sense of it, discover what is inside us, heal, grow, feel, and learn - we create as a way to give expression and space to our human experience.
It can be difficult to find words during times of crisis. Or to express something we feel deeply but can't always find the words for. Moreover, we experience life through many other ways - say movement and sensations, or think and feel in images and metaphors. We possess an innate desire to create, share, and mirror. We have a complex language of communication with myths, culture, history, and the world around us.
EXA provides a safe, non-judgmental, and confidential space to express and explore one's inner world - the feelings, memories, fears, anxieties, anger, sadness, joy, hope, loneliness, love, desire, or depression - with all its complexity.
The practitioner is a witness and guide on this journey of self-discovery.
