WHAT IS ART THERAPY
Art therapy is an integrative and humanistically oriented therapy based on scientific principles. It is conducted by trained art therapists who support clients through visual arts, incorporating elements of music, dance, and drama to facilitate communication and expression. Art therapy supports clients of all ages and life situations, empowering them through the art therapy process to better cope with life’s challenges.
Globally, art therapy is practiced as a mental health profession in the following forms: as art psychotherapy or as art therapy (counseling), depending on the type of education the therapist has completed.
The European Federation of Art Therapists (EFAT) defines Art Therapy as: "a mental health profession that also has application in social, educational and medical fields. Art therapists enlist the creative process of art making to enhance the mind/body connection, foster personal development and improve psychological, and/or affective, cognitive and relational well-being of individuals, groups and families of all ages and backgrounds. Art therapy is based on the premise that the creative process generated in artistic self-expression, when practiced by a professionally trained art therapist, fosters the growth and development of the agentic sense of self. This art-making process involves personal exploration with visual/tactile art materials (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other expressive art forms, etc.) where imagery may or may not result.".
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) defines Art Therapy as: "a mental health 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".
WHAT IS NOT ART THERAPY
Art therapy is not about painting a perfect picture, it doesn't require knowledge and skill in painting, and the aesthetics of the final work are not important. Art therapists do not interpret drawings or colors by themselves but rather clients talk about the drawing prompted by the art therapist.
Art therapy is not art class or workshop (it goes far beyond that) and psychologist, art curator or painter can not be an art therapists (unless educated and certified as an art therapist). Art therapy is not just a technique (painting, making sculpture, ...), method (collage, fractal drawing, ...), or skill but rather a profession. A profession is a broader concept involving a recognized and regulated occupation with specialized knowledge and skills. Professions include various techniques, methods and skills within their scope of practice.
Art therapy is not a seminar or a course. Art therapy is an education at the university level that includes lectures with experiential work, clinical practice, supervision, exams with both theoretical and practical part, final scientific thesis and qualification expressed in minimum 120 ECTS.
"ART AS THERAPY" IS NOT "ART THERAPY"
Art as therapy (or therapeutic art making) is not Art therapy. You may experience Art as therapy if, for example, you visit a museum and observe and enjoy exhibits, and this may be therapeutic. Or you may take crayons and draw how you feel, for example, how angry or happy you are. However, this is not Art therapy. Art therapy extends beyond merely observing paintings or sculptures in museums or drawing, it differs because it involves an active and dynamic process. In Art therapy, the focus is on the shared journey and relationship between the trained professional therapist and the client. It's not solely about appreciating finished artworks but rather about engaging in a therapeutic process. The process does not involve simply providing art tools to the client and waiting for the work to be finished in order to talk about it. Therapeutic process starts from the moment the client enters the room and utilizes artistic expression from the first brush choice to explore emotions, enhance communication, and foster personal growth.
For instance, a person engaged in sculpting with clay cannot claim that 'clay is therapy for me’ but they may express that 'making clay is therapeutic for me,' acknowledging the personal, non-clinical nature of the experience. For therapy to occur, fundamental prerequisites include a qualified therapist, a client, the therapeutic process, a well-defined therapeutic approach, ethical standards, etc.
ART BASED OCUPATIONAL THERAPIST IS NOT AN ART THERAPIST
An art-based occupational therapist is not the same as an art therapist, as they apply different methods, approaches, and have a different primary focus in their work. While an art-based occupational therapist, like an art therapist, uses activities that involve creativity or work to help their clients, their primary focus is on helping clients regain or improve their ability to perform daily activities (referred to as "occupations") that may be affected by injury, illness, mental difficulties, disability, or other challenges. Their main goal is to enhance a person’s ability to live and work independently.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM ART THERAPY
Art therapy works for people of all ages and abilities and at all stages of life to reach their full potential. Discover more
ORIGIN OF THE ART THERAPY: PRACTICE AND THEORY
For centuries, humans have used artistic expression to communicate stories, express ideas and document significant events. The formal practice of art therapy has its origins in the mid 20th century in Europe. British artist Adrian Hill paint and draw with patients who suffered from tuberculosis in 1942, achieving positive therapeutic results through his artistic endeavors.
Successful practices in art therapy soon spread to mental hospitals through the work of Edward Adamson, who observed and further studied the connection between artistic expression and emotions in the mid 20th century. The British Association of Art Therapists was founded in 1964. The American Art Therapy Association was established in 1969. The pioneer of art therapy was psychologist, educator, and artist Margaret Naumburg, who was the first to use art therapy and believed it could be applied in both diagnosis and therapy. She connected art with expressing the unconscious through the method of free association. Austrian painter Kramer, who lived and worked in New York, was also a pioneer of American art therapy, following Freud's psychoanalytic theory, and worked with children and adolescents. Kramer became a key figure in laying the groundwork for art therapy education at the university level.
The theoretical foundation is psychodynamic, based on phenomena such as transfer, transitional object, integration, and play. Freud's concept of sublimation posits that the redirection of instinctual drives into socially acceptable outlets, such as art. He believed that the symbolism found in both art and dreams was similar and provided insights into the unconscious mind. Jung's influential works, delve into the symbolic language of the unconscious, including dreams, myths, and artistic expression. His theories laid the groundwork for the recognition of creative processes as valuable tools for personal growth and psychological healing.
Finally, Art therapy and play therapy share similarities as both fall under expressive therapies and emphasize the importance of creating a safe and accepting therapeutic environment where a person can express themselves through play. Today, the practice of art therapy has gained ground as a solid psychotherapy practice and approach within education by practitioners all over the world.
The Croatian Art Therapy Association (HART) was founded in 2018 and became a regional leading art therapy membership organization. Read more
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN THE FIELD: It’s been widely studied and observed how art therapy is effective. New forms of research and practice are being developed that blend art therapy and other methods of psychotherapy. These innovations are being researched, documented and shared across the community of practice worldwide.
EDUCATION
Education in art therapy continues to evolve within the finest higher education institutions worldwide. The highest standards have been set for the profession of art therapy, primarily within the Anglo-Saxon system of education and practice, which are gradually being transferred and adopted in other parts of the world. These standards include lectures in educational institutions, practical experience in groups, clinical practice, supervision, and ongoing professional development. Learn more
What does the final product of art therapy look like? In art therapy, the focus is primarily on the process of work and what happens during that journey of discovery, so emphasis is not placed on final products like paintings or sculptures. Sometimes, the final product is cherished as a memory, while other times, it transforms or even gets destroyed. For those interested in how it can look, here are a few pictures of final works by clients.
