Art Therapy.............What is Art?
"Art--that's when you take something, and do something to it. Then you do something else. Then you've got something."
--Jasper Johns (artist)
Art Therapy is a means of expression used to promote healthy mental, emotional, and physical well-being. While this is not the only method of exploration I use, I find it a very effective tool for gaining access to information that is otherwise unavailable to our conscious selves. It is a very nonjudgmental, effective, and rewarding way to begin to integrate the experiences of trauma and aid in the healing process. Most effectively, it addresses and gives form to the need, I feel, is in each one of us, to express the fact of our existence.
Upon first hearing the words "Art Therapy" many people cringe at the thought of doing something they haven't done since the age of seven and they quit doing it then because they "weren't any good at it". Often feelings of shame, fear, or childishness flood the emotional pathways and clients withdraw without trying. But "skills" and "ability" have nothing to do with Art Therapy. People who take the risk and allow themselves the opportunity to explore through a variety of expressive arts, find that expression is actually a key to unlock the inner workings of their own historical record.
