It is widely believed that an individual is depressed due to the non-functioning of the creative side of his brain. It is also believed that when an individual enters the stages of depression, the creativity of the brain is almost marginalized. How about a technique that involves the creation of the brain of the individual who is suffering from depression? One can be sure that even if depression is not cured completely for the individual, he will get creative with his skills. In most cases, the creativity of an individual is found to be a very good self-tool for individuals looking to cure depression.
The idea behind art psychotherapy is that an individual will recover from their mental health issues more quickly if they are actively involved in the creative process of generating art. Art therapists have employed this treatment with great success with their patients, helping them better cope with high levels of stress, working through traumatic experiences, and improving their relationships with family and friends.
What is the purpose of Art Therapy, and how is it used to treat individuals for depression?
Art therapy, much like other types of psychotherapy, focuses primarily on improving the mental health of the patient as its primary goal. The ultimate purpose of art therapy is to lessen the likelihood of an individual developing clinical depression while simultaneously enhancing that person’s ability to come up with original solutions to problems.
Art therapists use forms of drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography to treat individuals suffering from depression. Art therapists have the ability to understand non-verbal symbols and metaphors that come across during the creative process of art making. Please, note that some of these symbols and metaphors may be extremely difficult for therapists to catch when other psychotherapy techniques are used.
How can mental functioning be analyzed in the process of art-making?
There are many assessments at the disposal of art therapists which allow them to analyze how the brain of individual functions. It must be noted that close to 80% of depression cases talk less than normal, and that is why it is so important for art therapists to read the brain of the depressed individual.
One of the most popular test assessments for art therapy is the diagnostic drawing series; it is an art therapy assessment that is used in assessing a variety of mental and psychiatric disorders. Individuals are asked to draw pictures/images on an 18*24 piece of paper. The drawings are analyzed with the help of colors used in the drawing, placement of the image on the piece of paper, and many other factors.
Art psychotherapy is one of the most straightforward approaches that a therapist may use, but it is also one of the most powerful in terms of lifting people out of their depression. The success of this method in involving the creative side of the human brain to pull someone out of sadness contributes to the technique’s ease of use, which is increased by the simplicity of the method itself.
