Hi! Thanks for the question.
I found the following articles describing how art therapy can help in
relieving stress and depression.
?Art therapy is the use of art materials for self-expression and
reflection in the presence of a trained art therapist. Clients who are
referred to an art therapist need not have previous experience or
skill in art, the art therapist is not primarily concerned with making
an aesthetic or diagnostic assessment of the client?s image. The
overall aim of its practitioners is to enable a client to effect
change and growth on a personal level through the use of art materials
in a safe and facilitating environment.?
?The relationship between the therapist and the client is of central
importance, but art therapy differs from other psychological therapies
in that it is a three way process between the client, the therapist
and the image or artefact. Thus it offers the opportunity for
expression and communication and can be particularly helpful to people
who find it hard to express their thoughts and feelings verbally.?
?What is Art Therapy??
http://www.baat.org/art_therapy.html
?Art therapy is both art and therapy. It is the use of drawing,
painting, and sculpture in therapy to help someone get to those inner
feelings. Sessions are conducted by a trained therapist, but they
differ from art lessons in that the process of creating is stressed
over the finished product. Developing artistic skills is not the goal
and a person need not have artistic abilities to benefit from art
therapy.?
?In art therapy, art is used as a meeting ground of inner and outer
worlds. It can be a means to reconcile conflicts or foster awareness
and personal growth. We have all experienced times when words just get
in the way, or inadequately express what we are feeling. Moving away
from verbal expression toward a graphic representation of we're
experiencing often yields surprising results and insights to our
internal state. It is not unusual for unresolved needs or forgotten
memories to surface spontaneously in the images produced.?
?Using Art as Therapy?
http://healthcare.monster.com/therapy/articles/arttherapy/
?How art therapy works?
?In art therapy images often begin with feelings, dreams, memories,
ideas or simply an urge to doodle. Clients may then use clay and paint
to explore these beginnings by giving them a physical form. This
creative play can provide a means of expression for that which has no
words, or is not yet understood.?
?The art offers a deep sense of safety as it becomes a trusted place
to consider these private images. Through these pictures and
sculptures may come a kind of nourishment, healing insights, and a
fresh respect for our creativity. Sometimes clients prefer to work in
silence; other times a unique dialogue takes place. Beyond the
session, the art work remains as a source of further reflection.?
?About Art Therapy?
http://www.vancouverarttherapy.com/
?More About Art Therapy?
http://www.vancouverarttherapy.com/
?Art therapy, sometimes called expressive art or art psychology,
encourages self-discovery and emotional growth. It is a two part
process, involving both the creation of art and the discovery of its
meaning. Rooted in Freud and Jung's theories of the subconscious and
unconscious, art therapy is based on the assumption that visual
symbols and images are the most accessible and natural form of
communication to the human experience. Patients are encouraged to
visualize, and then create, the thoughts and emotions that they cannot
talk about. The resulting artwork is then reviewed and its meaning
interpreted by the patient.?
?Before starting art therapy, the therapist may have an introductory
session with the client-artist to discuss art therapy techniques and
give the client the opportunity to ask questions about the process.
The client-artist's comfort with the artistic process is critical to
successful art therapy.?
?The therapist ensures that appropriate materials and space are
available for the client-artist, as well as an adequate amount of time
for the session. If the individual artist is exploring art as therapy
without the guidance of a trained therapist, adequate materials,
space, and time are still important factors in a successful creative
experience.?
?Art therapy?
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/art_therapy.html
Search terms used:
"art therapy" stress depression
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Easterangel-ga
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