Have you made your decision to become a professional art therapy? Here are some of the basics you’d want to know, first.
What Is Art Therapy
Simply put, art therapy can be described as a technique using artistic and creative methods to support and enhance mental health and well-being. Recently, experts found that people who express themselves through art and creativity are able to experience a certain sense of relief, relaxation, and calmness, which led them to study further and come to the conclusion that art can be effectively applied as a form of therapy to promote healing and wellness.
What Are the Techniques Used?
Therapists allow individuals to engage in various forms of art and creation to help them explore, express, and understand things better. While techniques like painting, drawing, coloring, sculpting and even photography are used and encouraged, simple activities like doodling and scribbling are also extremely helpful in supporting individuals with certain psychological issues.
Who Can Benefit from Art Therapy?
Art therapy can be applied to help those going through stress, depression, anxiety, and other psychological issues. It can also help people struggling emotionally, or those who have gone through certain traumas in life. Aging people can benefit from art therapy, too, as well as those who are affected by any sort of medical condition.
One Thing You Must Know
One thing to keep in mind is that, unlike how the term sounds, an individual does not have to have artistic skills or abilities in order to be eligible for therapy. This means that someone who absolutely cannot draw or paint can still receive art therapy. Creation can always happen spontaneously – in fact, it might even be better for the individual when they make an effort to create something that they never really have before.
How to Become a Therapist
Despite having done all the research you can, you still need to be officially qualified to become an art therapist. Look up ‘art therapy courses Melbourne’ on the internet to find some of the best courses you can take to become a qualified art therapist. Get some insight and you will find what areas you are supposed to master in order to become a good therapist, and what scope there will be as far as the profession is concerned.
It’s Not for Everyone
As mentioned previously, there are a number of scenarios in this can be applied for effective treatment. Nevertheless, there are also other cases where the application of art therapy becomes almost futile. For instance, studies prove that those undergoing Schizophrenia cannot benefit from this in any way. As you master the subject, you will have learned where to and where not to make art therapy as part of the treatment plan.
It is Simple
When it comes to certain therapies, most of them at least, people tend to stress over creating the right setting and environment in order to practice therapy in a proper manner. This therapy however can take place in any decent setting. It can be practiced at homes, schools, offices, hospitals, and medical centers, as well as community centers.
