| We are all creative beings. Man's creative mind made | | | | During the second half of the twentieth century, art |
| him reach the moon or the peak of the highest | | | | therapists became increasingly organized, setting up |
| mountain in the world, or travel the world and to | | | | graduate programs, professional associations, and |
| reach outer space. Our creativity brought out | | | | journals. |
| inventions that have improved the quality of human | | | | A variety of artistic methods is used in Art Therapy |
| life --- all of which are the end result of man's | | | | and divided into different professional areas. Some |
| creativity. Suffice it to say, creativity produces works | | | | artistic methods that are used are music, dance, |
| of art, which is such a large part of our everyday | | | | psychodrama, movie, speech, recreational, poetry |
| lives. We can see them in almost every corner, | | | | and photo therapy. |
| every space, and wall around us. It has been used as | | | | Drawing, painting, and sculpting help many people to |
| a visual means of communication and expression | | | | reconcile inner conflicts, release deeply repressed |
| dating back to prehistoric times. Art speaks of | | | | emotions, and foster self-awareness, as well as |
| originality, individuality, a creative process, graphic | | | | personal growth. Some mental health providers use |
| materials, colors, textures, spontaneity, risk, | | | | art therapy as both a diagnostic tool and as a way |
| alternatives, and imagination. But art is not only for | | | | to help treat disorders such as anxiety, abuse-related |
| the creative minds or the famous painters. Art is also | | | | trauma, and schizophrenia. Art therapy sessions are |
| a healthy way to express the way we feel and deal | | | | also given to prison inmates and HIV patients. |
| with our emotions. Art has been of central | | | | Although there is relatively little scientific evidence |
| importance to the healing practices of many cultures | | | | that proves that it helps people with cancer, many |
| over much of human history, and as time went on, | | | | health professionals think it may encourage the |
| through observations and research, an art-based | | | | cancer patients to express their emotions, which |
| therapy method has been developed and called Art | | | | could help them improve their relationship with others. |
| Therapy. | | | | It can also take their minds off from pain and |
| According to the American Art Therapy Association, | | | | discomfort. |
| the professional definition of Art Therapy is that: "...it | | | | Art is found to be of great help most especially to a |
| is a human service profession that utilizes art media, | | | | depressed individual. Through art, they can discover |
| images, the creative art process and patient/client | | | | their anger and express it in a healthy way. In one |
| responses to the created products as reflections of | | | | study, art therapy was used with suicidal teenagers, |
| an individual's development, abilities, personality, | | | | and results showed that it had positive effects as |
| interests, concerns and conflicts." | | | | part of an overall treatment plan. |
| Art Therapy practice is based on knowledge of | | | | Another study published in the Journal of Pain and |
| human development and psychological theories which | | | | Symptom Management found that art therapy can |
| are implemented in the full spectrum of models of | | | | reduce a broad spectrum of symptoms related to |
| assessment and treatment including educational, | | | | pain and anxiety in cancer patients. In the study done |
| psychodynamic, cognitive, transpersonal and other | | | | at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, cancer patients |
| therapeutic means of reconciling emotional conflicts, | | | | reported significant reductions in eight of nine |
| fostering self-awareness, developing social skills, | | | | symptoms measured by the Edmonton Symptom |
| managing behavior, solving problems, reducing | | | | Assessment Scale (ESAS) after spending an hour |
| anxiety, aiding reality orientation and increasing | | | | working on art projects of their choice. |
| self-esteem. | | | | Emotional disturbances such as stress overload, |
| The beginnings of modern art therapy can be traced | | | | depression, and anxiety are the result of losing touch |
| to the early 1900s when psychiatrists first wondered | | | | with one's own thoughts and feelings. One way to |
| if there was a relationship between artworks and the | | | | get back in touch with these thoughts and feelings is |
| illnesses of patients. At the same time, art educators | | | | through the use of art. Art therapy provides a sense |
| began to observe how the free and spontaneous | | | | of accomplishment, enjoyment, and personal |
| artworks of children were a form of personal | | | | expression for those interested in simple relaxation |
| storytelling which conveyed emotionally and | | | | and self-discovery. |
| symbolically meaningful messages. These two areas | | | | Information on rugby sport, rugby terms , rugby tips |
| of interest eventually resulted in the emergence of | | | | can be found at the Knowledge Galaxy site. |
| the distinct discipline of art therapy in the 1930s. | | | | |