The difference between art therapy and other therapy methods

The relationship between the therapist and the client is essential in different therapy methods, yet art therapy is fundamentally different from other therapies. In art therapy, communication is a three-way process among the therapist’s art, patient, their work of art. This communication in therapy gives the patient a better opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts, and it is beneficial for people who have difficulty expressing their feelings and thoughts orally. Art therapy is used for a wide range of mental disorders. Of course, in most cases, art therapy is only a part of the therapy process and is complementary to other therapy methods such as group therapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Some of the situations in which art therapy can be used for healing are:

Learning disorders in children

Severe stress in adults

Behavioral and social problems of children at home or school

People with mental disorders

The devastating consequences of severe accidents on children and adults

Parsa Peykar’s definition of the American Art Therapy Association:

“A mental health profession that uses creative artistic processes to improve and enhance the physical, psychological, and emotional health and well-being of people of all ages. Art therapy is based on this belief that the creative process of artistic self-expression helps people resolve conflicts and problems, strengthen communication skills, regulate behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and gain better and more insight. “

Origin of art therapy:

Although people have been using art as a way of expression, communication, and healing for thousands of years, art therapy has been formally established since the middle of the twentieth century. Doctors found that people with mental illness often expressed themselves in paintings and other works of art, which led them to consider art as an improvement strategy. Since then, art has become an essential part of psychotherapy and is used in some assessment and treatment methods.