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Art Therapy: The Prescription
Words Dr Alexis Nelson
Art therapy in a way is a form of language. The range of uses of art therapy encompasses all ages and backgrounds. It’s been documented for at least 20 years so now why is it on topic again, says Dr Alexis Nelson.
The world, despite heading towards ‘normality’ pre pandemic, is still reeling from a sharp sense of loss and trauma. The rates of mental health issues have skyrocketed in the UK. It is estimated that in young people between the age of 13 and 25, 67% believe their mental health has deteriorated after the pandemic, according to Young Minds UK.
The waiting list to see a mental health professional has now extended to a years wait to see a psychiatrist. So what then is the solution to a generation in mourning? Dealing with loss at a personal, community and global level?
Part of the answer is using creativity.
Now when we think about creativity we think about the ability to draw with a pencil and paper. We think of overly cheerful painting sessions and colouring books. We think that it’s only available to those in Mental Health Institutions.
Maybe, Part of the reason is we have been taught in a system from a very young age that art is just to do with picture perfect realistic images. Forgetting the deep meaning of why a painting like Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or why Claude Monet Waterlilies still move viewers to tears. Art has been able to for thousands of years relay meaning far beyond syllables.
Art has the ability to transfer you into another realm of thought. But how is art doing that? The aim of art therapy you see, is not the art itself. It is not the masterpiece unseen and not yet finished. But it is the process of creation that allows one to mirror feelings thoughts and ideas in a different way
At galleries such as the photographers gallery in central London. A collection of pictures are also called essays. This converts a story beyond tne picture. In the same way, when someone starts Art Therapy It can be seen as a collection and a visual representation of your story without saying a peep.
Art therapy is simply using drawing, painting, and various mediums as a meditative practice to help think or to help work through trauma. The broader term for this is psychotherapy. Most sessions take place with a psychotherapist or art therapist. The sessions can be in groups or as an individual. And art therapy doesn’t stop there. It branches into music therapy as well as traditional physiotherapy.
Hans has been very visual throughout the ages with the first means of communication being pictorials and murals on cave walls and shelters. As we have progressed through the ages murals became pictorials and we began to assign meanings to them. Most of it for the purpose of storytelling.
So it sounds good but does it work?
As a doctor, I like to see the evidence behind theories in order to make an informed decision. Systematic Reviews in 2020 (a review of a group of previous research studies) have shown that when it came to young people, there were improvements seen in coping behaviours, self-concept and we’ll being.
However the studies done are all so different using various art methods. So what is the truth then when you try and quantify subjective experiences like painting? If it doesn’t work all the time then why classify it as therapy?
Art therapy is by no means a single approach to trauma. If the body has 11 systems to function, it can only mean that dealing with mental health illnesses such as depression can only be managed with multiple different entities. For art therapy to work, the approach to the person has to be multidisciplinary, with a good support network as well.
Though the activity of art therapy can be freeing and enjoyable at the time. It can also be a diary that can lead to deeper revelations of oneself. When it really comes to healing it will always depend on protective factors to allow the therapy to do it’s real work.