Art Therapy Techniques and Why They Are Helpful

What is art therapy?

Art therapy combines psychotherapy with creative expression to improve mental well-being and promote healing. Therapists who use art therapy believe it can help treat various psychological disorders and encourage self-expression. This process allows clients to better understand themselves, find new coping strategies during stressful times, boost self-esteem, and enhance social skills and self-awareness, especially in group settings.

Additionally, art therapy improves cognitive and sensorimotor functions, strengthens emotional resilience, promotes insight, reduces conflicts and distress, and supports societal and ecological change (American Art Therapy Association, n.d.).

Moving on to the next part: What happens during an art therapy session? 

• First, a professional art therapist explains the session's end goal to the client and assures them that they need not be artistic and that whatever they create won't be judged by the therapist or others. 
• Afterward, the client will be asked to try various art therapy ideas until they find one or several they are comfortable with. It's also possible that the client will try out a set type of medium during the session. 
• When the medium has been assigned or chosen, guide the client by asking questions and giving them the time and space to create art. 
• After the drawing or creating part of the session, ask the client to explain their art and how it connects to what they're feeling or experiencing. During this time, you may converse with the client and ask follow-up questions that'll encourage the client to share and elaborate on the source of their creation. 
• If you feel that the client needs additional follow-up by the end of the session, you may plan and schedule future ones. 

It's important to note that with every technique, you are encouraged to offer prompts to help with possible art blocks during the creative process. 

10 art therapy techniques and exercises

Now that you know the benefits you and your client will gain from art therapy, it's time to dive into the meat of the guide. To help you out, aside from listing them down, we've also provided a brief explanation of each technique.

1. Collage: Clients are asked to gather materials such as photos, printed images, book page cutouts, or even flyers, cut them into whatever shape they want, and paste them together. 
2. Doodling and scribbling: Clients are given an assortment of art materials, mostly pens and markers, and are asked to simply draw. Most of the time, clients may produce small and simple illustrations or artworks with repetitive patterns. 
3. Drawing: Like doodling and scribbling, clients are given multiple mediums to create their masterpieces. However, their art is expected to be more elaborate than doodles. 
4. Painting: This technique is similar to drawing, but the primary materials are paper, paint, and a brush. In finger painting, a client uses their fingers instead of a brush. 
5. Sculpting: This technique doesn't involve drawing on a flat piece of paper or having anything printed. A client asked to sculpt will utilize clay or even paper mache to create sculptures. 
6. Textile work: This technique has different names depending on what you may ask the client to do. They may be asked to sew, weave, or knit to create. However, one uniting factor is that clients who work with textiles incorporate fabric or a variation. 
7. Mask making: A technique most similar to sculpting, mask making asks the client to sculpt a mask out of tissue paper, clay, or any material that can hold the shape of a mask. Afterward, you may take it up a notch by having them paint their mask or design it with other crafting materials like fabric, sequins, etc. 
8. Carving: This technique involves sculpting materials like wood, soap, or stone to create physical representations of thoughts and emotions. It encourages mindfulness and focus, helping clients process complex feelings and channel negative emotions into a constructive activity.
9. Making cards: Creating personalized cards allows clients to express emotions or communicate messages they might find difficult to verbalize. When cards are shared with others, this facilitates emotional expression, self-exploration, and a sense of connection.
10. Pottery: Pottery engages clients in the tactile process of shaping clay, promoting relaxation and emotional release. This technique helps clients explore their inner world while building self-acceptance and resilience through the art-making process.

When is it best to use art therapy techniques?

If qualified, therapists can only use art therapy techniques and conduct art therapy sessions. Once they receive a certification or license, some of the best times to use art therapy techniques are when:

• The client needs to relieve stress.
• The client is said to exhibit “difficult” behavior or struggles with social interaction.
• The client just went through traumatic experiences
• The client is diagnosed with a learning disability or mental illness
• The client is recovering from a brain injury

To be more specific, art therapy, if appropriate, can be part of a treatment plan for the following:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Cancer
• Anger-related issues
• Eating disorders
• Substance abuse
• Relationship problems

Why is art therapy helpful?

Here are the benefits of incorporating art therapy during clients sessions:

Enhances emotional expression and reduces stress

Art therapy helps clients express emotions they may struggle to verbalize, offering a safe outlet for their inner world. Through art making, such as creating intricate patterns or expressive art, clients can relieve emotional stress and explore personal insight into their feelings.

Promotes self-discovery and personal growth

Activities like maintaining an art journal or working on self-portraits encourage clients to reflect on their self-image and uncover more profound aspects of their identity. This process promotes personal insight and helps clients overcome emotional stress and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

Supports mental health and healing

Engaging in abstract art or structured art projects provides clients with a visual representation of their emotions, helping them process mental health problems. Using art supplies creatively in therapy sessions can make healing more engaging, empowering clients to build resilience and reduce emotional stress.

Reference

American Art Therapy Association. (n.d.). About art therapy. https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/