Art Therapy Status in Treatment and Management of Mental Health

Art Therapy: A Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approach

Art therapy is one of several complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches utilized by health professionals in disease treatment and management. The phrase effectively incorporates complementary techniques to allopathic medicine as well as alternative medications used as alternatives for allopathic treatment. CAM procedures, medical and health care systems, and products are not always considered traditional medicine. Art therapy thus falls under the complementary and alternative medicine mind-body realm (Levy, 2014).

The Practice of Art Therapy

The practice has become considerably important as a new method of treatment in the health sector, especially concerning mental health issues. By definition, art therapy constitutes those therapeutic practices which intend to improve self-awareness, abilities to deal with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences, and aim to ameliorate the patient’s cognitive capabilities through artistic expression (Levy, 2014). Some examples of art therapy include drama, written expression, music, and dance.

Historical Development

In spite of contemporary art therapy being a relatively new paradigm in CAM, it is appreciable that historically world cultures have consistently used art as a means of expressing ideas and thoughts. For example, it is suggested that the earliest findings of cave paintings found in Spain were made during religious ceremonies to preserve some message for future religious reference (Levy, 2014). However, future generations of humans increasingly adopted art as a symbolic tool of self-expression. It was only until the 1940s that the application of art as a treatment mechanism gained a formal definition and developed into an actual discipline. According to Levy (2014), art therapy as a discipline developed independently in both Europe and America. For example, Adrian Hill was the first individual in Europe to refer to the therapeutic benefits of art. His reference was particularly significant given that the artist encouraged fellow patients at a sanatorium to participate in art projects and documented the implications in a book titled “Art Versus Illness” (Levy, 2014).

The pioneering work of the artist was later enhanced by another artist known as Edward Adamson who collaborated with Hill in introducing the new therapy to mental institutions in Britain. Adamson proceeded to recommend and institute art therapy in institutions such as the Netherne Hospital. Before retiring in 1981, the artist had started studios which provided a platform where patients could invoke their creativity to create art devoid of supervision or judgment (Waller, 2013). His approach hence prepared the ground for the emergence of the “non-interventionist” art therapy in which the purpose of creating art is for self-expression purposes rather than as a step preceding psychological interpretation (Waller, 2013). Adamson’s further contributed to the development of art therapy by collecting samples of art from the studio which is a useful specimen for understanding the mentally ill.

In the mid 1904s United States, the psychologist Margaret Naumburg began citing her work as art therapy. Unlike her British counterparts in Hill and Adamson, her contribution to art therapy was influenced by psychoanalytic theories developed by Freud. For instance, Junge (2015) notes that Freudian psychology particularly encouraged her to relate art-making to verbal therapy due to its ability to disengage repressed thoughts. This approach was based on the Freudian notion that the fundamental human thoughts and emotions located in the unconscious are expressed through art rather than verbal language. Naumburg hence treated artwork as symbolic communication which she encouraged to analyze and interpret (Junge, 2015). Notably, and in comparison to Adamson’s approach, Naumburg’s therapeutic work diverged by taking an interventionist approach regarding the treatment and management of mental illnesses.

Towards the twentieth century

Towards the twentieth century, mental health began adopting art therapy having observed its potential to advance cognitive, emotional, and developmental maturation in children (Lee, 2013). Hanevik et al. (2013) note further historical developments characterized by academic divisions among art therapists in the 1970’s that created two paradigms: some viewed art as therapy while others which saw it as psychotherapy. The proponents of the former paradigm advocated the idea that the very process of making art had healing powers. On the other hand, supporters of art as psychotherapy restricted the operation of this CAM practice within the model of verbal psychotherapy. According to Hanevik et al. (2013), their approach resulted in the emergence of the “transference” concept which proposes that art therapy sessions are an external expression of the patient’s mental state and a safe environment in which patients can disclose personal feelings to a trustworthy therapist.

Modern Applications of Art Therapy

Modern art therapy has since evolved to broaden its scope. From a simple means of expression for the mentally ill to be a tool for psychological interpretation, art therapy is now used as an investigative tool to enhance knowledge in mental health. According to (Junge, 2015), care givers in the art therapy profession indeed appreciate the contribution of interdisciplinary fields such as human development., counseling, and psychology. The interrelationship between theories from these other areas has since functioned in tandem towards the enriching the CAM practice. For example, (Kaiser and Deaver, 2013) credits art therapists for developing diagnostic tools for research and clinical application to be administered by trained professionals. These include the Levick Emotional and Cognitive Art Therapy Assessment (LECATA), Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS), and the Ulman Personality Assessment Procedure (UPAP) as improved techniques aiding the treatment of mental health issues (Gatta, Gallo and Vianello, 2014).

Current Applications and Practice

Art therapy is deployed in a myriad of settings ranging from clinical to non-clinical applications for the treatment and management of mental health. Markedly, art therapists usually work with individuals of all ages and the approach has proved to be effective in addressing matters related to general illness, family counseling, bereavement, treating mental disabilities, managing behavioral disorders in children, stress management programs and drug and alcohol rehabilitation. A majority of patients usually seek escape from diseases, and it has been established that art is one of the most common approaches used in the contemporary world. In this light, healthcare institutions have commenced studies on the impact of arts on patient-care and establish that participants in art therapy usually tend to demonstrate vitals and fewer complications while sleeping (Hanevik et al., 2013).

Also, art therapy is now being extensively used in social skills training particularly for individuals below 18 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to reports, the approach has been found to be very beneficial in increasing the willingness of a child to express his or her feelings during therapy without resorting to bad temper (Lee, 2013). Furthermore, most cancer patients are now turning to art-making as a mechanism for coping with the pain and creating a positive identity for themselves. Through the different art programs such as card making, pottery, painting, and drawing, patients have been able to regain their own identities beyond having cancer hence lessening their emotional pain while gaining more hope for the future (Hanevik et al., 2013).

Lastly, art therapy is now being extensively applied in some traumatic experiences, encompassing bereavement, crisis intervention, and disaster relief. Nowadays, art therapists usually work with adults, adolescents, and children after human-made and natural disasters, by encouraging them to develop works of art in response to their grave experiences. Through art therapy, the practitioners are usually able to assess for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), normalize feelings, promote relaxation skills, model coping skills, establish social support networks, and increase a sense of stability and security. For bereaved individuals, art therapy is now becoming a popular method used in offering social sanction for expression of grief and promotion of adaptive mourning responses (Hanevik et al., 2013).

Critique of Art Therapy

Benefits/Effectiveness

Considerable research purports that art therapy is one of the numerous modalities capable of assisting individuals in attaining desired mental health and happiness. For instance, it has been reported that cancer patients have realized considerable health benefits resulting from its use as a complementary and alternative medicine. Citing the importance of CAM therapies, Waller, an art therapist, hence notes that some CAM therapies have shown the potential to alleviate the psychological symptoms associated with the treatment of cancer. These include pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Complimentary art therapies (CATs) have been especially conspicuous in this respect (Waller, 2013).

Remarkably, art therapy is an expressive language that can be used by both the unconscious and conscious minds. By deploying art therapy, therapists have been able to make individuals of all walks of life utterly express themselves as well as their feelings and emotions freely without deviating to tantrums due to overwhelming feelings. Furthermore, due to art therapy, despondent individuals have embraced positive perspectives in life hence cultivating in them some sense of self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and personal independence (Hanevick et al., 2013).

Risks

Psychotherapeutic processes have their inherent risks, and art therapy is no exception. In this respect, Pfennig et al. (2013) caution that patients may suddenly remember long-forgotten negative memories during a session. These memories could, for instance, evoke sentiments of anger, fear, and sadness among other negative feelings. Effectively, such scenarios may prove counterproductive to the healing processes intended to cure or alleviate symptoms of depression for example. Concerned patients may even feel uncomfortable using artistic to express information of personal nature which may threaten their privacy. Should such happen, the therapy sessions become even more complicated since a patient may make deliberately suppress the free flow of ideas that characterize artistic expression for fear of being judged (Pfennig et al., 2013).

Secondly, art therapy could have adverse impacts related to the poor clinical governance of its delivery. For example, Pfennig et al. (2013) allude to a case study where a practitioner further complicated a patient’s condition. The specialist moved the patient suffering from chronic stress into the second stage of treatment that involved participation in a group art activity. This course of action was taken despite the fact that the patient failed to comply with a policy that barred them from abusing substances during the therapy program. The therapist proceeded to encourage the patient to express his negative emotions in a drawing, but the patient relapsed into a moment of rage during which he injured himself. As demonstrated by the incident, the management of art therapy session is a delicate process requiring professional experience and a cautious approach.

Conclusion

In summary, the development of art therapy was stimulated by an art patient whose efforts encouraged others to consider its applicability. Subsequent events created the interventionist and non-interventionist approaches to the CAM practice. With subsequent research and the contribution of other knowledge areas, mental institutions and hospitals realized benefits which include the recovery of mental health. However, art therapy poses a threat to the healing process itself by resurfacing negative memories and causing relapses that could threaten the patient’s safety. It is hence imperative that relevant stakeholders appraise the potential hazards the development of treatment and match them to competent staff if art therapy as a CAM is to realize its full potential.

References

Gatta, M., Gallo, C., & Vianello, M. (2014). Art therapy groups for adolescents with personality disorders. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(1), 1-6.

Hanevik, H., Hestad, K. A., Lien, L., Teglbjaerg, H. S., & Danbolt, L. J. (2013). Expressive art therapy for psychosis: A multiple case study. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 40(3), 312-321.

Junge, M. B. (2015). History of art therapy. The Wiley Handbook of Art Therapy, 7-1

Kaiser, D., & Deaver, S. (2013). Establishing a research agenda for art therapy: A Delphi study. Art Therapy, 30(3), 114-121.

Lee, S. Y. (2013). “Flow” in art therapy: Empowering immigrant children with adjustment difficulties. Art Therapy, 30(2), 56-63.

Levy, F. J. (2014). Dance and other expressive art therapies: When words are not enough. Routledge.

Pfennig, A., Bschor, T., Falkai, P., & Bauer, M. (2013). The diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder: recommendations from the current s3 guideline. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 110(6), 92.

Waller, D. (2013). Becoming a Profession (Psychology Revivals): The History of Art Therapy in Britain 1940-82. Routledge.

Wilkinson, R. A., & Chilton, G. (2013). Positive art therapy: Linking positive psychology to art therapy theory, practice, and research. Art Therapy, 30(1), 4-11.

(Wilkinson and Chilton, 2013)