Art Therapy has been around for a while but it’s only just beginning to pick up steam and gain more mainstream media coverage. Naturally, as with any unfamiliar subject or profession, there are some common misconceptions about Art Therapy. Here are a few misconceptions I’ve heard over the years:

1. Art Therapy is just like traditional talk therapy just with some art thrown in.
   Art Therapy can simply be defined as the combination of talk therapy and the use of art making during a therapeutic session, with the guidance of a licensed Art Therapist. While that might be a very simplified definition, there’s a lot more to it. There are reasons, based in research, behind the art directives used in a session, the materials selected, and the types of discussions had about the art pieces created. 
2. Any licensed therapist can provide Art Therapy.
   In reality, people have to go through extensive training and post graduate work to become fully licensed as Art Therapists and to use that title. Most Art Therapists receive bachelor degrees, and then attend a two year graduate programs which includes theory, practice, and supervised work. Some professionals go on to pursue doctoral degrees in Art Therapy. After completing their graduate programs, they complete an additional two years of supervised work and then take licensing exams, in addition to their usual therapist licensure requirements per their state regulations. 
3. There is little research supporting the use of Art Therapy.
   While there is always room for more, there has been a great deal of research done which documents the benefits of art making, Art Therapy, and its impact on mental health outcomes. Again, while this isn’t the most common form of therapy it doesn’t mean there isn’t research. One of the more popularized mental health issues tied to Art Therapy is trauma work with veterans, children, and in the medical/hospital setting. 
4. You have to be an artist to truly benefit from Art Therapy.
   This is one thing that often deters people from trying Art Therapy. This is not true! No artistic experience is required to begin Art Therapy or reap its benefits. Most Art Therapists have experience with the arts both personally and professionally. Many Art Therapists also have prior training as art teachers which helps ease client worries and provide clients with any necessary support.
5. Art Therapy includes things like coloring books and mandalas. 
   There are lots of books and activities out there that have the label “Art Therapy” on them. Really, what these coloring books and activities are referencing is therapeutic art making. There are numerous articles and research out there referring to the ways in which making art, creating, making music, etc., have therapeutic value. This basically means people find art making to be helpful, healing, relaxing, cathartic, and insight building. The difference here is that therapeutic art is generally something you can do on your own. Art Therapy, on the other hand, requires an Art Therapist be present with you in some way, such as in person or via some video/audio medium. 

 
Hope this helps clarify some things and maybe increases your interest in Art Therapy and the benefits of creating art for therapeutic purposes further!
 
Be safe and be well.

While there are lots of reasons why you might be struggling to get started with your art making practice, I thought I’d share one that comes up a lot. Maybe at some point you’ve said, “I have all kinds of materials so I find myself becoming overwhelmed by the choices and options.“
 
Here is one tip I find really helpful:

So your choice might be one paint color, marker, clay, color pencil, or it can be a set of markers, a set of water colors, etc. The idea is to choose one medium to work with. This allows you to explore, play, and learn about the benefits and limits of that given medium. 
 
Here are some ways to play with the medium you chose:
     > use your non-dominant hand
     > rotate the page/canvas for a new perspective
     > put more pressure or less pressure with the medium
     > let things drip
     > smear it or smudge it
     > add/spray some water on it to see what happens (does it flow or change?)
     > use an unconventional material to move your material around (a spoon, fork, paper towel, fingers, string
        chain, stick, etc.).

Now take this idea and run with it! You can take it a step further and try one medium for a day, for a week, or even a month. The more familiar you feel with your materials, and the more you make, the more your skills, confidence, and experience with art making grows. As these things increase so will your art making practice!

So now that you got this idea....get to creating! 

Be safe and be well.

-Janette D. M.

What Are Your Art Making Hang-ups? Share them here with the hashtag #ArtHangUps 
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 Imagine this…
 
You’ve had a long day and finally get a few minutes to yourself. You decide to whip out your favorite art materials and get to making. No plan just play. Within minutes you find yourself in a groove. You’re making choices, putting this here and that there. You get lost in the process of making your thing. Your blood pressure drops, your breathing slows, and your mind quiets. You put your finishing touches, make those final choices, and put your materials down. You look at your creation and a smile erupts across your face as you honor your piece, and yourself for showing up and creating. You feel refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle whatever comes next. This is the beauty and benefit of making and creating where the focus is on the process. 
 
Here’s another scenario…
 
You’ve had a long day and finally get a few minutes to yourself. You decide to grab your best art materials and begin to plan your piece. You know what you want to make so you get to making. As you work, you’re thinking about composition, color, and other artistic elements. You want your piece to look like what you imagine within your mind’s eye. You also want your piece to be visually appealing and engaging to others. As you get to the last elements you want to add to your piece you begin to review your work. You smile as you see what you created meets the criteria you set out for yourself. A sense of pride and accomplishment fills you. This is what happens when you finish something you set out to create, where the focus is on the product. 
 
Both of these approaches to art making are valid. Which route you take depends on what purpose art making has for you. I am here to advocate for the side of process though. I feel this approach is the most accessible to everyone. This way of making gives us the opportunity to quiet the inner critic and be more creative. It allows us to remember what it’s like to make art like a kid. A time where we didn’t judge our creations and had a blast making stuff because our creativity knew no bounds. 
 
I challenge you to make something this week. Doodle, finger paint, collage, color, make a beaded bracelet, work on a fuse bead project, knit, embroider, or grab some playdoh. Put on some music and just play with your materials. Follow your creativity and curiosity to see where it leads you!
 
Be safe and be well.

With everything going on you maybe finding yourself feeling a little restless and becoming aware of things you put on the back burner. You’ve tried all kinds of stuff to find a healthy outlet for your stress or work through your stuck feelings. Art making has been catching your eye again, but you struggle with the inner critic who tells you, “Art making is a waste of time. You’ve got better more important things to do. Where would you even start? Plus, you are no artist!” 
 
I’ve seen and experienced the transformational power of art making. It’s ability to contain big emotions and thoughts too difficult to utter in words. Art’s capacity to calm the mind and the body. The way it can express things words just never could. I have witnessed art’s ability to comfort, contain, inspire, unearth, and heal people who are feeling stuck. I have seen what happens when people create and make art like a kid again; finding joy and lightness they forgot existed. 
 
This is what I hope to bring to others who have always felt a pull towards creating, crafting, and making but have lost touch with their creative side. I want to show others the power of expressive art and creativity. How it can help transform us from the inside out and help us lead balanced, creative, and inspired lives. Sometimes we just need a little guidance and to learn how to tune out the inner critic. 
 
So, I am here to show you how incorporating art making and creativity into your daily life can bring a little more play, clarity, and balance to your world. I am here to guide you through the process and help you reconnect with your inner creative. 
 
I’m looking forward to sharing resources, information about the benefits of art making, and sharing stories from others who have found how adding a little creative practice into their daily lives has changed their mindset and brought fresh opportunities. It’s time to show that inner critic that art making is not a waste of time but an amazing investment in your health and wellness. 
 
Be safe and be well.

In art therapy practices we often use mandalas as a form of bringing forth calm, exploring the inner world of the client, while also providing a safe and containing space in which to explore and express oneself. Creating your own or coloring in a mandala has been shown to lower blood pressure, activate the calming effects of parasympathetic nervous system. While most people are familiar with the adult coloring books which are filled with beautiful flower styled mandalas, a mandala is essentially a design within a circle and does not need to be symmetrical or perfect.  

If you're feeling adventurous you might want to try making your own mandala. I'm sharing a link to a video below which I found helpful at guiding you in making your very own mandala. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

Be safe & be well.

​-Janette