Art Therapy Outline

I. Art therapy is effective for expressing emotion.
A. Art therapy can help reveal subconscious feelings or suppressed emotions.
B. Art therapy can help release emotions that are difficult to express verbally.
II. Art therapy is effective for children.
A. Art therapy is very non-verbal, and children may have trouble finding words to fit their emotions.
B. Art therapy is comfortable for a child.
1. A child may not be comfortable saying what they need to even if they know how.
2. A child may not be comfortable talking to a stranger.
III. Art therapy is effective, in part, because it is not threatening.
A. Art therapy is not as intimidating as another person may be.
B. Art therapy is does not pathologize the person by making the person feel as if their identity is in their problem.
IV. Art therapy is effective, in part, because it is flexible.
A. Art therapy can cover many different art forms.
1. Patients can develop a more personalized form of therapy for themselves.
2. Patients can find a medium that works well for them.
a. Patients will feel more comfortable with choices.
b. Patients will be able to find a medium that may help them feel empowered.
B. Art therapy can have different levels.
1. Art therapy can work on a basic therapeutic level of expressing and sorting emotions.
2. Art therapy can also empower patients if they exhibit or share their artwork.