Art therapy is a well-known mental health profession that primarily uses creativity process of art making in order to enhance physical, emotional well-being, and mental health of people. Art therapy is mainly based on belief that creative process of artistic helps people to resolve problems and conflicts, develop interpersonal skills, reduce stress, manage behavior, and increase self-esteem. In general, Art therapy incorporates the fields of visual arts, human growth, and the creative process with models of psychotherapy and counseling. The introduction art therapy influenced significant changes on how people think, believe and behave in the community. Behavior therapy is a procedure intended to treat unwanted behavior that is directly observed. Art therapy is suitable because it developed as a different form of psychotherapy in the 18th century.
All types of art therapy are believed to be traditionally based on psychodynamic or psychoanalytic principles. The traditions mainly involve humanistic, behavioral, analytic, and integrative strategies. Based on traditional evidence, it is evident that art therapy involves the process of creating creativity in movement, drama, art-making, and help clients to develop a much more integrated sense of self. It helps people to think correctly and enhance their behavior. It is also evident that it offers a unique chance for the use of non-verbal communication that allows clients to express what they feel especially when they are stressed. This kind of therapy helps people to improve their health because it assists people to forget their problems and carry on with their lives. In every session of art, it is clear that the idea of art therapy helps individuals to have confidence in whatever they are doing (Rubin 220).
The roots of behavioral therapy were observed over the past 40 years or so by Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. Pavlov investigated the principle of classical conditioning by using dogs in order see their reaction. He then realized that every time he gave the dog food; it responded to the stimuli. Later he resolved to use a metronome whenever he wanted to give the dog food. After a short period, the dog will salivate whenever the metronome made a sound. This is an indication that the dog was responding to stimuli that were conditioned. Soon after this discovery, people discovered more kinds of conditioning techniques that affected people's behavior. The behavior approach of art therapy involves the application of behavioral modification techniques which involve modeling procedures and operant conditioning. The method of therapy requires therapists to be present in order to guide patients on how to practice art therapy. During the performance of art therapy, silence is required in order for healing to unfold (Rubin 234).
Approaching art therapy from the behavioral model is not one of the standard practices. However, it has been carried out, and it has proved to be effective. Most people have discovered that behavioral techniques are important especially when one is dealing with emotional distress, mentally retarded children, and domestic violence. However, people that face issues like this have believed that behavioral techniques can help them heal. Behavioral techniques are significant because they help people to think straight and believe in themselves. Based on research, art therapy approach of particular usefulness for sensitively or emotionally disturbed or mentally retarded children is known as reality shaping. It mainly combines traditional art therapy techniques with behavior modification principles. In addition, it involves education especially during the process of therapy. Reality was shaping starts by identifying concepts that are poorly conveyed in children during the art sessions (Safran 223).
It is clear that art therapy treats various kinds of diseases and issues. For instance, art therapy is used to treat anxiety, depression, mental illness, substance abuse, abuse and domestic violence. Today, psychologists, nurses and other medical practitioners use art therapy to address pressing issues that affect people. Together, healthcare professionals work together in order to implement therapeutic goals and objective of clients. However, it is clear that other art therapists work independently and maintain confidential practices with adolescents, children, adults, and families. It is clear that the process of art therapy involves knowledge and skills that are used in order to have effect on clients. In order for the procedures to be effective, it is significant for art therapists to be attentive listeners and keen in observing (Rubin 213).
Research reviews that anyone can use art therapy. It is evident that people have different ways to communicate, and art therapy is one of them. However, one of the key diverse is that art therapy and another kind or types of communications is that other kinds of communication use words or language as a means of communication. However, the art of therapy involves the ability for an individual to express their feelings through any art therapy. Art therapists are highly trained through both art and medicine. Art therapists have studied and mastered both human development and psychology. Larry is one of the well-known therapists globally who used reality shaping. Larry drew a house are viewed it from all dimensions. This approach gave him a different feeling that he had never experienced. Therefore, he resolved to make another house with a three-dimension and painted it. In that case, he realized that it is easy for people to create behaviorally and conceptually objects in their lives. This was later described as behavioral modification technique because Larry had constructed a recognizable house (Safran 23).
Children that experience mental issues can use the process of psychological therapy in order to solve the condition. Art therapists believe that the best way to make children forget their feelings is through drawing and painting. This process draws the child away from emotions or mental disability to a better child. This process can take a short or a long period before the same child becomes to normal or betters state. For instance, a therapist can give a child a picture to draw and educate a child how to name the body parts. Therefore, drawing and painting help in the growth and development of the brain. This is a clear indication that the use of behavioral modification techniques new practice and develop ideas primarily not fully understood by children. Today, professional share the view of dynamic psychotherapy that emphasizes the role of interior procedures and behavior therapy that focuses on the functional adaption of behavior (Rubin 223).
According to art therapists, it is clear that young children develop their minds through reality shaping. During development, children are given the opportunity to draw pictures. In the initial stages, the drawings that children make are not visible or apparent. Therefore, behavioral approaches can be important and effective because they have the cognitive effect on children. Art therapists have performed most wonders in the society. They have come up with different strategies that have assisted people to heal such as painting. According to art therapists, it is clear that the brain of a human being needs easing in order for people to think straight. Apparently, with all the stress people can face a number of multiple challenges that they cannot solve if behavioral techniques are not applied (Safran 123).
It is clear that art therapy encourages self-expression, emotional g5rowth, and self-discovery. In that case, it has been used in several kinds of treatment of mental for more than 10o years. People are encouraged by art therapists to visualize and create thoughts and emotions that cannot talk about. During the 20th century, art therapy was very popular as a form of milieu therapy, and it was important to influence on the development of art therapy in America. Milieu therapists mostly focused on putting patients in a therapeutic social environment that offered chances to develop self-confidence and relate with others in a positive way (Rosal 34).
Conclusion
Based on research, it is clear that art therapists avoid the use of medical terminology and diagnostic labels with their clients. Today, art therapists use material qualities of art and media as one of its primary elements. These set of factors work through rehabilitation in order to help people solve their major problems. However, it is evident that art therapy is at early stages of finding appropriate, suitable research strategies further to understand the qualities of its benefits and practice as well as appropriate ways to evaluate its practices. From exploration health careers; art therapy is an establishment of the mental profession that utilizes the creative process of art making in order to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of people at all ages.
Work Cited
Rosal, Marcia L. Approaches to Art Therapy with Children. Burlingame, CA: Abbeygate Press, 1996. Print.
Rubin, A., Judith. Approaches to Art Therapy. New York. 1992.
Safran, Diane S. Art Therapy and Ad/had: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches. London: Jessica Kingsley, 2002. Internet resource.
