In my opinion, an art therapy session fits perfectly into the group therapy that I initiated in one of the previous articles, and is also very suitable for the upcoming season and winter holidays. Why art therapy? There are so many interesting things we can do to decorate our home, but there are also so many benefits to be gained from these activities.
Literally, art therapy is treatment through art or creativity. The impact on consciousness, the formation of a certain mood is generally one of the most important goals of art. There are many different types of artistic creativity that can have a beneficial effect on the psyche. Among them are not only music, dance, literary creativity and visual activities. Special attention is paid to arts and crafts, which are so diverse that everyone can find something to their liking: ceramics and embroidery, knitting and patchwork, wood carving and artistic forging, making wool toys and much more. Engaging in these activities in itself raises a person's mood and self-esteem, makes life brighter, fuller and allows you to find new friends.
In other words, art therapy is capable of performing several functions at once:
- self-expression;
- stress relief;
- increased self-esteem;
- harmonization of the inner world;
- personal development;
- normalization of relations in society;
- awareness of psychological problems.
Therefore, before starting to heal your soul through art, take into account the following recommendations:
- Do not hesitate and do not try to paint (sculpt, dance, sing, compose) perfectly. The process itself is important.
- It’s not a problem if you don’t deal with your creation right away. Therefore, it is better to save the results of your healing creativity and periodically review it – from different angles and in different moods.
- Art therapy is effective even when you do not fully understand its essence and mechanism of action. It heals already in the process of how you create.
From the many types of art therapy, I have selected those that are best suited for the season and the atmosphere of the holiday:
Painting therapy. Drawing is a creative process, and the accompanying inspiration creates a tonic focus of excitement in the cerebral cortex. It serves as a source of positive energy and positive emotions, helps to overcome apathy and depression. You can try painting a winter picture, and why not, Christmas cards for your friends.
If you do not know what to draw, check out these recommendations of a psychologist who tells us what is best to draw depending on the emotional state:
- Tired – paint flowers;
- Angry – draw lines;
- Sad – draw a rainbow;
- If you want to relax – draw patterns;
- It is important to remember – draw labyrinths;
- If you feel despair – draw the roads;
- You need to quickly recuperate – paint landscapes;
- If you want to understand your feelings – draw a self-portrait;
- It is important to concentrate on thoughts – draw with dots;
- To find the best way out of the situation – draw waves and circles;
- You feel; that you are "stuck" and you need to move on – draw spirals;
- If you want to concentrate on a goal, draw grids and targets.
Music therapy. Associative connections caused by the perception or performance of music affect the mental state of a person. Music itself is magic that can heal the soul. However, from the point of view of psychology, the greatest effect can be achieved not so much from listening to it as from performing. There are so many carols, Christmas songs that you can listen to or even sing. If you are not sure what will work out for you, you can sing alongside your favorite song.
Dance therapy. Improves tone, strengthens physical condition, improves balance, and reduces the risk of falling. Dance helps to achieve emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration. The benefits include, in particular, stress reduction and mood management.
Phototherapy. Improves concentration, helps to focus on good, and distracts from negative thoughts. Photos have a special emotional background. You can use your own photos or magazine clippings. A collage of pictures can be not only a beautiful Christmas present, but also an effective method of emotional treatment.
Craft therapy. Increases perseverance, gives time to get over your problems, find ways to solve them, trains fine motor skills. Handmade things have always been of special value to me. Any item you make will be a perfect gift for a loved one or a special decoration for your Christmas tree.
You may also want to involve family or friends in the process to make the therapy more effective. Joint creativity unites and helps to build more trusting relationships. This can be a work in a pair with spouses, a child-parent couple or a mother with children. The whole family can also work. Sometimes in family work, attention can be paid to pets as full-fledged family members.
Art therapy is an amazing and magical world in which there are no rigid frames and strict rules, there is not even a clear plan, but there is a lot of freedom, imagination and improvisation. Where everyone, picking up clay or a brush, feels like a real potter or artist, regardless of what he was able and knew initially. And do not forget that the process is more important than the result, although the result often exceeds the most optimistic expectations.
Good luck and creativity!