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Dara DeGrave Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English 1102 9/26/1 The Advantages of Art for Therapy !he internet "e#ines art therap$ as% a #orm o# ps$chotherap$ involving the encouragement o# #ree sel#&e'pression through painting% "ra(ing% or mo"eling% use" as a reme"ial activit$ or an ai" to "iagnosis) *rom cancer patients to people su##ering #rom +!,D% art therap$ is rapi"l$ gro(ing in the -nite" ,tates as a ne( (a$ to relieve stress) ,urprisingl$ art therap$ has been aroun" since the 19.0s) Margaret /aumburg is consi"ere" the #oun"er) ,he "iscovere" art therap$ (as a #orm o# ps$chotherap$) /aumburg establishe" her o(n school in 1910% 1al"en ,tation% (here she stresse" the importance o# chil"ren e'pressing themselves through art) !his (as the #irst step to(ar"s using art as therap$) In the earl$ 20th centur$ ps$chiatrists became #ascinate" in the art(or2 o# their patients (ith mental illness) 3rt therap$ "i##erentiates #rom t$pical clinical therap$ because instea" o# the patients tal2ing about their problems% the$ are able to create pictures an" images e'pressing their inner #eelings) It is built up on the principle that human4s #eelings an" thoughts come #rom the unconscious) !hat4s (h$ art therap$4s approach is so success#ul) 5$ creating a picture one is able to pro"uce an$thing the$ (ant% there are no rules involve") 3 patient can easil$ get lost in their picture% ma2ing them #ocus more on this piece o# art then their problems) I chose to "o m$ e'ten"e" in6uir$ pro7ect on art therap$ because I am an art ma7or) 3bout t(o $ears ago I learne" about art therap$) I (as ver$ intrigue" b$ this concept an" 2ne( #irst han" ho( therapeutic art is) M$ #reshmen $ear o# college I starte" researching more into art

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therap$ as a possible career choice #or me) I have al(a$s (ante" to be in a #iel" (here I coul" be helping people ever$"a$% but I have never been goo" at math or science so nursing or an$thing along those lines (as not right #or me) -n#ortunatel$% art therap$ is not o##ere" at -/CC% actuall$ it is not even o##ere" an$(here in the state o# /orth Carolina) Most sites sa$ that a ma7or in art an" minor in ps$cholog$ is re6uire" to be an art therapist) !he$ are pro#essionals in art an" therap$% hence the name) !he 3rt !herap$ Cre"entials 5oar" Inc) grants art therap$ cre"entials base" on e"ucation) M$ main interest in art therap$ came #rom m$ art teacher m$ senior $ear in high school) I originall$ learne" that it is use" on cancer patients) !his is (here I became intereste"% I (oul" love to (or2 (ith 2i"s an" help them (ith art pro7ects) !herapists nee" to be s2ille" in man$ me"iums such as painting% "ra(ing% sculpting% an" others) !he$ also nee" to possess certain 6ualities such as s$mpath$% patience% empath$% emotional stabilit$% an" un"erstan"ing o# human processes) 5$ mi" 20th centur$ hospitals% clinics% an" rehabilitation centers starte" using art therap$) !he$ sa( that the process o# ma2ing art enhance" patients (ell being b$ improving their recover$ an" health) !o"a$ art therapists (or2 (ith people o# all ages) !he$ (or2 in all "i##erent settings li2e rehabilitation centers% nursing homes% mental health% communit$ out reach programs% hospitals% clinics% an" more) 3rt therap$ also improves the "evelopmental an" emotional gro(th% mental illnesses% an'iet$% stress% #amil$ problems% an" substance abuse) 3rt therap$ is especiall$ success#ul in chil"ren because chil"ren are usuall$ more creative) !his ma2es it easier #or them to complete the pro7ects) ,ince chil"ren4s brains are still "eveloping art therap$ #ocuses on chil"ren (ith speech an" social problems% helping their emotional an" cognitive processes) 5ut the most common use o# art therap$ #or $oung a"ults is is also e##ective #or a"olescents su##ering #rom cancer) 8# course% the therap$ is improving their

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cognitive processes% but also (or2ing as a (a$ o# therap$) 3n$one can use an" bene#it #rom art therap$) It is not 7ust #or a""icts% +!,D% or cancer patients) !hough it is mainl$ 2no(n #or these uses% it is help#ul to ever$one) Even 7ust using art as an outlet in $our li#e (ill contribute to $our (ellbeing)