What are the benefits of Art Therapy?

Art is a powerful therapeutic tool. Human beings have been creating art since the beginning of time.

Society does not tend to value the arts as much as technology or finance, but could you imagine what the world would be without it?

Art is a tool for communication, self-expression, and healing and has been for thousands of years. Art contributes to social cohesion and overall wellbeing, it is the invisible glue that holds a society together.

Art therapy was formally recognised as its own distinctive form of therapy in the 1940s. During that time, doctors were noticing how people with mental illness often expressed themselves in drawings and other artworks, which led many to explore the use of art as a component of the overall healing strategy.

Any art therapist knows how incredibly comforting and soothing art-making is. However, many people are unfamiliar with what art therapy is and how it can help them. Here are some ways art therapy is beneficial, and might even be something for you to explore.

1. Lowers stress.

While everyone knows meditation is good for you, art-making mimics the experience of meditation by gently guiding you into the present moment. Several studies show that engaging in any sort of visual expression results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated which raises serotonin levels. This isn’t only limited to making art, it can also occur by experiencing art.

Creating art — music, poetry, writing, dance, painting, clay — can also help you achieve a “flow” state. That feeling of losing yourself when you’re so in the moment and fully present that you forget all sense of time and space. Achieving more flow states is associated with increased happiness, higher intrinsic motivation, greater creativity, and better emotional regulation.

2. Boosts critical thinking.

Human beings have been creating art since the beginning of time. Caves were painted to reflect our lives and communicate messages to other tribes and groups. Current research also reveals that creating art may have served an evolutionary purpose by helping us navigate problems that might arise in the future. The brain is constantly problem-solving and making predictions about what we need to do next. It’s always looking at what to do in order to survive and thrive. When you make art, you’re making a series of decision. What kind of drawing utensil should I use? What color should I choose? How can I convey this message? What is the most important thing I want to get across? This process of gentle analysis helps boost our ability to think, reigniting these pathways in our brain to problem solve and finding new ways to do things.

3. Increases self-esteem.

Producing and creating anything gives us a sense of accomplishment. This can be very valuable to improving your self-esteem and confidence. According to a study by Wan Mak and Fancourt from University College London, creating art validates the uniqueness of an individual, which gives rise to a sense of accomplishment and to feelings of self-worth. Also, the arts have been shown to support a sense of social identity, encourage goal-directed behaviour, and enhance social resilience.

4. Increases self-awareness.

Creating art allows you to recognise feelings that are hiding in your subconscious. You might even feel surprised by what comes up. For example, you might think you’re angry over one issue but once you sit with it and process it with an art therapist, you might find it’s not even that issue at all but something else entirely different. Increasing self-awareness and clarity over our feelings has many benefits. Research suggests that when we see ourselves clearly, we are more confident and more creative. This leads to sounder decisions, stronger relationships, and more effective communication. The more you know yourself the better you are at getting what you really want in life. You are also more able to see life as it is rather than through our own clouded subjective perceptions of the world.

5. An outlet for self-expression.

This is the most obvious benefit of art therapy. We all know art is the best outlet for our emotions.

We all need an outlet for our emotions. It’s important to find a way to allow our emotions to be released without having them build up in our minds and bodies. Having a creative outlet helps you deal with anxiety and stress, gives you a sense of purpose, and helps make space to overcome obstacles.

Art is a sensory bodily experience that allows us to unleash and process whatever we might be feeling. This can be done independently but it can be beneficial to see an art therapist who can guide you to safely explore what might be difficult and find new ways to get that emotion out of you and on to paper. From here, it creates distance, it provides a new perspective on an old wound. It is the start of healing.

Want to learn more?

My name is Kimberly Hetherington and I’m passionate about helping you find healing, connection, and joy in art. Contact me to learn more about individualised art therapy sessions or join a group workshop!