Further on How Art Therapy Works
Excerpt from an article by art therapist Jacqueline Fehlner.
As you use the provided simple art materials, confident that you are free to paint an honest expression of your feelings and experience, it is surprising how quickly inner communication emerges.
The artwork can be a visual voicing of your issues and pain; things that may have been blocked if left only to talk therapy. It may be the tool needed to find the words when there are no words or when words are not enough. It can give you the courage needed to share your experience, especially if you have suffered traumatic incidents. It is not "show and tell." It is usually an honest attempt to share deeply a part of one’s history, which may carry much shame.
Creating artwork makes visible what is within the heart, and mind and soul, bringing it to conscious awareness in a very concrete way. The paper, clay or whatever other art medium is used acts as a container for the feelings that are often overwhelming or the situations that may be trigger points for you. What is painted is what needs to be owned and thought about, perhaps looked at from a different perspective. This is a stage where healing of memories may be needed and takes place, sometimes without much verbalization.
Initiating a dialogue with the artwork and its content, colour, form, and movement opens up the possibility for a new or deeper dialogue with your Inner Self or your God. This is very freeing for people who have felt they aren't "very good with words" or are actually aphasic. New sight, new meaning and new insight for choosing life may now evolve.
There comes a time when it is possible to integrate what one sees; coming to know and find meaning within the therapeutic relationship. The work of an art therapist also has an aspect of helping clients to deepen and integrate all aspects of their life situation into their relationship with their Inner Self.
Excerpt from an article by art therapist Jacqueline Fehlner.
As you use the provided simple art materials, confident that you are free to paint an honest expression of your feelings and experience, it is surprising how quickly inner communication emerges.
The artwork can be a visual voicing of your issues and pain; things that may have been blocked if left only to talk therapy. It may be the tool needed to find the words when there are no words or when words are not enough. It can give you the courage needed to share your experience, especially if you have suffered traumatic incidents. It is not "show and tell." It is usually an honest attempt to share deeply a part of one’s history, which may carry much shame.
Creating artwork makes visible what is within the heart, and mind and soul, bringing it to conscious awareness in a very concrete way. The paper, clay or whatever other art medium is used acts as a container for the feelings that are often overwhelming or the situations that may be trigger points for you. What is painted is what needs to be owned and thought about, perhaps looked at from a different perspective. This is a stage where healing of memories may be needed and takes place, sometimes without much verbalization.
Initiating a dialogue with the artwork and its content, colour, form, and movement opens up the possibility for a new or deeper dialogue with your Inner Self or your God. This is very freeing for people who have felt they aren't "very good with words" or are actually aphasic. New sight, new meaning and new insight for choosing life may now evolve.
There comes a time when it is possible to integrate what one sees; coming to know and find meaning within the therapeutic relationship. The work of an art therapist also has an aspect of helping clients to deepen and integrate all aspects of their life situation into their relationship with their Inner Self.