Finding Yourself Through Art Therapy

Art is not just a hobby for entertainment or appreciation. Art also has the power to heal. By using the creative process to unlock thoughts, emotions, and memories, clients can heal from trauma and addiction. Using art as therapy allows you to discover more about your emotions and yourself as you get in touch with your creative side.

Building Self-Esteem by Exploring Creativity

Art therapy can be initially intimidating for some clients who believe they are not creative or have no artistic skills. Yet art therapy is more about the process than the projects. Often, clients engage in the therapy and forget about their preconceived notions of themselves and their talents or lack thereof. As they forget about judgment and engage in the experience, they find an unlikely byproduct: success. Therapists who lead art therapy groups have experience and training in art, but the real experience is to get clients to open up and express themselves. Art is just the medium. Clients who can get out of their heads and let go actually find that they are more creative and artistic than they gave themselves credit for, which helps build their self-esteem.

Providing a Safe Outlet for Painful Emotions

Clients who have a lot of painful emotions or have experienced trauma often struggle with traditional talk therapy. Feeling safe and being able to communicate verbally can be difficult. Art therapy has the quiet power to provide a safe environment where nonverbal therapy happens, allowing the pain and trauma to come pouring out in creative ways that allow them to visually see their pain as they are processing it. There is so much room for individual expression and the ability to truly channel emotions of every kind through creativity and art. Clients who may not have been able to verbalize their pain are able to express it through art, and the therapy process can be very powerful and transformational.

Releasing Shame Through Art

Another outlet that art therapy provides that can be a gamechanger in treatment for addiction is the ability to release shame through creativity. Many clients struggle to put their shame into words or to even acknowledge it or bring it to the surface in individual or group talk therapy. Shame is one of those emotions that people tend to bury deep inside and hide from the world, so it can be difficult to access through traditional types of therapy. However, art therapy is a form of experiential therapy. It is truly immersive and circumvents the natural barriers that clients put up using verbal communication in traditional talk therapy. When clients use a hands-on, active approach to therapy, different parts of the brain are accessed, and breakthroughs can occur much more quickly and effectively than through sitting in an office and talking.

Using Art for Transformational Motivation

Art therapy can also serve as a motivator for change. Through the various creative activities and media, therapists can help guide clients through different types of experiences. For example, certain types of experiences may give them the feeling of being out of control, which helps to self-direct their thoughts toward their need for sobriety, treatment, and healing. Other experiences may be more peaceful and even spiritual, helping them to get in touch with a higher power. Art that helps release a lot of anger may help clients realize that they feel better when they are not angry. As a bonus, art therapy teaches them a new way to channel their anger in a safe and positive way, giving them a new coping mechanism going forward.

Encouraging Self-Awareness Through Creativity

Using art therapy to help clients identify their feelings and emotions can help them become more self-aware and in tune with their minds and bodies. Art can also help clients to learn more about themselves, who they are, what they want out of treatment, and where they want to go in life. Art gives them a powerful lens to observe themselves in a safe environment with the support of a therapist and the group. As a bonus to the needed therapy, you can gain new ways of self-expression and creativity. You can learn skills and tools that can help you beyond treatment. Some clients may take up art as a hobby or use it for their self-care. Others may never use art again, but the power of being able to find yourself through self-expression and creativity can be transformational. Being able to unlock your emotions and your pain and process them in a safe, healing environment is a truly healing experience. Art therapy is a powerful and immersive experiential therapeutic modality. By exploring your creativity, you can increase your self-esteem, release shame, and process trauma and pain, as well as use art for transformational motivation. Art therapy can help you become more self-aware and express yourself as you find yourself in healing. West Coast Recovery Centers offers environments that give you the support you need as you transition from residential treatment into routine living. We give you the structure and environment for success as you begin your recovery from addiction. We provide opportunities for creative expression and healing through weekly groups. We can help you build your self-esteem as you learn to express yourself through various media. Our programs allow you to develop your independence while also continuing to build your support network. Call West Coast Recovery Centers today at (760) 492-6509 for more information.