Typically we think of therapy as sitting down on a couch to talk about your problems. But one growing branch of psychotherapy is encouraging people to pick up a paintbrush.
Art therapy is a relatively new type of therapy helping people improve their mental health through creativity. The therapy is proving popular among those who ordinarily find the idea of articulating their mental health issues through words daunting or frustrating. For these people, art can provide a less confronting way to explore their problems.
“Often creativity helps you to express parts of yourself that are being hidden,” says Dr Sheridan Linnell, who runs the Master of Art Therapy course at the University of Western Sydney. “Expression through art can be healing in itself, and it can also be a stepping stone for being able to make sense of yourself and express your story to others.”
To read the rest of this article, please visit: Therapy imitating art: improving mental health through creativity
