Art Therapy
Bayside Melbourne
What is Art Therapy?
“Art therapy is an allied health profession. It is delivered by professionally trained arts therapists who work with clients using art, dance or drama within their therapy sessions. The therapist supports participants to work toward their individual goals in creative ways, to enhance physical and emotional well-being.” (ANZACTA)
Your concerns and goals will be explored with your therapist through artistic or creative means such as drawing, painting, writing or visual art. Your therapist may also offer suggestions or themes for you to explore. Dalit helps with creativity and spontaneity, confidence-building and increasing personal autonomy and motivation. The participant and the therapist work together within clearly defined boundaries and goals in a safe, confidential and nurturing environment.
Mixed media: oil pastels and acrylic paints.
Frequent Questions
Exploring with Acrylic Paint
Do I need to be good at art?
Art Therapy uses art as a way of personal expression to communicate feelings. Your skill in art is irrelevant. The focus is on the process, rather than the end result. This means you do not have to be artistic to benefit from Art Therapy.
Through our sessions, you will experience your emotions and feelings through art without being judged for your artistic skills or for anything you create.
However, I have seen some neurodivergent clients in my practice who used the support of the Art Therapy process to overcome creative blocks and develop an artistic vision to explore as practicing artists.
Do I have to do Art Therapy?
No, you don’t have to participate in Art Therapy. I offer various other therapy methods that are effective (see other methods). Every client is unique and thus, requires a unique approach. Although we all have similar feelings or experiences, we don’t all share the same ways of healing and recovery.
Who would benefit from Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is client-centred, inclusive and outcome oriented. It can be useful for individuals, groups, and communities. It is suitable for children and adults from all backgrounds.
Art Therapy can bring deeper and lasting positive changes as it taps into deeper thoughts and feelings than verbal therapy. With talk therapy, you can sometimes get to these deeper thoughts and feelings, but it often takes longer.
Helps with self-expression and self-exploration, especially when words are difficult to find.
Some benefits of Art Therapy:
Can help you be more aware of and understand your feelings better, which can then help you make changes more easily.
Helps release intense overwhelming feelings such as anger, frustration and grief, and consequently, you may feel more calm and in control.
Helps you look at a situation from the outside, as if you are looking at a picture. It helps you create emotional distance from the problem so that you can more easily shift your perception of it. This makes it easier to resolve.
Communicating with the therapist through the image/picture can sometimes make it easier to address issues.
If you are feeling stuck and unmotivated, Art Therapy can help you get more engaged in your life.
It is enjoyable. Many people develop an interest in art following the therapy.
Art/Play and Sandplay Therapy
Children are most often referred to art/play therapy when they are experiencing significant emotional behavioural challenges.
A child who may benefit from art and play therapy may exhibit one or more of the following:
Has suffered trauma
Parents are divorced/separated
Is suffering from anxiety, stress
Is withdrawn or unhappy
Is autistic, disabled, or chronically ill
Is experiencing bullying
Has difficulty making friends
Displays appropriate behaviours
Doesn’t play
Doesn’t talk
Art Therapy with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
The unique learning styles of children with ASD are particularly well suited to art therapy interventions. Art therapy helps to practise motor coordination and imitation skills through a variety of activities such as cutting, gluing, drawing and painting. Furthermore, some sensory activities can be soothing in their tactile and repetitive nature for the individual with an ASD.
Art can provide a variety of concrete, visual cues to help improve task comprehension and social awareness. Sensory issues can distract individuals with ASD, however when they are interested in the activity, these individuals can be engaged in the art – making process and social interactions.
Art Therapy Interventions:
Enhancing Adaptive Living skills
Developing Social Skills
Increasing Emotional Awareness and Understanding
Assessing and addressing Family Dynamics.