According to The Olive Prime, art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings.

To also reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions and develop social skills.

In art therapy, the main goal is to improve people’s well-being, so they can function more effectively. Also, an individual can benefit from it if it helps improve or restore their functioning.

There are many settings in which art therapy is used, including educational, medical, and rehabilitation ones, as well as private practices and mental health clinics.

Now to the question; how does art therapy work? In art therapy, materials and techniques are used to stimulate sensory responses and generate emotional imagery.

The process allows one to relive emotions in a way that allows them to organize their feelings and tell a story about a traumatic experience. Communication is possible once this occurs by emerging words.

Furthermore, it is the role of the art therapist ultimately to assist the client in gaining insight, self-awareness, and new coping strategies that enhance the quality of life and functioning. Also, in an art therapy session, an individual is likely to do some exercises such as

• Sculpting
• Doodling
• Drawing
• Painting
• Clay works
• Collage Making etc.

Although these exercises take place under the guidance of an art therapist, the art therapist should be able to see the individual’s unfiltered responses. Understanding these responses can enhance mental health and well-being.

During the art therapy session, the individual and their art therapist will discuss the artwork and explore which objects, people, and images are included and excluded.

Art therapy addresses the issues of people with conditions such as depression, autism, dementia, also people with significant health challenges like cancer and traumatic brain injuries.

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is a kind of therapy that integrates mental health and human services by using “active art-making, creative process, and human experience.”

On the other hand, addiction is a menace that has eaten deep into our society and a large percentage is now addicted to one thing or the other which has so many negative effects attached to it.

The use of art therapy for addiction treatment dates back to the 1950s; today, it can be used to provide emotional release, self-expression, stress management, and recovery adjustment.

The Journal of Addictions Nursing states that art therapy can contribute to the recovery process in the following ways:

• Lessening the shame of addiction.
• Providing a safe outlet for painful emotions.
• Decreasing the client’s denial of addiction.
• Increasing the client’s motivation to change.

Art therapy is a part of a comprehensive treatment program that includes individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, 12-step meetings, and other essential services. By providing a break from direct intensive work of talk therapy, art therapy allows the subconscious to express itself creatively. 

In the recovery process, language often falls short of conveying the emotions that are uncovered. Therefore, art therapy emphasizes the role of creativity as a form of non-verbal communication.

Through art therapy, clients have the opportunity to describe and express their feelings in a way that is different from a traditional talking therapy.

Clients who are further along in the program may use art to depict the process of change that occurs in recovery.

The images and feelings that are expressed may change as they go through the program. After conveying their feelings of guilt or shame, a person may feel compelled to mention appreciation for having been freed from addiction.