Art Therapy: Welfare through Art

Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process to generate physical and mental wellbeing. It uses various art forms to treat emotional problems.

How does it work?

The creative process involved in artistic self-expression can help anyone solve problems, and develop and understand their feelings, this therapy also reduces stress, improves self-esteem and awareness.

It may have a different effect on each person, art therapy can be used with the guidance of a therapist and psychotherapy, treatment, rehabilitation, etc.

Suitable for all

Anyone can make use of art therapy, you do not need talent or be as an artist, and there are professionals who can work with us to delve into the underlying messages communicated through art.

The language or use of words is the most common way to communicate and express, however, this can be a limiting factor for many people who are unable to express themselves through words. One of the beauties of art as therapy is that it develops the ability of the person to express their feelings through any art form.

Each of the arts can help us discover aspects of ourselves that we did not know, and practicing them has its benefits:

Theatre:

The theater is very entertaining and fun, for shy people it can be challenging, however, after overcoming the initial fear, the theater offers us many benefits.

• Increases self-confidence. Through theater, we can overcome shyness , and improve social relationships.
• Since in many cases dialogues must be memorized, this activity helps to improve memory and concentration.
• There is also room for improvisation, which improves our mental agility, the ability to listen and ease of speech.
• The theater is also a good opportunity to work together, promoting tolerance, patience, cooperation, and a sense of belonging.
• Through practice, we can relax and release the tension of everyday life.

Dancing:

Dancing is a very attractive and relaxing activity, it's fun and it's good exercise.

• This activity improves mood, reduces stress, anxiety and depression
• Dancing helps improve co-ordination, memory and also improves our self-esteem
• It is a good way to overcome shyness and help establish new relationships

There are many dance styles – you can choose the one that suits your needs and that you enjoy the most.

Music:

If listening to music relaxes us and puts us in a good mood, learning to play an instrument has even more extra benefits.

• Learning to play an instrument helps develop mental abilities and skills, encourages creativity and imagination. Moreover, it benefits the memory and promotes concentration.
• In addition, composing your own songs is a form of expression, perfect to let our feelings flow.
• Creating a melody also helps to increase confidence in ourselves.

Writing:

Translating our emotions into a letter gives us a feeling of liberation, acceptance and relief.

• Also, writing a story to tell about a situation or problem that is difficult to overcome helps us to see it from another perspective and this contributes to finding solutions.
• Writing daily helps reduce anxiety, helps our memory and creativity, and overall expression enhances our ability and our vocabulary.
• Writing about our problems is an excellent therapy to help us overcome depression associated with these problems.

Visual arts:

Painting, sculpture, drawing, collage or any similar technique can help to shape our unconscious, allowing us to visualise what we feel.

• The visual arts allow us to reflect our inner world, as well as helping us to relax, it is useful to combat stress.
• Gives us a chance to feel problem-free and concentrate on the moment of creation.

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