Monday, August 6, 2012

The Five Top Reasons Why You Should See An Art Therapist



Number one: chances are if you are seeing an Art Therapist for your therapy, she or he will be creative. I am not suggesting that all Art Therapists are creative, however, if a person has chosen this profession they are most likely a creative type. Why is that important to you? It is important because you are most likely seeing a therapist because you want change in your life. Change is a highly creative process that can be tricky to germinate and help flourish. If your therapist were creative, open-minded, skilled in knowing how to be situated in her/his own, and other people’s creative process, then they likely would be able to guide you through the journey of change.

In my own therapy work, part of my creative talent lies in knowing how to negotiate many paths of change. Each person, with whom I work, has his or her own creative, unique way to grow and change. As their guide or therapist, I can offer new creative solutions or options of how they can align themselves with their natural change pattern.

Therapy is artwork. Once I understand how a person’s change process flows, what they need in the moment to facilitate that, and how I can best support their process then we can start the dance of creative change. Being creative in the therapy room means that I have a variety of different methods, theories, hands on exercises, reading materials, physical and mental exercises, and ideas that help people in the right way, at the right time to grow and change. It means that I stay situated in my own creative process and at the same time, understand and move with someone else’s.

What could be a more challenging, rewarding and or exciting art form than that? Creativity rubs off. It is a way of being and knowing. The way I dress, the décor and ambiance of the studio space, the way I talk, move and think can be part of guiding my clients into their own personal change process.

Next week I will talk about the number two reason for why you should see an Art Therapist.

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