Healing Trauma With Art Therapy
Art therapy can provide a safe way to express repressed emotional traumas and unleash the subconscious mind. Through artistic creation, individuals become empowered to view themselves as survivors of trauma rather than simply victims. Additionally, art therapy can lend expression to deeply rooted emotions that words sometimes fail to adequate express, allowing visual and tactile methods of communication.
Healing Trauma With Art Therapy
Sometimes, even as adults, we find trauma incredibly difficult to discuss, choking up when we attempt to remember a loved one who died, or changing the subject when instances of abuse or horror surface. Trauma becomes encoded in portions of the brain that aren’t always verbal, storing itself in imagery pathways within the mind. Art therapy provides a way to begin to deal with these repressed traumatic emotions, allowing us to take a raw and candid look at fears, behaviors, emotional pain and self-image surrounding the trauma.
Art therapy can also help us heal from the effects of traumatic experiences. In fact, a youth study of PTSD sufferers in New York found that art therapy participants experienced more reduction in trauma reaction scores than those who did not participate. Art therapy can also reduce symptoms of anxiety in trauma survivors, engendering empowerment and personal growth. Art therapy can also help therapists get to the root of anxiety issues, by identifying images that trigger anxiety.
Releasing Trauma Through Art Therapy
Some people find talk therapy difficult to jump right into, and art therapy provides an alternative way to foray into traumatic discussions. Art therapy can facilitate healing by allowing clients to release pent-up anger, guilt, grief or fear they otherwise would feel reluctant to. By accessing emotions rather than intellect alone, art therapy uses symbolism, color and detail level to indicate hidden emotional reactions and self-views. Even the selection of materials can become indicative of where the artist is at emotionally, with crayons creating a sense of control, paint freely expressing emotion and pencils encouraging precision and high detail.
Dream Work and Art Therapy
Frequent nightmares are a common response to traumatic incidents, especially for survivors who suffer from PTSD. Art therapy can use painting, drawing, or sculpting to graphically narrate the dream itself. Survivors can even be guided through dream extension, creating endings for nightmares that offer better, more therapeutic outcomes. Many individuals who undergo art therapy for trauma see improvement within a few sessions.
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