When the tongue fails,

Art Therapy starts

The classical art therapy is about drawing, painting,

sculpture and collage

Expressive Art Therapy integrates two or more expressive therapies (Music: Dancing, Singing, Drama: Acting, Literature: Poetry, Story writing and telling to foster awareness, encourage emotional growth, enhance relationships with others and to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with any health problems.

Difference between Art Therapy and Expressive Art Therapy

Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of Silent Messages, conducted several studies on nonverbal communication. He found that 7% of any message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements (facial expressions, gestures, posture, etc). Subtracting the 7% for actual vocal content leaves one with the 93% statistic.

Most of our communication is NONVERBAL

Conscious vs. Subconscious

Art therapy is based on the assumption that visual symbols and

images are the most accessible and natural form of communication to the human experience.

Art expression is a form of energy traveling in a communicative manner between your body, mind, soul and the chosen medium.

Art therapy transforms inner healing and visibly connects you with what is subconsciously buried; allowing for a clearing and cleansing of emotional holding patterns while grounding you into your body.

Art Therapy – the Super Highway to the Subconscious

Through drawing and painting, elderlies become capable of

delving into long forgotten memories.

Art therapy programs help elderlies exercise their brains. Music (ADHD & Mozart) and Drawing has shown a 70% success rate improving the memories of patients with Dementia and Alzheimer.

Stimulating the body through free-style dance can ward off Dementia just as physical exercise keeps the body fit. It transforms from pain to happiness! Music is the Rhythm of Life!

Art Therapy for Elderlies

Expressive Art of Dance

Provides a non-verbal safe medium of communication and a

protected space.

Supports psychosocial and emotional needs of patients and their families in a creative way.

Provides developmentally-based interventions to educate children about death and dying.

Allows patients and families to express their feelings about death and the dying process.

Provides pain and symptom management.

Helps decreasing anxiety while increasing opportunities to express feelings.

Helps facing the diagnosis/prognosis.

Art Therapy for the dying and their families

The responsibilities of caregiving create enormous pressures (e.g.

psycho-emotional: anticipatory grief, compassion fatigue) and health risks resulting in a physical or mental collapse, called BURNOUT. Self-care becomes an essential part of a caregiver’s life.

Art Therapy helps with letting oneself go and giving up the defenses, which were built up in order to survive.

Studies of a group experiment with caregivers, as it developed within the group process showed the effectiveness of drawing art, in making inner turmoil and emotional trauma accessible to consciousness and in providing participants with more viable modes of relating to others, to the life/work experience as well as to oneself.

Art Therapy for Caregivers

It is vital as helping professionals to recognize the symptoms of

secondary trauma and compassion fatigue.

Through Self-Care it is possible to establish and maintain a healthy balance between professional work and personal life.

Develop a solid network of professional and personal friends with whom an Art Therapy Group can be formed to meet regularly.

Strengthen creative outlets such as drawing, painting, photography, dance, acting, writing, crafting, and other similar stimulating activities.

Visual journaling assists emotional reparation and supports self-regulation and stress reduction.

Art Therapy: Self-Care

How Do I Feel Today? This is also called a “feelings journal.” Spend a little time each

day drawing using colors, shapes, lines or images.

Spontaneous Imagery. Create a scribble or free-form lines and looking for images within those lines.

Non-Dominant Hand Drawing. Experiment to see what emerges.

Working Within a Circle. Start a “mandala journal.”

Photo Collage Journaling means collecting your favorite images, words or quotes from magazines or books, and/ or print memorabilia. It also can be a creative diary/scrapbook. (Vision board vs Vision Book)

Intention Journal with a particular intention in mind [e.g. a gratitude practice or a goal].

Altered Book/Altered Story Re-writing of old novel or children’s storybook]

Self-Care Exercises

Examples

It’s been a great pleasure for me to speak at your meeting today!