All About Art Therapy: Debunking the 10 Most Common Myths
Art Therapy is Only for Children
Art therapy is known to be incredibly effective with children because art (and play) is their natural language. Children do not yet possess the verbal sophistication to tell us how they feel using their words. Many adults I meet have had their own experiences with art (not always positive ones) and share that they’ve lost touch with their creativity over the years.
In our society, intellect and words have been assessed to be more valuable than play and self-expression. Many of us learned to value productivity and results, and don’t always remember or focus on the benefits of the process - not the product - of any endeavor.
Some adults may benefit from asking themselves, “when is the last time I let myself try something new without judgment?” and, “is it possible to let myself create something without worry if it’s good enough?”. The power of art therapy for many adults is reflected in the process of learning to tolerate imperfection, roll with mistakes, experiment with new techniques, release judgment, and develop insight and self-awareness over time. Art therapy is often very healing for adults who struggle with a harsh inner critic.
There’s also extensive research and data on the outcomes of art therapy with adults.
I’ve met so many adults over the years who started off hesitant about art therapy and ended up loving the process. After I work with an adult, I’ll often hear something along the lines of, “I can’t remember the last time I felt this calm” (artmaking is shown to decrease cortisol - “the stress hormone” - levels) or “wow, I loved that - when can I do this again?”. I’ve also witnessed many “aha!” moments; a client will notice something in their process or artwork that points to a challenge, a pattern, or a significant truth they didn’t realize until that moment.
Unlike children, adults possess the capacity for abstract thought and complex use of symbolism that often opens doors of understanding that traditional talk therapy cannot. Adults may also utilize more complex methods and materials in sessions. The one thing I always notice with the adults I work with is that they are drawn to slowing down, creating space for themselves, and are interested in their unconscious. Art can help us dig deep into all of those things so that we can continue to grow and change well into our adulthood.
You Need Art Skills or Training to be in Art Therapy
I’ve been met with “No thanks, I’m not good at art” more times than I can count. You absolutely don’t need any special skills or training to benefit! In art therapy, there’s no labeling, grading, or assessing of technique. There’s no “good” or “bad” art. All you need for art therapy is curiosity and an open mind. The process is considered the most important, not the outcome or the product. The thoughts, emotions, and feelings that come up as we create are what we really tune into because this is where we make connections, find insight, and increase our awareness.
Art Therapists are Analyzing You
Art therapists are thoroughly trained to assess art and “see” multiple layers of information, such as one’s ego strength or developmental level. Art therapists use what they learn to ask informed questions, make observations, and suggest certain materials or directives that might bring that individual closer to achieving one of their therapy goals. The goal of art therapy is to highlight strengths and invite insight.
For example, if I notice that someone’s process shows indicators of disrupted relationships or conflict, that allows me to better understand, not label. I seek to understand what challenges my clients might be working through, how I can meet their specific needs, and how to best support them in reaching their goals in therapy.
Art Therapists Have Less Training
Art therapy is a trauma-informed mental health profession that requires the completion of a Master’s degree and 960 hours of clinical work with clients completed in multiple settings such as schools, prisons, hospitals, or community programs. Students learn how to understand the creative process through a theoretical and sociopolitical lens, and how to assess and treat clients based on this. Graduates don’t receive their license upon graduating - they must go on to accrue years of supervised, post-graduate clinical hours - after which they are eligible to apply for a license.*
Therapists (whether in training or fully credentialed) are always encouraged to be in their own therapy and to receive clinical supervision and/or consultation for continuous personal and professional development. Art therapists are often considered go-to professionals for the treatment of trauma, which means they are very likely to be actively engaged in both.
This engagement in clinical support systems ensures that they minimize the risk of burnout or vicarious trauma and process reactions and responses to clients (“countertransference”) to remain ethical, sensitive, and focused. All art therapists are required to continue extensive education throughout their careers. Many go on to receive additional training, certification, or education. Most art therapists I know tend to be fellow life-long learners, which is great because the field demands it!
*Based on an AATA-approved program in New York State.
Art Therapists Aren’t Primary Therapists, They’re Adjunct
Art therapists are often primary therapists. It is widely considered a specialized form of psychotherapy because the unique option to engage in artmaking or creative processes during sessions is available. Art therapists are able to assess and treat, whether they work in an organization (hospital, school, community center) or within a private practice.
In community settings, art therapists are often program supervisors or coordinators. In my experiences, whether I spent a few hours with my clients (the emergency department), days (inpatient hospital settings), weeks (outpatient hospital settings), or years (long-term care facilities and treatment of cancer, blood disorders, and GI diseases), it’s been as a primary therapist.
Art Therapy is Only for…
This point is a little like the first myth that art therapy is only for children, which is probably the most common association with who art therapy is “for”. Some myths revolve around art therapy being for other populations, such as older adults, individuals with severe mental illness, artists or creatives, the terminally ill, people struggling with substance abuse, etc. Art therapists work everywhere - hospices, elementary schools, prisons, rehabilitation centers, psychiatric hospitals, etc. - though there’s no specific population it’s best for. Art therapy is for anyone.
Art therapy is for anyone who wishes to improve their self-regulation, coping skills, self-esteem, boundaries, or self-awareness; it’s also a powerful treatment to prevent and treat stress, anxiety, relationship issues, changes and transitions, burnout, as well as severe illnesses, trauma, or mood disorders. It’s a modality that’s wonderfully effective and well-researched to be utilized across many different populations of people.
You’ll Be Observed the Whole Time
Art therapists tend to be collaborative in their approach to therapy. You can expect an art therapist to be engaged and attuned to you during your sessions. I utilize a variety of tools and approaches in sessions, some requiring more active engagement than others. On the more active side, I often engage in making “response art”, which involves intuitively responding to my clients through my own art process in session. My clients know I do this and are usually interested to see what I am making as well. Often, a therapist’s best tool is their own feelings, and making this kind of art helps me to really tap into deeper layers of understanding that I can reflect on with my clients.
The “blank slate” approach of a therapist being hard-to-read and not sharing their thoughts and feelings with clients isn’t typical of how therapists practice. Art therapy sessions tend to be comfortable and emphasize exploring and trying things, so it’s pretty much the opposite of a blank slate! So, depending on a person’s particular needs and goals, I may make art alongside my clients or support a specific aspect of a client’s artmaking.
Any Therapist Can Offer Art - Why Go to An Art Therapist?
Art therapy is its own profession that requires highly specific, specialized training, years of supervised experience, and hundreds of hours of continuing education requirements each year. Unfortunately, there are some professionals who say they offer art therapy and don’t have any formal training, board certification, or license to practice. In particular, I’ve seen many therapists over the years who claim they provide art therapy without any credentials tend to work with youth, most likely to make their services appear more child-friendly.
Art therapy is a profession, not a modality. There are serious ethical, legal, and safety issues to consider when therapists say they are trained in a profession that they haven’t been in. I love hearing about other therapists and professionals’ creative approaches and how they use their creative gifts, but liking art or using creative methods doesn’t mean one should claim they offer art therapy.
The highest level of training is indicated by the ATR-BC credential for art therapists. State licenses for art therapists vary; in this area, New York State offers the LCAT and New Jersey offers the LAAT for new graduates of accredited art therapy programs, and the LPAT for art therapists with a few years of experience. There are also certificates available in art therapy. This involves taking a few courses in the profession, usually out of interest to learn some creative techniques or understand the field better before committing to a long-term program.
Art Therapy is Like Art Class
Art therapy isn’t focused on teaching technique or fine art skills. There are no critiques or grades. Clients who are interested in art therapy may have an interest in learning more about art materials along the way or trying out something new under their therapist’s guidance. Inevitably, many clients become more comfortable with using certain materials as they practice and experiment, but it’s not the goal of art therapy sessions. Art therapy is focused on the artmaking process, while art classes tend to be focused on learning specific art skills.
There are sometimes opportunities in art therapy to engage in the community through exhibitions or shows. This isn’t quite the same as the sort of shows that happen in art class or school. Exhibits in art therapy tend to happen if and when it is deemed as something that could benefit a person’s therapeutic goals and the greater community.
It’s Not Research-Based
There’s extensive qualitative and quantitative research available on the benefits of art therapy. There are also scholarly research publications available that are devoted to featuring the most up-to-date advances in art therapy. Recent research areas have involved utilizing neuroscientific data, such as brain imaging, biofeedback, and measurement of different physical markers (such as cortisol levels in the body, heart rate, or blood pressure) in combination with art therapy.
The data points to the fact that art produces powerfully healing physiological responses. With trauma, research has shown that events are stored as sensory information (such as images) and our brain actually shuts down the area for language when we experience trauma. This is why art has been proven to work so effectively in treating things we cannot find the words to describe.
Interested in Art Therapy?
What’s most important in therapy is finding a professional who specializes in exactly what you are struggling with. I often work with children who are experiencing anxiety, grief and loss, and trauma. With both children and teens, this might look like providing therapy to siblings of an ill child, perfectionism, or situational anxiety. Adults tend to call me when they’re burned out, going through a big change, processing a loss, or struggling with high-functioning anxiety.
