Have you ever lost yourself in creating something? Perhaps you're upset and you bake cookies, become absorbed in creating delectable goodies, and the experience is cathartic. Maybe you enjoy crafts, and you lose yourself in scrapbooking, or candle making, or Christmas gift creating. Maybe you enjoy drawing, or painting, or writing, and you're aware of little else while absorbed in accomplishing an artistic product. Maybe you listen to music, and are carried away to another conscious level by a melody, or lyrics. Quite possibly you write poetry or journal and find that this form of expression is soothing.
This simple idea, finding catharsis in artistic expression is one aspect of art therapy.
Does a piece of artwork ever speak to you? Does the image say something that words cannot? Have you ever viewed art that transcends words and becomes another form of communication?
This idea, that an art creation may become another form of communication, one beyond words, is another aspect of art therapy.
Within an art therapy context, creating an image utilizing art materials and metaphor is a way for individuals to make a problem external, and easier to solve, conquer, or manage.
Also, art creation can, on occasion, reach into the unconscious, tap into thoughts, emotions, and feelings that are under the surface; things that haven't emerged, but are causing turmoil within.
I am just skimming the surface here folks. This field is multi-faceted. It is complicated. It is amazing. It is underestimated and underappreciated.
Art therapists work with a HUGE variety of populations. There is group work and individual work. Some facilities use art therapy with patients on an extremely short term basis (gotta love managed health care). Yet some art therapists are fortunate enough to work with clients over an extended period of time.
Generally, and art directive is given (I'll give specific examples in another post) the client creates art work, and then the therapist and client discuss the piece, or what the client thought about while creating the piece, or what emotions were invoked while creating...and a myriad of other topics.
Ahhh...but that's not all! My degree will be a Bachelor's in Creative Arts in Therapy with a Visual Arts concentration. My school has 4 concentrations. The others are; Dance/Movement, Music, and Theatre. Each one is pretty amazing, but I won't drag this post out any longer with details on each one.
I needed to write this post tonight because I had an awful night at work. I needed to remind myself that I won't be a god-damned waitress forever, and that I really, really believe in this field. I needed to give myself the reassurance that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that all of the choices I've made so far have not been wrong.
If you're intrigued and would like further info on art therapy please check the following link, because, like I said, I haven't even skimmed the surface on this stuff and it's incredible.
American Art Therapy Association
Oh, and there are internship details to follow as well as more entertaining writing, I graduate in December. Then, LOOK OUT! I'll have time to blog once again.
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4 comments:
Wow, what a thing to be working toward. I totally believe in that. Art, be it painting, crafts, scrapbooking or writing, is so important to my sanity. Without it, I am a mess.
Waitressing is a blink in time. I remember when I was doing it and at the end of my rope. Now, I look back on it with fondness if you can believe it.
I had no idea what it was until I met you. It sounds very interesting. Thanks for the education.
I think an awful night like you just had is just to re-affirm that YES you were meant to be in school doing learning what you're learning. And that your job now will soon be a thing of your past.
Hang in there! ;)
Cool art in the sidebar!
Mel-Fondness? I'm sure that you do look back with fondness, but I would assume that it has everything to do with your upbeat personality. I highly doubt that I will have fondness in my heart while looking back.
Shpprgrl-Thanks! I just figured out how to upload art. Those are not my best, nor my favorite work. They were both available while I was experimenting. I'll add to it and change in the future.
That light at the end of the tunnel should be so close it's blinding -- you are so close and so lucky to be doing what you want to do, embrace the struggle so you can appreciate the joy on the other side. And who knows, you may look back on waitressing with fondness, or you may need your own therapy to forget it all.... hang in there!
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