There are numerous types of therapy. Some may be more effective than others. What one person may respond to another may not appreciate. Therefore it helps to consider another approach. One type of therapy you may not have considered is using the services of an art therapist.
From the early days of Freud and Jung most therapists have known about the power of creativity. They will have noted how the things people make in their creative projects may be symbols of deeper subconscious issues. A classic example of this was the ink blot Rosarch test in which patients looked at an ink blot and told the therapist what they thought it represented.
The first thing to understand with this kind of therapy is that it does not necessarily require the client to be a creative person. You do not need incredible artistic skill in order to illustrate feelings. Often the act of creating something and explaining the context of what you have created can be enough.
A good example is if a child or an adult has suffered from a severe trauma. They become withdrawn and unwilling to talk. In other cases they may be defensive and in the most severe cases even be aggressive and lash out at the people trying to help them, something that can often cause distress for friends, family and carers.
With art therapy it is possible to get people to open up through creative work. Whether it is through painting, sculpture or some other form of art it is possible for a patient to focus on the creative work rather than having to verbalise it. Indeed in a lot of cases the very act of creativity itself can release stress and be therapeutic.
A therapist in this field will be trained in both art and in therapy. This will allow them to professionally supervise the creative process but also keep in mind the purpose of the exercise. Often someone working on a piece will not realise the subconscious symbols in their work.
It should also be said that this may also be combined with other treatments. Often this is an effective way of getting previously reticent people to be more in touch with their emotions and better able to express them. This is often due to the fact that the creative project allows more objective perspective from their emotional issues. Over time this can mean a change in both perception and behaviour.
There are a number of independent therapists and professionals who are part of treatment units. You can find out more about services in your local area by looking online as well as getting recommendations from patients or carers that have used their services in the past. If you are willing to look help is available and even patients who have had severe problems can learn to cope with the right treatment or combination of treatments.
From the early days of Freud and Jung most therapists have known about the power of creativity. They will have noted how the things people make in their creative projects may be symbols of deeper subconscious issues. A classic example of this was the ink blot Rosarch test in which patients looked at an ink blot and told the therapist what they thought it represented.
The first thing to understand with this kind of therapy is that it does not necessarily require the client to be a creative person. You do not need incredible artistic skill in order to illustrate feelings. Often the act of creating something and explaining the context of what you have created can be enough.
A good example is if a child or an adult has suffered from a severe trauma. They become withdrawn and unwilling to talk. In other cases they may be defensive and in the most severe cases even be aggressive and lash out at the people trying to help them, something that can often cause distress for friends, family and carers.
With art therapy it is possible to get people to open up through creative work. Whether it is through painting, sculpture or some other form of art it is possible for a patient to focus on the creative work rather than having to verbalise it. Indeed in a lot of cases the very act of creativity itself can release stress and be therapeutic.
A therapist in this field will be trained in both art and in therapy. This will allow them to professionally supervise the creative process but also keep in mind the purpose of the exercise. Often someone working on a piece will not realise the subconscious symbols in their work.
It should also be said that this may also be combined with other treatments. Often this is an effective way of getting previously reticent people to be more in touch with their emotions and better able to express them. This is often due to the fact that the creative project allows more objective perspective from their emotional issues. Over time this can mean a change in both perception and behaviour.
There are a number of independent therapists and professionals who are part of treatment units. You can find out more about services in your local area by looking online as well as getting recommendations from patients or carers that have used their services in the past. If you are willing to look help is available and even patients who have had severe problems can learn to cope with the right treatment or combination of treatments.
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