Art Therapy

 Butterfly Sanctuary, (detail), 2009

The basic methods of art therapy can be applied to a wide range of psychological and emotional needs. When a person sits quietly looking at a blank sheet of paper and a set of colored pencils or paints, he or she is pulled into an internal world of feelings, concerns, wishes, and fears.

Every choice made – color, placement, pressure on the paper, controlled vs. free flowing line – expresses personally significant issues and challenges. As the individual draws, he or she is externalizing and giving form to these concerns. The very act of creating a drawing or painting gives direction to inner tensions and greater awareness of deep internal concerns.

Further information is available in our Professional Resources section.

Here is an interview with Melissa Walker, an art therapist at Walter Reed Medical Center.