Art therapy is a specific counseling technique which incorporates the creative use of art materials by specially trained and licensed art therapists. Art is a tool that the counselor uses to diagnose and treat many populations including individuals of all ages children, families, and groups.
Some specific diagnoses which have used art therapy are anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, grief, loss of a parent, divorce, and it’s also effective with clients on the Autism Spectrum as well as those with other developmental disorders. Art therapy is extremely useful with non-verbal clients as well as geriatric or senior clients and children as young as 2 ½ years old.
Art therapy is a unique strategy which serves as a safe way to deeply and fully express a client’s feelings. It also acts to create a detailed and vivid record of therapy progress—it is notable that clients will incorporate more color and greater detail as their symptoms reduce and they start to feel and behave in a more balanced way.
While the art is created under the guidance of the therapist, they are able to interpret the major themes of the art. Art therapy assessments delve into the heart of a client’s issues without stress of verbal expression that is associated with traditional talk therapy. The therapy assessment gleans useful information that is later incorporated into the therapy treatment.
Art therapy is not only reserved for those who are objectively good at art but can be matched to any skill level and is meant to be a therapy more than an art skill building endeavor. This form of counseling is covered by most major insurance companies.
Art Therapy for Children and the Whole Family
Art therapy, an effective and evidence-based therapy method used to counsel and heal people of all ages, can also be useful for the whole family as a unit and as a part of their family counseling. Many families who use art therapy instead of traditional family therapy find that this method is very effective to reduce conflict and enhance communication and contentedness in the home. Children especially love it.
We also have a whole menu of Child Therapy services that include other forms of traditional counseling with a child therapist that focuses on talking, and also Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
What do Clients Think of Art Therapy?
Clients who use art therapy as a part of their counseling report that they find the experience highly enjoyable and that children young and old are grateful for an opportunity to step into guided and scientifically validated method of becoming well while enjoying the subtlety of the fun and creative activity.
Some of the typical mediums used in therapy are drawing, painting, clay, sand, and collage. All of the therapy supplies are offered by Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh and are free of cost.
Meet Our Art Therapists
How to Get Started with Art Therapy?
If you are interested in trying Art Therapy, call us at 412-322-2129
or fill out the form below.