More often than not, people seeking treatment for mental health disorders and substance abuse are skeptical about what professional treatment can do for their healing and recovery. Although they may recognize the undeniable value of professional support and guidance as they embark on the recovery journey, they may feel intimidated at the thought of merely talking through their problems and concerns with someone they do not know. Thus, learning more about different treatment approaches used in rehabilitation, such as art therapy, and how it can enhance their treatment experience can be especially beneficial as they transition into treatment.
At Renaissance Ranch, we offer a wide range of treatment services for adult men seeking to overcome challenging diagnoses such as substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction, mental health disorders, and co-occurring disorders. We create intentional and individualized treatment plans for clients tailored to their specific needs and goals for recovery. Whether a client needs to participate in a residential program to establish sobriety or needs additional support in a general outpatient program post-treatment, we have the services and expertise needed to ensure successful outcomes for clients in recovery. More often than not, creative modalities like art therapy are part of this process.
What Is Art Therapy?
As highlighted in Cureus, “Looking back into history, thousands of years ago, people were practicing and dependent on the arts for self-expression, healing, and communication. However, art therapy did not become a formalized curriculum until 1940.” The use of art as a therapeutic tool developed as doctors took notice of individuals with mental illnesses using artwork to communicate and express their thoughts and emotions. Moreover, “The scope of kinaesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic communication motivates the uncommon receptive and expressive communication modes that can function beyond language’s limitations.”
During art therapy sessions, clients are encouraged to create art as a means of exploring their emotions and discovering solutions to their present struggles. Many different art forms and media can be used in art therapy, including:
- Drawing
- Painting
- Crafting
- Writing
- Sculpting
- Drama
- Digital designs
Meanwhile, art therapy is most effective when used in tandem with traditional treatment approaches. As clients both create art and reflect on their creations once they are finished, a therapist will use a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques to assist clients in exploring deeper meaning in their work. For instance, a client may be asked to describe the feelings or sensations that their art piece has invoked within them. Additionally, they may be asked to use imaginative and expressive techniques to create a story about their artwork, which can help them process and integrate experiences from their past into their daily life in the present.
Furthermore, the aforementioned publication also states, “Art therapy uses integrative techniques to captivate the soul, body, and mind in ways that verbal expression alone doesn’t appear to.” In this way, art therapy can also be understood as a mind-body therapy that enhances the positive impact of the mind on the body.
The Benefits of Art Therapy in Treatment
As explained in Frontiers in Psychology, the American Art Therapy Association has identified many functions and associated benefits of art therapy, and these benefits stretch far beyond the mental and emotional domains of functioning. These benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Improving cognitive and sensorimotor functions
- Strengthening self-esteem and self-awareness
- Cultivating emotional resilience
- Promoting insight
- Enhancing social skills
- Reducing and resolving conflict and distress, and
- Promoting societal and ecological changes
Additionally, for those working to overcome substance abuse and addiction, art therapy can offer additional benefits. As an individual works to achieve and sustain abstinence, both withdrawal symptoms and cravings for alcohol and other drugs can be troubling. Art therapy offers a reliable outlet for individuals to direct and express these unpleasant symptoms while rewiring the brain to experience joy from natural rewards. Thus, using art and art therapy in treatment can help to prevent relapse in both early and long-term recovery.
Using Art Therapy at Renaissance Ranch
Oftentimes, individuals will view addiction as solely a mental or physical health problem. However, at Renaissance Ranch, we view addiction as a condition that affects every aspect of wellness, from physical, mental, and emotional wellness to spiritual, social, intellectual, environmental, financial, and vocational wellness. Similarly, we view recovery as a lifelong process of spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental change.
Therefore, to create sustainable and lasting change in treatment, clients must be willing to engage with a variety of therapeutic tools and approaches. Creative modalities like art therapy can enhance a client’s treatment experience by providing them with opportunities for self-expression and identity exploration, different from what can be discovered in talk therapy alone. Meanwhile, as art therapy strengthens a client’s mind-body connection, they can feel better supported and motivated to remain committed to the treatment and recovery process.
Art therapy involves the use of various art forms to foster creative expression and emotional processing. During an art therapy session, a client will be encouraged to create a piece of art that represents what they are thinking, feeling, or experiencing as a result of their mental health disorder or substance abuse problem. Additionally, a therapist will be present alongside the client, encouraging them to explore deeper meaning or communicate the larger story behind their artwork. At Renaissance Ranch, we incorporate art therapy into treatment because we know how effective it can be in complementing traditional talk therapy approaches. For more information and support, call us today at (801) 308-8898.