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Most of us think that art psychotherapy means interpreting a painting to reveal the hidden secrets of the mind. Well, we are slightly off the mark, says art psychotherapist Oihika Chakrabarti

Art psychotherapy is basically the merging of two apparently unrelated disciplines — art and psychology. The partnership and interaction of this dynamic duo has proved most rewarding in a treatment set-up.

Art psychotherapy is based on the knowledge that every individual, whether trained or untrained in art, has a latent capacity to project his/her inner conflicts into visual form. The need for communication is universal to man. However, when this need is impaired or rejected in a normal mode of communication, art activity substitutes it in the form of ‘symbolic speech’.

This non-verbal mode of communication can generate images, which symbolise emotions and experiences that are otherwise difficult to come to terms with. Art therapy can be used with a trauma victim as well as a difficult child. The outflow of inner feelings is the key.

There is one basic underlying difference between art and art psychotherapy. In the former, the prime focus revolves around the aesthetic considerations of the artwork, where the process of creation is entirely secondary.

In art psychotherapy, the prime focus is on the individual and the entire process of creation, as it is through this process that he/she comes to mirror his/her subconscious self. Art psychotherapy is therefore a form of catharsis and it is this cathartic import that is the basic principle underlying this therapy.

The Need For Play
‘Play’ is often considered a waste of time. Actually it is only in play that an individual is able to be creative and use many different aspects of his/her personality. In a way, creativity leads to self-discovery.

Every child is different. They all possess varied styles of learning and grasping capabilities. It is important for parents to identify the most suitable method of learning for their child and implement this method wherever possible, eg one child may learn numbers by building blocks, while another may grasp better if he is shown pictures and is made to count the objects in it.

Giving kids some unstructured time in their schedules allows them to be spontaneous and develop creative interests. This means breaking away from pre-set norms. So roses could be blue or the sky black! Nothing is more beautiful than seeing the world from a fresh perspective, through the innocent eyes of a child.

Beyond aesthetics, art is a powerful tool, which provides a foundation for self-exploration and understanding. For instance, it may not be unusual for a four-year-old to sketch a few trees. But if his dream is to be an Environmentalist or a Forest Officer, then it indicates remarkable development of the child’s thought process.

Art In Everyday Life
There is a great gulf that exists between ‘high art’ which hangs under the spotlight in our galleries and the far-removed ‘folk art’, which still remains largely the heritage of the rural masses. This divide has led to art getting further and further removed from everyday life.

Yes, there has been a revival in recent years to bring the folk art into our drawing rooms, it is confined within the ‘arty’ realm. For art psychotherapy to go forward, the word ‘art’ needs to be explored, not with a capital ‘A’, but in everyday happenings. Happenings are art.

The role of art needs to reach beyond exhibition spaces into community to make a real difference. There also needs to be more allowance in our education system for multidisciplinary fields to foster, rather than encourage the divide that exists right from the school level between arts, sciences and commerce.

Benefits of Art Therapy
Art as a mode of communication can be even more powerful than verbal means, as it can bring out experiences and feelings in a less threatening and more acceptable format.

It has proved to be highly therapeutic and may even make patients more verbally articulate.
Case studies have shown a shift of attitude toward more future-oriented goals from patients after this therapy.

Group therapy is very helpful for victims of trauma. A lone patient may find it easier to open up and participate in discussions about their drawings when there are other patients doing the same. It brings in a sense of security. Also, they draw strength from each other and provide suggestions as well as support.

The Process Of Art Psychotherapy
The patient is given paper and pencils, crayons, etc. It may be a closed session with the psychotherapist or a group session depending on the patient’s mind set.

After the drawing session is complete, there is usually a discussion about the sketch or the painting. This is only if the patient is willing to talk. The rules of verbal therapy apply here as well. Never push a patient to talk.

The session must be informal. The patient must never feel that he/she must draw or must paint. They must know this is a flexible exercise.

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