Art Forms That Can Be Used As Expressive Therapies

By Essie Osborn


Most people see art as only a source of entertainment and something that pleases the senses but what most people do not know is that it can be used as a type of therapy as well. Expressive therapies would utilize different art forms in order to bring out the a certain part of the mind that a person may be suppressing. There are a lot of therapists who would make use of this especially on teenagers and children.

The puppet is probably one of the most common of all of these art forms as it is actually the most interactive of all of them. Now this is usually used if a child or if a teen is a closed person and does not want to communicate with anyone at all. Now the reason why the puppet works is because it gives participants an avenue to let out their emotions without them actually doing it themselves.
In order to make one, the therapist would usually provide the participants with some materials like fabric, coloring materials, or paper bags. Now the way the puppet is made will all depend on how the participant would want to customize it. It can be a very simple creation or it can be a very beautiful one depending on the artistic capabilities of the participant.

Now there are also those participants who are in general confused about their life and their own identity. For these people, the therapists would usually recommend the paper bag art type of therapy be used on them. This type of activity would help a person know more about himself and will also help him be able to go through his own life the way he would want to without thinking of others.

The very first step here would be to get a paper bag and draw a self portrait on one side of the bag. The second step would be to draw a gravestone on the other side and write down all the fears that one would possess. The last step would be to put some items inside of the paper bag that would represent his own personality and his own characteristics.

Aside from that, one may also do some drama theater arts that will act as a therapy to participants. This will help participants temporarily escape from their current life situation by assuming the role of another character. This will let them have a stronger sense of empathy and will broaden their minds as well as their creative expression.

Of course there is the self portrait wherein the therapist would ask the participant to simply draw himself. This is actually used as an assessment of the characteristics of the person. The therapist will be able to see here what is inside the mind of the person.

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The very first step here would be to get a paper bag and draw a self portrait on one side of the bag. The second step would be to draw a gravestone on the other side and write down all the fears that one would possess. The last step would be to put some items inside of the paper bag that would represent his own personality and his own characteristics.

Aside from that, one may also do some drama theater arts that will act as a therapy to participants. This will help participants temporarily escape from their current life situation by assuming the role of another character. This will let them have a stronger sense of empathy and will broaden their minds as well as their creative expression.

Of course there is the self portrait wherein the therapist would ask the participant to simply draw himself. This is actually used as an assessment of the characteristics of the person. The therapist will be able to see here what is inside the mind of the person.

Now for those who are interested in this field of therapy, here are some ideas that may fill in some questions. Now do take note that there are many more art forms that can be used. This would solely depend on the therapist.




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