Art Therapy: An Alternative for Behavioral Problems

Visual expression has been used for healing throughout history. Thousands of years ago, humans used artwork to tell the stories of their lives on the walls of caves or cliffs. However, art therapy did not emerge as a distinct profession until the mid-1940's.

In the early to the middle of the twentieth century, psychiatrists became interested in the artwork created by their patients with mental illnesses. About the same time, educators were discovering the differences in their pupils developmental, emotional, and cognitive growth through the students' artwork. As a result, the profession of art therapy grew into an effective and important method of communication.

According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), art therapy is based on the belief that the creative process involved in making art is on a basic level of healing and life-enhancement. Through art therapy practices, patients have the ability to increase the awareness of self, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences, increases cognitive abilities, and enjoy the life -affirming pleasures of artistic creativity.

Throughout my high school years in art class, I had the privilege of attending the 30th Art Therapy Discovery Day at Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas, my senior year.

Upon arriving to the campus, my fellow students and I were treated to a continental breakfast followed by an overview of art therapy by David Gussak, Ph.D., a member of the art therapy faculty for Florida State University. Being the co-editor of Drawing Time: Art Therapy In Prisons and Other Correctional Settings, Gussak explained how art therapy channels aggressive behavior into safer means that being violent. Gussak continued to explain, "Aggressive action comes from accumulating energy of hurt and anger, then lends to a narcissistic rage of hostility and hate and then, forms into a vicious cycle".