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Art therapy - Definition and Overview |
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The application and analysis of modeling perception and life through the arts as an aid in the treatment, assessment or research of mental health issues. This type of psychotherapy is based upon the assumption that with an art therapist, an engagement in life-enhancing creative processes and analyses of these processes and models will increase awareness and empathy with external reality and within one's self, improve skills to cope with symptoms, experiences and trauma, enhance cognitive abilities and joy in creative processes of life, and enable acceptance of one's participation in both inevitable and voluntary processes.
A restrictive use of the term art therapy would apply to the visual arts as opposed to the performing arts as a category of expressive arts therapy or creative arts therapy, which include art or visual arts therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, poetry therapy and psychodrama.
Also see
External links
American Art Therapy Association (http://www.arttherapy.org/)
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