Art Therapy
Not everyone is an artist. Some folks struggle to draw a stick figure! But everyone appreciates art. It is why we are drawn to a beautiful painting, a sculpture, tremendous architecture, or a marching band. Art not only inspires us, but it has a powerfully therapeutic effect on our brain. According to Daisy Fancourt, professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College in London, art does far more than make us feel good. Her fascinating book Art Cure: the Science of How Art Saves Lives explains that exposure to the arts affects brain function—it’s called neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganize its structure and function in response to learning and experiences. She says that art is really the fifth pillar of health alongside diet, sleep, exercise, and nature. Science has proven that just engaging in art day-to-day for leisure can also help us behave in a healthier manner. Knowing this might make us want to add a steady diet of the arts to what we already do to keep healthy.
If art is good for people in general, does it have a place in the medical world, especially mental health? The answer is yes, according to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). www.arttherapy.org Let’s take a look.
According to AATA, art therapy is a mental health profession. Using the creative process, active art making, and applied psychological theory within a psychotherapeutic relationship those with mental illness benefit in profound ways. Art therapists are credentialed mental health professionals. They have a Masters-level or higher degree and are trained in a broad range of psychological theory and ways to help people cope with mental health challenges using the creative process of art. New Jersey is one of 15 states that now regulate art therapists through a licensing process.
How does the art process help a person with mental illness It turns out that mental health benefits of the arts for depression, anxiety, and more serious diagnoses have been scientifically proven through decades of rigorous research. According to Fancourt, people with many different mental health problems have seen, in some cases, almost miraculous improvements through art therapy, or even just periodic exposure to art. These mental health challenges include bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, dementia, autism, and other neurodiverse individuals and cerebral palsy.
What about children? The Barn Studio www.barnstudio.org in Millville pioneered bringing art to children because founder Pat Witt embraced the concept that every child is an artist. Today, the Barn Studio community outreach program serves more than 700 pre-school students annually. Sandy Smith, who directs this effort, holds degrees in the education of special needs and gifted students. Exposing very young children to the arts gives them a chance to explore and understand art. The program includes art history, painting, clay, and classical ballet. When weather permits, the children are taken outside for nature walks. In inclement weather, the children experience the greenhouse. They also gain both fine and gross motor control and strengthen hand-eye coordination. The Barn Studio initially donated time and materials for its community outreach workshops. Once established as a non-profit, and considering the program’s rapid growth, a grant was sought and awarded. This helps fund the program so that diverse groups of very young children may continue to flourish with the opportunity of experiencing The Barn Studio of Art’s fine arts curricula and philosophy.
Art expression, the process of using art to convey ideas, emotions, and experiences can be used in schools. Giving students the opportunity to create art is a powerful communication tool as they express their inner feelings, bringing to the surface things that, for instance, trouble them. Creative art expression can improve well-being because it helps students to understand themselves.
What do you think? Will adding a daily dose of the arts enrich your life, help you to stay healthy, or even be the therapy you need to reverse illness? It’s something to think about.
You Are Not Alone Let’s Walk About It
Last month’s column was about Sam Levy and the bench dedicated to his memory. Next month, on Saturday, May 2, the Cumberland County Mental Health and Addictions Board will host the annual You Are Not Alone Let’s Walk About It event, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Anthony Campanella Park, 429 W. Elmer Road, Vineland. Funds left over from Sam’s bench have been used to begin placing more benches in Cumberland County. The first of these Buddy Bench’s will be unveiled at this event.
The Cumberland County Mental Health and Addictions Board actively promotes awareness of stigma and the need for public education regarding mental health and addiction. The Board meets monthly, and the public is invited to attend. Refer to the meeting schedule on the Cumberland County website for meeting dates.
The Board is also seeking new members. Interested persons should send a letter of interest and a resume to Melissa Niles, Cumberland County Human Services, 70 W. Broad Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302 or [email protected]
