Online art therapy involves using virtual artworks to treat psychological or mental illnesses and improve one’s mental health. Online art therapy is based on the idea that healing and wellness can spring from creative expression.
Humans have depended on artworks for communication, expression, and even healing for centuries. Online art is merely art in a virtual format and is therapeutic. So plug in your headsets and enjoy your art therapy sessions. Despite the ancient reference to art, art therapy is a relatively young field, only gaining recognition as a formal program in the 1940s.
Medical practitioners observed that mentally ill people frequently express themselves through various forms of art. This inspired many of them to use art as a healing tool. Art has been regarded as an essential aspect of therapy, and people utilize it to assess and treat people with mental health conditions.
Reasons to Engage in Online Art Therapy
It’s one of the Most Exciting Forms of Online Therapy
The emergence of the pandemic and its associated restrictions moved many things to the digital space. Art therapy was not excluded and went virtual. Psychotherapists, counselors, and art therapists were among the professionals who took their practice to the digital space.
Art therapy has a broader range or dimension, which makes online art therapy exciting. You’re not limited to words. You can use images in the expression of your experience and feelings. It’s always a calming effect when your mind is engaged, and you get to work on something creative during your therapy session online.
This therapy form is ideal for sensitive, creative, and imaginative people. It can be an asset for such individuals because they connect or integrate the different parts of themselves during therapy. In addition, you can discover shortcuts or detours on your path to transforming and understanding yourself when you’re creative and imaginative.
It’s the Best Form of Therapy for Creative Individuals
Performers, artists, and writers know that their creativity defines and identifies them. Therefore, it’s essential to undergo online art therapy with the guidance of a therapist who understands art. Such a therapist can help you integrate your sensitivity with your creativity as you work to help scale through the challenging phases.
Many clients have told their current counselor or therapist that they felt their previous therapist didn’t understand or connect with their imaginative, sensitive and creative “self.” This perception made them believe that the therapy couldn’t reach those parts of themselves.
Keeps You in Sync with Your Creativity
Many creative individuals have been out of touch with their creative side for a long time. They have spent most of that time wondering how they can reconnect with their creative self. The answer to this is online art therapy. This therapy form helps people discover ways to unlock their suppressed emotions. It helps them release and channel their feelings in a safe, healthy, and acceptable way.
Commonly Asked Questions about Online Art Therapy and Their Answers
Question: How will I do art in online art therapy?
Answer: During your art therapy session, you can select materials (pencils, paints, crayons, pens, etc.) for art. Furthermore, during your discussion with your therapist, you can have ideas of various metaphors or images. This discussion symbolizes the expression of your experience, and it has a potent effect on your healing process. You can then create art based on this after the session. The finished artwork can be sent via email to your therapist for discussion in the next session, or you can hold them up on the screen for the therapist to see.
Question: What video applications are suitable for therapy sessions?
Answer: The suitable video apps are Zoom and FaceTime.
Question: Is there any age limit for this therapy session?
Answer: Various therapists may have their age limits, but it’s usually 18 years as the minimum.
