Our society focuses heavily on language to express ourselves and heal from trauma or emotional pain. But what do we do when we cannot find the words to express or interpret how we feel? What alternatives are there to move forward?
At Lake Point Recovery and Wellness, we offer Expressive Arts Therapy to address the issues of being unable to articulate feelings. Using art, crafts, or music can help people to find their voice and express themselves. We offer groups specifically targeting feelings and emotions that people often can’t easily express.
What is Expressive Arts Therapy?
What exactly is Expressive Arts Therapy? Expressive Arts Therapy is a multi-modal, holistic approach to therapy that combines psychology and the creative process to promote growth and healing. There are four main types of Expressive Arts Therapy: Art, Dance, Music, and Writing. At Lake Point, we focus on art and music therapy. Art therapy involves the visual arts to work through emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Music therapy uses the idea of listening to or creating music to help improve mood and reduce anxiety.
Here are a few ways we use art therapy:
- Drawing exercises to help identify dysfunctional family patterns.
- Painting exercises that help customers find the source of emotional pain.
- Using music to help people connect to their emotions and better express themselves, as music has been used across all cultures to do just that.
- Employing art therapy to identify the masks we use to protect ourselves from being hurt by others.
These types of expressive arts used on their own are considered single therapeutic modalities; however, Expressive Arts Therapy is different as it combines these types of techniques and incorporates various other tools of therapy for a multi-modal approach.
These are just a few of the many ways we use Expressive Arts Therapy to help our clients grow. There is a great deal of research on how art therapy can help with communication, self-expression, processing emotions, improving group interaction, and reducing feelings of isolation. Research has shown that it can help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression by 73%[1]. Art therapy has also been shown to increase self-esteem, confidence, and self-awareness.
Personal growth and the process of recovery don’t have to be intimidating. I hope this illustrates how art and music can be a fun way to support recovery and personal growth. If you or a loved one is ready to take the path to recovery and healing, we’re here to help. Call us at 1-833-4HANDUP or fill out our Contact form to learn more about our programs.
