Art therapy, an alternative form of expression in psychotic disorders
Art therapy is a discipline that, far from attempting to illustrate life, seeks to create it; to look without seeing, to listen without hearing. It is a proposal to return to a blank page, without filtering it through what we know of the other.
Art therapy does not focus on the aesthetic outcome of the artworks produced. Nor is it about creating for the sake of creating, nor does it seek to delve into trauma, symptoms, or their impact on a person's daily life. Rather, it represents an awakening of the senses , a return to reality, and a new opportunity to create it. It aims to create a space where the individual can build upon their own experiences, engaging in a dialogue between themselves and the materials.
The importance of the therapeutic process is central to the treatment, placing paramount value on the encounter that occurs in each session. This encounter is understood as a form of relationship between the individual, the realm of the imaginary and the symbolic, the materials, and the art therapist. Therefore, what matters is what happens in each session, not its outcome. It is also, of course, a process imbued with a poetic and artistic dimension.
The art therapist is the one who accompanies the individual, applies the framework, and keeps alive their desire and curiosity about the space. Their role is to create a safe environment so the person can be fully present, helping them to open up the creative process and supporting their work without judgment.
Create to express
Psychotic disorders are experienced as a break with the way we conceive of and understand the world. It is, therefore, an experience different from the reality we consider common. This feeling of unreality or incomprehension can generate high levels of anxiety and suffering in the affected person. In some cases, it can even lead to social isolation, associated with difficulty maintaining occupational functioning in daily life that allows them to operate satisfactorily within their social environment.
This is where art therapy can be a safe alternative form of expression , a different space for communication. Through materials rather than words, it facilitates the person's ability to express themselves in a way that differs from the usual, through the creation of an artistic production, a work of art.
The main advantage of art therapy here is the possibility of using a tangible, palpable, visible, external object. The production, understood as the person's own actions (collage, painting, drawing, sounds, movements, etc.), serves as a space for mediation and containment , without directly exposing the person to emotions or feelings that might be too distressing to express verbally.
The benefits of art therapy as a means of symbolic expression
This production or work may also be subject to changes, transformations, or modifications that the person wishes to make throughout the process. It can even be saved until it is ready to be discussed and presented.
Therefore, a therapy space different from the conventional ones is offered, in which what is important is not what is said or how it is said, but the possibilities that open up through the creations.
An inner world to explore
Art therapy, besides using a different method than other therapies, doesn't seek to interpret the artwork or what the person is trying to convey. Instead, it aims to enable the person to explore their emotions, their inner world, and bring it out into the external world, where it can be worked on. This creates not only an external dialogue with the art therapist and the materials, but also an internal dialogue that allows the person to connect with what they are feeling.
Art therapy does not pursue anything specific, but rather works with what the person brings to each session , what worries them or, on the contrary, what rescues them and makes them feel good , with the aim of exploring it, investigating new ways of experiencing it and renaming the emotions that may be more difficult to manage.
Through materials, rather than words, the person is able to express themselves in a way other than the usual, through the creation of an artistic production, a work of art.
Consequently, the individual is given a leading role . They will make the decisions, supported by the art therapist, who can accompany them throughout the process, but always in a guiding role in their own internal exploration, adapting to the individual's way of doing things, providing the space, but without instructing, teaching, or advising, and without resorting to technicalities or methods specific to the arts.
The materials, on the other hand, allow the person to investigate these new forms, create, recompose, retouch, transform into something else, opening up a world of work possibilities and thus making it easier for them to choose which material they feel most comfortable working with.
The advantage of art therapy in this respect is that it can be used with all artistic languages: dance, painting, drawing, modeling, music, writing, movement, photography… The individual can begin a journey of exploration in each and every one of them, discovering which one they feel most comfortable working with. This exploration itself can even constitute a journey through different languages, opening up new possibilities and providing new opportunities.
Therefore, each production, each work, each aspect that the person brings to the session is important in itself, because it is important to the person. And this is the starting point, fostering the development of new channels of expression and encouraging the person to actively participate in their own process, always respecting the way and manner in which they wish to do so.
Therefore, it is not about getting the person to draw, paint, compose or model their emotion, but rather to connect with it and find a way to give it shape, to give it their own form .
At the same time, the person may feel that this decision-making, this space of intimacy with oneself and with the art therapist, this exploration of materials and new worlds can positively impact their daily life, mitigating suffering and finding in this space a place where they can exist .
Furthermore, as it is a long-term process, it can foster a therapeutic bond with the art therapist, a key element of the treatment, allowing the person to see the art therapy space as a safe place to express themselves and share things they have not been able to in other spaces.
Art therapy, therefore, aims to create the necessary and safe conditions for the person to explore, investigate and delve into their roots, awakening the senses and creating from within, with the goal of being able to express and communicate everything that happens inside them.
Featuring
