Art Therapy vs Art IN Therapy

Art Therapy vs. Art in Therapy by a Counsellor or Psychologist

Both art therapy and art in therapy use creative expression as a means of healing, but they differ significantly in their approach, goals, and practitioner expertise. Here’s a breakdown of the differences:

Art Therapy

Art therapy is a specialized form of therapy led by a trained art therapist. It integrates art-making with psychotherapy to address emotional, cognitive, and social challenges.

Practitioner: A certified art therapist with expertise in both psychotherapy and various forms of creative expression. Art therapists are trained to analyze the art and its creation process as part of the therapeutic work.
Therapeutic Process: Art therapy is centered on the creative process as a means of exploring feelings, processing trauma, and promoting personal growth. It is less about interpreting specific pieces of art and more about using art as a non-verbal way to communicate emotions.
Focus: The sessions are client-centered, addressing emotional struggles or mental health issues such as trauma, anxiety, depression, developmental delays, and more. The creative process itself is seen as a therapeutic tool.
Tools and Methods: Art therapy may involve drawing, painting, sculpture, or other artistic mediums that align with the client's preferences or needs. The goal is not to produce a perfect piece of art but to express inner emotions and work through difficult experiences.
Goal: To facilitate emotional and psychological healing through the act of creation. The artwork and creative process are key to self-discovery, emotional regulation, and mental health recovery.

Art in Therapy (By a Counsellor or Psychologist)

In contrast, when a counsellor or psychologist integrates art into therapy, they are using art as a supplementary tool within a broader therapeutic framework. These professionals might not have specialized training in art therapy but recognize the value of creative expression.

Practitioner: A licensed counsellor or psychologist who may not have specific training in art therapy but uses art as a therapeutic technique within their existing counselling or psychological practice.
Therapeutic Process: In this case, art is used as an adjunct to verbal therapy, often as a way to help clients relax, open up emotionally, or explore difficult topics. However, the focus of the session is still largely on verbal processing, and the art-making is seen as a way to enhance the client’s ability to engage in therapy.
Focus: The main goal is usually related to the client’s mental health or emotional well-being, but the use of art is not the central focus. Instead, it might be used to facilitate deeper conversations, reflection, or insight in traditional counselling or psychological sessions.
Tools and Methods: Simple artistic exercises, such as doodling, drawing, or creating visual metaphors to explore emotions. The counsellor may ask the client to reflect on what they’ve created and how it relates to their emotions or thoughts.
Goal: To enhance verbal therapy and provide an additional method of expression. The art is often used to open up conversation rather than as a standalone therapeutic process.

Key Differences:

Expertise: Art therapists are specially trained in both art and psychotherapy, while counsellors or psychologists may not have specific training in the therapeutic use of art.
Role of Art: In art therapy, the creative process itself is central to healing. In art used by counsellors or psychologists, art is a supplement to traditional talk therapy.
Focus: Art therapy aims to foster emotional expression, healing, and personal growth through creativity. Art in therapy enhances verbal exploration by using art to ease communication.
Depth of Artistic Exploration: In art therapy, the practitioner helps the client explore the meaning of the artwork itself. In contrast, art in therapy is often used more casually, with less focus on the artistic process or interpretation of the work.

Conclusion

If you are seeking a therapeutic process where the act of creating art plays a central role in healing and personal growth, working with an art therapist like Tali Joy from Art Space Healing would be ideal. However, if you are already working with a counsellor or psychologist, and they use art activities as part of broader talk therapy, that can still be a beneficial complement to traditional therapeutic techniques, but it’s not as deeply integrated into the healing process as art therapy is.