Creative therapy for the psyche: With art, music and dance

Mental illnesses are often so complex that they are very difficult for laypeople to grasp and understand. Those affected also often have great difficulty putting their constantly changing and highly complex feelings into words.

In classical psychotherapy, words are the preferred means of communication, processing and overcoming issues in therapy.

However, in some situations, the affected person is so overwhelmed that traditional therapy doesn't seem very promising. When a person's psyche doesn't allow for traditional therapy, creative therapy one of the best ways to relieve their psyche and give them the opportunity to express themselves and process their experiences.

Generations of researchers and psychoanalysts have explored the question of what art does to our psyche . Various approaches exist, each focusing on different art forms.

Musical arts, for example, have a different effect than art in the form of painting or sculpture . Art in the form of images, for instance, evokes a reaction in the viewer's emotions and thoughts, though less because of the images themselves.

Rather, the feelings and thoughts evoked by an image vary from person to person. Looking at an image is like looking in a mirror.

Because what comes to mind when we look at a work of art is mostly shaped by our own experiences and our current psychological state. For example, a painting in dark earth tones might appear melancholic and sad to one person, while it might have a warm and almost homely effect on another.

Even landscape images can evoke very different feelings and reactions in us – depending on whether we associate anything with the depicted landscape or not.

What does creativity have to do with mental illness?

Creativity is a way of expressing oneself. Through creative activity, one makes a statement – ​​or simply processes thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is a way to express oneself without having to find words.

This nonverbal means of communication and the transmission of feelings, thoughts and moods can give a psychotherapist a lot of clues about the psychological state of the person who created these creative works.

Art therapy gradually developed from precisely these points . This form of therapy is practiced by trained art therapists. These therapists typically hold a degree in art history and, of course, a degree in psychiatry.

Art therapy is most often offered in rehabilitation centers, children's hospitals, or psychiatric facilities. Especially in children's hospitals, it is an important support tool for children suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer, and for their parents.

Art therapy is indeed about putting things down on paper in pictorial form. High-quality works of art don't have to be created – it's much more about offering the patient a way to gather the jumble of thoughts in their world and capture them in a fixed form on a canvas.

This allows him to bring calm and relaxation to his feelings and thoughts, and to reorganize them. Furthermore, it is particularly easier for patients with severe trauma to express their feelings.

The first step involves visualizing things that are familiar to the patient or with which they feel secure. Many patients are asked to visualize their values ​​first. Visualizing one's own biography or specific questions can also help the therapist get to know their patients better.

This gives him or her an idea of ​​how the patient thinks and what kind of images he or she associates with positive or negative things.

Only when patient and therapist have gained confidence in their interactions and in interpreting the paintings should the patient attempt more challenging tasks. Then it will be time to visualize their own fears, thoughts, and doubts – a process in which the therapist will try to get to the root of the patient's negative feelings and thoughts.

This is how music affects our brain

When we to music , a wide variety of areas in our brain become active. However, each brain reacts to music in a different way. Some people experience stronger reactions in the emotional areas of the brain. Others – especially professional musicians – process music more in the analytical part of the brain.

However your brain processes music, the fact remains that music is a valuable tool for stimulating and challenging the brain. This is precisely why early musical education is such an important developmental tool for children

How art speaks to the psyche

Art can address two different ways

One way is through the consumption of art . In this case, a person absorbs the music or image and reflects on it. Whether it's music, a painting, or a sculpted statue, viewing or listening to it evokes a certain intellectual and emotional response.

Depending on prior personal experience and current state of mind, this reaction can vary completely. From joy, fun, and wild dancing to melancholic calm and a feeling of deep depression, all the way to profound sadness, virtually anything is possible.

The second option is the independent composition of art . Here, too, there are various channels for making what a person wants to express truly understandable to others. Creative art in the form of painting is a good tool for this. Because in it, the painter can give free rein to their thoughts and feelings. In this way, they can capture on the canvas what is currently in their mind.

This doesn't usually work quite so well with music, as it follows fixed rules and requires a certain melody to create a harmonious piece. However, the way a person plays music can still reveal something about their current psychological state. Often, you just have to listen closely to recognize the subtle nuances in the notes and vocal ranges.

Conclusion: Creativity can help escape the pit of mental illness

Creative therapy is a valuable tool in the fight against depression and numerous other mental illnesses. It can also help young people struggling with severe emotional turmoil and inner conflicts.

It's not uncommon for something like a first mental illness to develop during puberty – often completely unnoticed and therefore going untreated for a very long time. Those who keep an eye on their children's mental well-being from childhood onward will later find it easier to respond to mood swings and the pervasive emotional turmoil of puberty.

However, for people whose psychological difficulties extend far beyond problems of self-discovery, creative therapy can be a way to initiate communication about their problems, thoughts, and feelings. Furthermore, some problems, and especially their causes, only come to light when they are brought to light.

Art therapy offers a wonderful and, above all, gentle way to bring these factors to the surface and initiate a process of confronting them. Experiences from childhood or adolescence that have not been adequately processed can lead to significant social and psychological problems in old age.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza. Journalist, editor, and passionate blogger in the field of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Successful completion of a degree in web design as part of a university study (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www.kunstplaza.de