Art-making as a therapeutic practice

0:00 Good day everyone. I am Edelin Bayao. I am one of the reporters of the group seven and we will be discussing about the art making as a therapeutic practice. So art is not just about creativity and talent but also it is actually a powerful way of expressing thoughts and feelings or emotions rather especially across different cultures. People use art to communicate what it means to be a human. So in this presentation we will be explaining how art can be used in counseling and how it helps individuals cope with problems, express feelings and understand themselves better. So

0:47 um therapeutic practice. So art making as a periotic practice refers to using art as a form of expression and communication to help people deal deal with their life challenges. So instead of talking client um people can or clients can actually draw, paint or create something to express their emotions that are sometimes hard to put into words. So for example client is anxious. Let's say it's a traumatic very traumatic event life and somewhat put into words. So

1:33 they use drawing instead. So integrating art making into process of conselling accessible for forms of practice. So in counseling, art [snorts] making can be easily integrated using simple techniques that do not require special training. So counselor can include activities like drawing, doodling or using simple materials during a session. This makes therapy more interactive and comfortable for clients. So for an example, so instead client explain directly counselor or if

2:18 comfortable to talk about it but ask them instead to draw how they feel. So in this way um it can help the client open up more easily. express using words. So art becomes art. Art becomes another way of communication. So one of the most common forms of art therapy includes drawing, painting and sculpting. So using images to express and convey meaning is a cultural universal. So almost everyone at some time or another makes diagrams, drawings, doodles, patterns or maps. And like I said, it can also developmentally

3:07 significant because children learn to use this media before they are able to write. at that time. So through those drawing we can express ourselves. So even now we need therapy. Um as a client we we still can express ourselves through those doodling or drawing. So actually um many counselors also like to have additional art making materials at hand. So basically Like for example

4:00 of man papers and mga sand something like that. It is like somewhat an invitation to the client. They can express themselves not just through talking, not just by story oneonone, but they have the freedom to express themselves um using those table like it is of to put into some words to just express what you thought and feel. But as a way other way to kind of communicate and that is of course art. So good day everyone. Let's proceed now

4:47 to selecting and taking photographs as a therapeutic technique. So selecting and taking photograph is a therapeutic technique often used in counseling sometimes called phototherapy. So, this involves using pictures, either existing ones or photos taken by the clients to help explore their emotions, memories, and relationships. So, what makes this this technique powerful is that photos can express things that are hard to say in words. So sometimes clients may struggle to explain their feelings directly but when they look at the picture it can trigger memories, emotions or stories that are easier to

5:33 talk about. So one example of this or some examples of this are a counselor may ask a client to bring a family photos. So these images can help start conversations about relationship with family members, important life events and positive or painful memories. So because the image is already there, the client feels less pressure in in um expressing their feelings, emotions and their life um stories. So these photos became a safe starting point for a discussion. So here's a study or research that supports a therapeutic value of

6:19 photography. So there's here a study conducted by Smith and colleagues in 2012 examined a project called photovoice. So in this project, young people living in disadvantaged inner city communities were given a disposable cameras and can cameras they are tasked to take photos that represent their own success, their own definition of success. So after taking the pictures, the participants discuss their images together in a group counseling sessions. So the result shows two important benefits. First the participants became more able to see themsel as a active agents of their own

7:07 lives. So meaning they felt more empowered and they feel they feel more canang active they are responsible for their own lives and second is they were able to reflect on and better understanding the challenges they faced while growing up. So this the results of this study highlights how photography can be a meaningful therapeutic tool that encourages reflection, selfexpression and personal understanding. Now let's proceed to writing as a therapeutic technique. So writing is one of a kind of therapeutic technique art

7:53 therapeutic techniques that involves expressing thoughts and feelings through words. So it allows individuals to talk about their experiences especially those are stressful, confusing or emotional in a safe and private way. So many people find it easier to write their feelings and emotions rather than saying it aloud. So which this makes writing is a powerful tool in counseling. So this helps individuals became more aware of what they are thinking and feeling which is uh which an important step towards healing and self understanding. So writing and therapy can take

8:39 different forms. Some methods are structured such as thought diaries used in cibi cognitive behavioral therapy where individuals follow a guide to describe situations, their thoughts, emotions and reactions. So this help them recognize negative thinking patterns and learn how to change them. So other forms are more open-ended such as journaling, poetry, freewriting where individuals are free to express their feelings through writing where individuals are free to express anything without rules. So this allows for creativity and deeper emotion, emotional expression. So writing also helps

9:28 in three important ways. First is it helps release emotions. So when people keep their feelings inside it can create stress and tension but writing allows them to let these emotions out in a healthy way. Second it helps organize thoughts. So writing makes it easier to understand experiences by putting them into words which can lead to clear thinking and better decision making. And third, it can helps individual to reflect their relationships and relationships and their connections with others. So by writing about their interactions and experiences,

10:14 they can see situations from different perspective and develop a better understanding of themselves and unto others. So here's a research that strongly supports writing as a effective therapeutic technique. So according to Kerner and Fitzpat Patrick in year 2007, therapeutic writing can be understood along two important dimensions, the cognitive and the emotional. So cognitive writing focuses on helping individuals think, analyze and make sense of their experiences. While the emotional writing allows individuals to freely express their feelings especially those may be difficult to say it aloud.

11:00 So writing can be either structured or operanded. So structured writing includes guided activities such as what we discussed earlier the thought diaries commonly used in cognitive behavioral therapy where individuals are asked to asked to identify situation thoughts or emotions. And on the other hand, the open-ended writing discuss earlier is about journaling or free writing that helps individuals to explore their thoughts and emotions without limitations. So writing therapy involves three main aspects. The physiological aspect, the cognitive aspect and the social aspects. So let's discuss first the physiological

11:47 aspects. This is when people suppress the or inhibit their thoughts and emotions. It requires psychological energy. So writing helps release these thoughts and feelings which can help the clients to reduce the stress. Second is the cognitive aspects. So writing about stressful experiences helps individuals recognize their memories and process difficult events. and writing can improve how they understand and cope with the with these experiences. And the third is the social aspect. So many stressful experiences involves relationship with other people. And writing allows individuals to reflect on

12:32 the relationships and view their difficulties from a new perspective which can help them move towards resolution. Now let's talk about singing. Singing is a physical activity that encourages rhythmic movement and shared expression. Most people can sing. A technique that has been used in work and community based work has been to invite participants to work together to write and perform a song. It is often used in a group setting. Therap set group therapy settings. For example, when participants write and perform songs together, it helps them connect with each other and express their emotions in a way that regular conversation cannot.

13:22 example related. So for example group members then composerience then by singing the song together you're not alone music responding to art movies novels and music to make this short and It is important to remember that we don't always have to create art to heal. We can also benefit from being an audience. This includes reading novels or what we called movie therapy which when a client identifies with a

14:10 character in a movie who is facing a similar struggle, it can lead to emotional release. It also gives the therapist and the client a shared metaphor to discuss the client's own life safely. For example, Then like example movie family. That was movie therapy is

14:58 Now let's look at the therapeutic pro processes behind these activities. Art techniques like painting or sculpting often happen without talking. This allows preverbal or hidden thoughts and feelings to emerge. Things that are otherwise very hard to work, very hard to put into words. Additionally, creating an object like a drawing helps in externalizing the problem. Instead, instead of the problem being inside the client, it is now something separate than the therapist and client can look at together. Finally, art making procedures doing into the session helping clients break out of passive or stuck states of mind. For example,

15:58 Then preverbal expression. Then so externalize or pressure

16:50 passive state of mind or so all in all in conclusion expressive arts methods represents the assimination into a counseling of timeless cultural traditions and practices the capacity to symbolize experience in art works. The motivation to make objects and moments that are special. This approach brings back into therapy an aspect of what it means to be human that has been acu occu oluded by the purely psychological image of the person that has held sway over the pro profession. It is a relatively straightforward matter to integrate

17:35 expressive art methods into virtually any counseling situation. >> Good afternoon, J. It's good to see you again. So, how have things been since our last session? >> I think just the same idea. >> I noticed you're finding it a bit difficult to put your feelings into words today. So, that's perfectly okay. So, sometimes talking can feel a lot of pressure. I just feel like there's a big breath in my chest, but when I try to talk about it, the word gets stuck. So, you know, art is a mode of expression found in all cultures to help us symbolize what it means to be humans. Since words feel stuck, would you be

18:21 open to trying a different way to communicate? We could use some of this materials to show that not you're talking instead of describing it. >> I'm not that good at this. >> That's a common worry, but this isn't about being good at art. Almost everyone makes doodles or patterns at some point. So, this isn't about doing and moving out of the passive state of mind. So, why don't you pick a color that represents how you feel right now? I still

19:07 see that junk lines look very sharp. By putting it on the paper, you are externalizing the problem. It's no longer just inside you. It's something we can look at together, slightly separate from yourself. So what happens if we add something to this or perhaps use these stones to represent people or obstacles around this knot? These are things I have to let every day. Using the symbols helps us see the relationship between your feelings and

19:53 your daily lives. It's a way to explore those preverbal or hidden thoughts that were hard to articulate earlier. straight sing like this is easier to look and then just feel in my head. >> So that is the power of our thinking as a beauty practice. It gives us new language. So for our next session if you're comfortable you could even bring in a photograph that represents a time you felt light and we can talk about the difference between the image and this ones. I think I got that. This is where you're just sitting here trying to find the right words. We'll take it one image at

20:40 a time. So before we get to the end for the day, let's take a moment to just sit with you. Sit sit with what you created. And what do you notice in your body right now as we look at it? It's still there, but it's not as tight as before. like I can't learn before. That's important. Even a small shift matters. So you give that feeling a shape shape and now it's something you can come back to change or even add to you can. And sometimes even small movements like that can represent creating space for yourself in real life

21:28 too. I think you like this giant voice every time. >> I'm really glad you found something that feels a bit easier and and safer. So we'll keep exploring this together at your pace. >> Okay, I think I can do that. That sounds like a good place to pause for the day. I'll see you next time.