People do not often think of art as a therapy for mental and emotional health. Although this is getting more popular in recent years. In this post i want to inform you of the origins of Art as a therapy and how it can benefit you.

Where it all began

Art as therapy began in the early to mid 1940s. Margaret Naumburg and her sister Florence Cane used art therapy and saw great results in mental health institutions and in schools. Margaret first discovered the usefulness of art as a therapeutic approach when diagnosing and treating those with mental disorders. She believed art could help subconscious behaviors to come forward in the individual.

Her sister Florence worked as an art teacher with children in schools where she used art as a therapy for children’s emotional expression. Florence was greatly influenced by Carl Jung  and the symbolic use of art to express emotions and subconscious ideas. She also believed art expression was linked to the physical movement of the body and would often incorporate movement into the act of drawing or painting with her students. Free flowing expression was a key component in her way of teaching art. 

In contrast, Today therapeutic art is used in the mental health industry as well as schools, medical hospitals, online communities and residential communities. Wherever a need for safe emotional expression and healing may be.

How Can Art Help You?

Perhaps you’ve stumbled upon this blog and have no idea what art therapy is or how it could help you. Let me start by saying that therapeutic art is for everyone. Anyone, no matter of skill level can benefit.

Art has the ability to be a voice for you. When words do not cut it to express your emotion, that’s where creating art can step in. Expression of your emotions is so important, it is what helps you heal and release the pain, trauma and stress of any situation. 

WHat I Can Offer You Here

My work here at Beauty For Ashes is along the same lines as that of Florence Cane. I believe expressive art can be extremely helpful in emotional regulation of both adults and children. Many times words are not enough to help people release or express their pent up emotions and stresses. Art encourages the action of expression while creating a positive insight into oneself and the emotions attached to that expression. 

While I am not an art therapist, I have studied psychology and art together and have personally experienced the wonderful healing tool art is. I consider myself an expressive and healing art guide or instructor. I have had many years of teaching art as a skill as well and even in those classes have seen art become a great outlet for people to find encouragement and healing. 

If you are interested in the work I do here and would like more information, please check out these pages. I offer affordable digital art guides as e-books to help you learn to use art as a therapeutic outlet. Please feel free to check them out! 

I am also available to create a custom e-book for your specific situation packed with helpful prompts, easy ways to create simple art, and where to find supplies. You may contact me by email at lauram@beaut4ashes.com