what is art therapy

For my first post, I wanted take the time to just talk about art therapy. Any aspiring art therapist who has been asked, “What career path do you want to follow?” has had to most likely then explain his or her answer. To ensure we are all on the same page, art therapy is, in my on words, a way to express one’s self, emotions, and thoughts through the therapeutic characteristics of art making. Art therapy acts as a third element into regular therapy. Art is a beneficial addition to therapy because art expresses what words cannot alone.

Why i chose art therapy

I chose art therapy because I have received amazing benefits from the helping powers of art and I want to help others obtain these same benefits and more. For me, art is my salvation. To escape from my worries and pain I simply open my sketchpad and draw my feelings away. No matter what they are, my sketchpad is there to listen. It does not judge nor discourage me, but accepts me as the individual I am. It allows me to realize my talents, uniqueness, and potential. When I return to a page in my sketchpad, my emotions are brought to the surface and I come a step closer to reaching peace. I want to help others, especially pediatric trauma patients, with the best tool I have: art.