Art Therapy: What Do the Experts Say About Why This Approach Could Be Right for You?

Have you attempted to go to therapy before to deal with unresolved past stress or trauma? Did you find the experience to be intense and challenging to complete? Deciding to pursue trauma therapy can be both an empowering and overwhelming experience.

Although there are undeniable benefits to treating the impact that your past traumatic experiences have had, trauma therapy can often introduce additional stress and temporary discomfort that can lead to premature drop-off rates before the benefits of treatment are experienced. What if there was another option that was more manageable? 

In this blog post, we will highlight the benefits of art therapy for treating trauma based on what the experts in the trauma field are saying. Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, and other trauma therapy experts have highlighted various benefits of art therapy for individuals dealing with trauma. Here’s a summary of their perspectives:

Bessel van der Kolk

1. Expression Beyond Words: Van der Kolk emphasizes that trauma can often be difficult to express verbally. Art therapy provides a non-verbal outlet that can help clients articulate experiences and emotions that are hard to put into words.
2. Integration of Trauma: Art therapy can facilitate the process of integrating traumatic memories into a coherent narrative. By creating visual representations of their experiences, clients can gain new perspectives and make sense of their trauma.
3. Regulation and Safety: Engaging in artmaking can help regulate emotions and create a sense of safety. The process of creating art can be calming and grounding, which is beneficial for clients who struggle with emotional dysregulation.

Gabor Maté

1. Creative Expression: Maté underscores the value of creative expression in healing from trauma. Art therapy allows individuals to explore and express feelings that may be buried or repressed, which can lead to greater self-awareness and healing.
2. Safe Space for Exploration: Art therapy offers a safe space for clients to explore and confront difficult emotions and experiences. This safe space can be crucial for those who have experienced trauma and may feel overwhelmed by traditional therapeutic approaches.
3. Mind-Body Connection: Maté often discusses the importance of the mind-body connection in trauma recovery. Art therapy engages both cognitive and sensory processes, which can help integrate and process trauma on multiple levels.

Other Trauma Therapy Experts

1. Non-Verbal Processing: Many experts agree that trauma is often stored in the body and mind in ways that are not easily accessible through verbal therapy alone. Art therapy provides a way to tap into these non-verbal aspects of trauma, allowing for more holistic healing.
2. Empowerment and Agency: Creating art can empower clients by giving them control over how they represent and reinterpret their experiences. This sense of agency can be particularly important for individuals who have experienced powerlessness in their trauma.
3. Visualization and Transformation: Art therapy can help clients visualize and transform their trauma. By externalizing their experiences through art, clients can gain distance from their pain and begin to reframe and heal their trauma narratives. This can make trauma treatment more tolerable and can allow you to pace your healing, as well as reduce overwhelm throughout the course of your therapy. 

 Art therapy is recognized as a valuable tool in trauma recovery for its ability to facilitate non-verbal expression, emotional regulation, and self-discovery, making it an effective complement to more traditional therapeutic approaches. The trauma therapists at Choice Point Psychological can customize your experience by integrating creative-based modifications to your trauma treatment so that you can experience the benefits of trauma therapy at a pace that is tolerable to you. Our Registered Art Therapist can provide you with an art-focused trauma treatment plan. Contact us today to learn more about Art therapy.