Art Therapy Is More Than Just Making Nice Pictures

Anyone who has ever put pen to paper, crayon to coloring book, or hand to wet clay knows the healing powers embedded in such creative endeavors. More than just a pastime, art can be an escape, a stimulus, a war cry or a tranquil reprieve. Art therapy, defined as "a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary mode of communication," revolves around this principal of art's immense power. Open to children and adults of any background and experience, the still-evolving field explores modes of expression, understanding and healing that occur when paint touches canvas. While too many schools today run under the assumption that art is extraneous, a diversion from traditional academic subjects, art therapists know better. They know that art has the potential to change lives, and, even to save them. Tally Tripp is the art therapy clinic director of George Washington University, specializing in individuals who have experienced trauma. Entering the field in its nascent phase, in the 1970s, Tripp was elemental in shaping the field as we know it today.  Continuing The Huffington Post's coverage of the often misunderstood field that is art therapy, and the pioneers who continue to sculpt it, we reached out to Tripp to discuss the details of her career's past and present.   How did you become interested in art therapy? How did you learn about the field?  When I first learned about art therapy it was definitely a field in its infancy. Per...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news