Therapy is just talking, right? It doesn’t have to be.
An emotional experience can be described, discovered, and shared through imagery, symbolism, metaphor, color, shape, size, or sound.
Below are examples of art created by clients at our office (shared with their permission):
What Rage looks like
The feeling of a manic/impulsive episode
A client’s personal expression of calm
The experience of having walls up and not letting others see what’s going on underneath
Using a “Battery” image to determine a client’s needs, and which needs may require attention
A child’s experience of adjusting to divorce
The different parts within a persons personality, organized, and personified through different character visuals.
Feeling trapped, powerless, and gaslit within an argument
There’s a reason art and emotion go hand in hand: Both artistic expression and emotional processing are primarily housed within the right hemisphere of the brain. Language, logic, and critical thinking, on the other hand, primarily take place within he left hemisphere, meaning it can be extremely difficult to verbally discuss an emotion (or trauma) that has not yet been processed.
The practice of using art in these situations provides an alternative route; a stepping stone on a person’s journey to deeper understanding. Whether someone is or is not aware of their emotional experiences, art is a great place to start exploring.
Many of our therapists use expressive arts. If this is something you are interested in give us a call and let our Care Coordinator know.
Written by Emily Jones, LMHC
