Art can calm the mind and is an effective therapy in mental health.

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Art can calm the mind and is an effective therapy in mental health.

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Art, as a learned coping measure can be an effective therapy for many mental health difficulties. It can be an effective way for kids to develop self esteem and can be of value in behavioral health applications for young people.

Art therapy is a professional therapy administered by board certified therapists, who use art along with psychological therapy to help those with mental health disorders to open up and express themselves, as well as to heal from psychological wounds from the past and present.

Both art as self help, and art when administered as a professional therapy can be an effective part of the healing process in many disorders as:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD),
Bipolar Disorder,
ADHD/ADD,
Schizophrenia and related disorders,
Autism and Asperger Syndrome,
Borderline Personality Disorder,
Depression,
Eating Disorders,
Substance Abuse.

Very briefly, for those who suffer with symptoms associated with OCD, artand art as a professional therapy can help persons with of OCD to balance psychologically. It can be an effective part of professional and self help therapy for OCD. For persons who display symptoms associated with Bipolar Disorder, both art and art therapy can be of help for both children teens and adults to balance mood swings associated with BD. It can be a type of natural and non-pharmaceutical mood stabilizer. Both art and arts therapy can be an effective part of therapy for those with and related disorders. When considered in a professional context it can be a way to help those with the symptoms of schizophrenia to open up emotionally through art. It can be used when young adults might have a difficult time opening up to a psychiatrist of psychologist.

Both art and art as a professional therapy have been used effectively for children with autism spectrum disorders. An art teacher from New Jersey who works with children who have special needs feels that teaching children with autism spectrum disorders art in his summer programs has helped many of them to develop better focus and self-esteem. One of his students showed much improvement and went on to hold a full-time job. Art was part of the therapy that was of help to many of these children with autism.

A large percentage of those who have suffered from being abused as children, both art as self help and arts therapy can be of much value in recovery. Art as a self help skill and professional art therapy can help those suffering from depression to spend less time watching depressing or violent news content, which is common on the television, as well as to avoid other programming, which might be contributing to the development of symptoms of depression. Also, by engaging in art, and seeing the work of one’s hands, what one created through his imagination and will, it helps most who who are experiencing symptoms associated with mental health disorders to develop self-esteem.

This article was produced by John Samuels of the Association for Natural Psychology. Please also visit our bookstore. Natural psychology, self help for treatment of mental health disorders, natural cures of mental health disorders, depression treatment without drugs, positive parenting, raising and teaching special needs children, and a variety of related subjects are considered. You can also see our new book,
Overcoming ADHD without Medication: A Parent’s and Educator’s Guidebook on Amazon, Alibris and other online locations. The Association for Natural Psychology is a New Jersey non-profit corporation.

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