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Art Therapy for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery

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Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD

Art therapy can be an avenue for the expression of someone’s psychology, and a great deal can be learned through the interpretation of one’s art. While artists of all levels of proficiency keenly enjoy practicing their artistry, art therapy is of particular use to the resident who does not articulate themselves well in a traditional talk session. Art enables clients to communicate more effectively about their experiences across a variety of mediums. It can be used in individual sessions or with couples, families, and groups of all ages and with different mental and physical capabilities.

The practice of using art as a form of therapy was formalized in the 1940s when doctors noticed that patients experiencing a variety of mental challenges were expressing themselves through drawings and various other forms of art. When both doctors and patients began noting the potential healing properties of art as a therapy, the practice was extended to people experiencing a substance use disorder. Today, we at Alternative to Meds Center firmly believe in the value of art therapy as an adjunctive tool for holistic mental health treatment.

How Does Art Therapy Apply to Addiction and Mental Health Treatment?

Addiction can be both a result of and a cause of stress, trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health symptoms. For example, some individuals begin using alcohol or another substance to numb the effects of trauma or to escape the worst of certain mental health symptoms. In fact, addiction, trauma, and disorders like schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder frequently co-occur due the emotional dysregulation that occurs in both conditions.5

Unfortunately, the first resort for treatment for mental health symptoms is often psychiatric medications, which are themselves addictive and can cause a number of negative mental health symptoms, thereby increasing the risk for substance use disorder. Worse, these medications only increase the already heavy load of toxins disrupting the delicate neurochemical balance necessary for healthy functioning. At Alternative to Meds Center, clients can finally break free from all types of chemical toxins by participating in holistic SUD and mental health therapies, including art therapy.

Art therapy is one of many adjunctive therapies available at our center, and when used in tandem with spa therapy, equine therapy, psychotherapy, peer support, and more, it is a valuable component of holistic treatment focused on the individual person. When you arrive at our center, you will receive a thorough assessment including lab testing, interviews with our professional staff, and more. Depending on your unique needs, art therapy may become an essential element of your ability to release stress, deal with mental health symptoms, and begin enjoying your time here.

Art Therapy and Recovery

Art therapy uses the creative process of making art to enhance mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It is founded on the idea that the creative process of artistic self-expression assists people in developing interpersonal skills, resolving conflicts, managing behavior, increasing self-esteem, decreasing stress, and gaining insight. Art therapy is therapeutic art-making with a professional facilitator and is particularly useful for individuals who have experienced trauma, illness, or challenges with living and individuals who are seeking personal growth.

By creating art and reflecting on the processes and products of art, individuals can increase their self-awareness, cope with symptoms, traumatic experiences, and stress, increase cognitive abilities, and enjoy the affirming pleasure of creating art. Art therapy has been shown to help the healing process and improve mental well-being.1

Types of Art Therapy Used in Addiction Treatment

Types of Art Therapy Used in Addiction TreatmentWhen you hear the term art therapy, you may have doubts about the value of a simple painting or drawing. It is important to remember that art is an expression of imagination, so art therapy enables you to focus on the beauty and emotional power in the process of creation as well as the enjoyment of the finished product. That means art can look any number of ways, so identifying the type of expression that works for you is at the core of successful art therapy.

Just as the traumas experienced in your life are unique to each person, so too are the ways to express what that trauma looks, feels, and sounds like.

Examples of art therapy include, but are not limited to:
  • Painting, sketching
  • Crafting
  • Collages
  • Journaling
  • Poetry & story writing, and more

How Art Therapy Benefits Recovery

Art therapy can have substantial benefits throughout recovery. Studies have shown that art therapy can provide you with many of the following benefits: 2
  • Reducing symptoms of both acute and chronic mental health conditions
  • Increasing the ability to work through acute and chronic medical conditions
  • Increasing cognitive and sensorimotor functions
  • Enhancing self-esteem and self-awareness
  • Building resilience
  • Improving social skills
  • Providing an outlet for healthy self-expression
  • Creating a safe space to work through stress and trauma

If you feel your quality of life has been impacted by psychological symptoms, medical conditions, age-related conditions, stress, substance use issues, and more, art therapy can be an effective tool for healing. By beginning with the end in mind, art therapy begins with establishing a goal and then finding the right medium to help you achieve it.3

Art therapy may also provide an appreciation for the simple beauty that life has to offer in a way that is accessible at any time one chooses to express it. It is often our lack of creative outlet and even sheer boredom that leads us to fill that void with less healthy options such as drugs or ruminating mental patterns. Art therapy gives a place to focus that mental energy into a higher octave.

Alternative to Meds Center programs includes the use of art and other therapy modalities (acupuncture, equine therapy, yoga, etc.) to give the client as broad a horizon of recovery options as possible. Some clients might resonate with one or another of these, but all can potentially benefit from a wide enough address to the problem.

Art therapy provides a creative outlet that is invaluable during the process of healing.

Modes of Art as Means to Long-Term Recovery

Art therapy is not about how good you are at the artistic medium you are creating within; it is about the creative expression the opportunity provides. Art can serve as a release from the stress, trauma, or physical challenge you are looking to overcome. The presence of art in a person’s life can provide needed boosts to mental health.4

Unlike an art class, where you would learn a technique or work toward the goal of a finished product, art therapy is focused on the experience that may help a person to overcome their challenges. The focus is simply being present while creating or viewing art and not on artistic ability.

For example, consider the classic example of the painting everyone notices in a museum, filled with lines, splashes of paint, and irregular shapes that leave people saying, “I could do that.” While yes, anyone can put lines on a canvas, that particular piece of art could not be done by anyone else because the experience behind its creation is unique. The artist is focused on their own inner feelings and not how others will interpret them.

In organized art therapy sessions at Alternative to Meds Center, you are encouraged to express what you look, feel, or sound like on the inside. Through multiple modalities, you are free to express yourself.

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How Is Art Therapy Used in Holistic Addiction and Mental Health Treatment?

Art TherapyOf course, the benefits described above are not limited to the stress relief provided by creative expression — and the process of art therapy in holistic addiction and mental health treatment is more than art for art’s sake. Art can be a visual expression of one’s psychology, and it is the work of our art therapists to help you assess both the creation process and the finished product.

For example, art therapists offer carefully selected artistic prompts to help you begin the creation process. The results you produce, including media like drawings and paintings, can reflect the inner workings of your personal struggles. Trauma, symptoms, and emotions like fear, anxiety, depression can be expressed during the process, and negative emotions vented through your work. With careful attention to your unique situation and accepted art therapy criteria, an art therapist can help you explore your inner self and even target further therapies to address what you discover.6

Art therapy at Alternative to Meds Center can take place as a component of individual therapy but also in a group setting. By varying the modalities used – whether drawing, painting, pottery, crafting, collages — and encouraging both one-on-one exploration and social interaction with peers, art therapy can provide the opportunity for real healing. Our participants have built improved coping methods, addressed internal and external conflicts, explored spiritual motivations, and increased their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.7

Challenges of Art Therapy

Art therapy is a proven process with the benefits described above. Art therapy is optional, and being open to possibility is a key component in your capacity to get the most out of art therapy.

In addition, it is important to note that processing emotions can be less than comfortable at times, and that’s okay. You may not feel like sharing these emotions with others, even as they pertain to your personal expression of art. However, a benefit of art therapy is that it can help you recognize your mental and physical challenges and address areas that need healing. The use of art promotes healing by allowing you to work either alone or with others through those emotions in a healthy, productive manner.

When challenges arise, the skill and compassion of the art therapist are key factors in the success of the practice. When you work with an art therapist with whom you have built a positive relationship and developed a mutual understanding of what art therapy will look like for you, you will achieve better results. By focusing on building trusting relationships that promote positive healing, the art therapists at Alternative to Meds Center can help you unlock and address issues related to your trauma, addiction, and mental health challenges. Together, you can create a safe place to feel, experience, and grow.

Is Art Therapy Right for Your Treatment Plan?

Art therapy truly can benefit each client that crosses our threshold here at Alternative to Meds Center, even those who believe there is little value in the creative process.

Consider how much you agree or disagree with the following:

  • Words can be frustrating, and you have wished for a different way to express yourself
  • You’ve tried explaining how you feel or what you’ve experienced, and it never seems to come out the way you want it to
  • You have felt the desire to see your thoughts, feelings, or beliefs visually, or you have wished someone else could
  • It is hard to verbalize how you feel or what you think because it is difficult to be vulnerable
  • You enjoy experiencing and learning through your five senses

If you find yourself agreeing with any of these statements, art therapy is likely a good fit for you. If you can’t relate to any of the statements, we still suggest giving art therapy a try, as there are many benefits and relatively few drawbacks. Art therapy can benefit people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences.

Making the Most of Art Therapy for Addiction Treatment

In anticipation of your first art therapy session, there are some components you should expect to help you maximize the healing your sessions can provide. Each session may look different, but the purpose and process are similar. It’s also important to know that art therapy can occur in many different formats depending on your needs. While some art therapy sessions are completed individually, you may also have the opportunity to participate in a group.

Check-In

This part of the session provides you with an opportunity to express anything that is on your mind that you may wish to discuss. This could take the form of a simple check-in on the progress you feel you are making, or you could address a specific concern you have had since your last session. Your art therapist should help you set your expectations for the session at this time.

Art-Making

This part of the session is why you are here in the first place: to find the best way to express how you feel inside. Some sessions may have longer creation moments than others because the goal for that session may be to identify the healing that you desire to take place and work through it together. During art-making, you may use multiple media, create pieces on your own, co-create with other participants, or even with your art therapist. Be open-minded during this process, and approach each session with the knowledge that it could unlock a new opportunity for healing.

Processing

Art-making is an important step, but just as important is discussing and processing what you’ve created. You can talk about the thoughts or feelings that prompted the art, what creating the art caused you to feel, or even what you hope the art helps you to accomplish. This can be a challenging part of the process but it can also be the most enlightening.

After Your Art Therapy Session

There may be some next steps to take away from your session. Don’t think of it as homework, but instead, as a way to continue the healing journey on your own. You may be encouraged to set goals for yourself to accomplish between sessions so that when you return the next time, your therapist can help you stay on track for continued healing.

Art Therapy as Part of Medication Withdrawal and Recovery

Alternative to Meds Center is proud to offer our clients a way to heal through artistic self-expression. Participating in our guided art therapy program can not only help you express what you are feeling or thinking but can be a way to visualize the obstacles in your life in order to find the path around them. To discuss the therapeutic benefits of our art therapy program, please contact our helpful staff, who will be happy to assist you in understanding how it can help you heal.

1 (800) 301-3753 for Art Therapy in Addiction Recovery

 

References:

1. Van Lith, T. (2016). Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 47, 9-22. [cited 2023 June 14]

2. Bitonte, R. A., & De Santo, M. (2014). Art Therapy: An Underutilized, yet Effective Tool. Mental illness, 6(1), 5354. https://doi.org/10.4081/mi.2014.5354 [cited 2023 June 14]

3. Regev, D. Cohin-Ratziv L, Effectiveness of Art Therapy With Adult Clients in 2018—What Progress Has Been Made? Frontiers in Psychology 29 Aug 2018 [cited 2023 June 14]

4. Farokhi, M. (2011). Art Therapy In Humanistic Psychiatry. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2088-2092. [cited 2023 June 14]

5. Snow MB, Balling C, Zimmerman M. Re-examining borderline personality disorder and substance use disorder: The role of emotion dysregulation. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2020 Aug 1;32(3):170-175. PMID: 32343289. [cited 2023 June 14]

6. Iguina MM, Kashan S. Art Therapy. [Updated 2022 Aug 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan, [cited 2023 June 14]

7. Hu, J., Zhang, J., Hu, L., Yu, H., & Xu, J. (2021). Art Therapy: A Complementary Treatment for Mental Disorders. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 686005. [cited 2023 June 14]

Originally Published Jan 25, 2021 by Diane Ridaeus


This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.

Dr. Samuel Lee

Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente.  He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

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