In recent years, art therapy has exploded in popularity as a potent therapeutic tool for handling all types of emotions. At Eva Carlston, students are provided with instruction, studio space, time, and equipment to pursue a wide variety of artistic mediums including music, drama, poetry, photography, writing, dance, drawing, and painting. Eva Carlston Academy realizes that many may not be aware of some of the most powerful ways that specific types of art therapy can assist with processing emotions in pursuit of healing. Here, Eva Carlston Academy reviews a few of the ways that art can serve as a therapeutic tool for students.

Photography Sharpens Emotional Communication Skills

Eva Carlston Academy reviews the importance of photography therapy and finds that it is excellent when used as a tool for emotional communication. Reason being photos can allow an artist to provide perspective that is not always possible through other forms of artistic expression. For example, photography can give students the tools necessary to express themselves while bringing focus and clarity to their life experiences. At Eva Carlston, students learn that photos can provide insight into a person’s thoughts, feelings, and worldview. The process of capturing pictures of friends, family, or scenery to produce photographs is also a meditative task that can help photographers reach a state of calm by empowering them to practice mindfulness.

Painting and Drawing Helps Students Feel More Connected to Themselves and Others

Painting and drawing are commonly chosen as forms of art therapy because they are easy to pick up- almost anyone can pick up a pencil or paintbrush to start creating art of their own. One of the benefits of painting and drawing is that the two methods give students space from unwanted thoughts to engage in an activity that they can control. Students can decide what colors to add to their creations, the style, and can give energy to the creative process rather than anxiety or negative emotions. Drawing and painting gives students a resource to express their thoughts that may be difficult to put into words, and both are known for helping students feel more connected to themselves and their peers as they explore their artistic instincts.

Sculpting Can Bring Students a Sense of Accomplishment

Sculpting is beneficial as an art therapy tool because it gives students the opportunity to work with their hands to bring their art to life. Using clay to create a product of one’s own vision can be extremely gratifying, and students can use sculpture to evoke certain emotions as they work such as a sense of accomplishment and comradery. Sculpture therapy is also valuable to understanding a young person’s thoughts and feelings about friends, family members, and specific life events- especially when a therapist asks a student to create sculptures using an open-ended set of instructions.

As the world of art therapy grows, Eva Carlston Academy consistently reviews how several mediums can be a useful for helping students overcome a range of emotional obstacles. It is important to remember that the above list only includes a few examples of art therapy available at Eva Carlston Academy, and there are many more that are available for students to explore on their path to healing. Whether your artistic interests lie in dance, photography, drawing, painting, music, or sculpture, Eva Carlston will help you find the right fit!