"Painting Therapy"
During an art therapy class at my local cancer center, I discovered how amazingly intricate a single flower can be. Last week when I attempted to draw and paint an Iris, I noticed folds and shadows of petals, shading, and subtle purple blends that created a challenge to reproduce. Granted, a single flower is not an ambitious project for the initiated, but it was my first art class. Though my youngest grandson could have painted a better version, that wasn’t the point. The point was having a therapeutic session, and in that regard, I did succeed. My goal was not to create an art-gallery worthy work. My goal was broader and (to me) better. The process resulted in new acquaintances, a two-hour break from clamoring concerns, and a time to practice mindfulness which notably reduces stress.
Often a “spoonful of sugar” is needed to make medicine go down, but art therapy is fun, colorful medicine, needing no sugar-coating. “Medicine” is not a figurative term. According to The Art Therapy Credentials Board, “Art therapy using art media, the creative process and the resulting artwork is a therapeutic and healing process.”* No official confirmation was necessary since I experienced its therapeutic properties for myself. And now I’m suggesting you try it out also, since art therapy seems to be beneficial for almost everyone. Concentrating on drawing and painting helps us to process our emotions, providing a reprieve from stress, thus improving health. That’s a big contribution for a little box of paints!
Using art as a healing tool was an entirely new concept for me, but the idea has been around a long time. Vikek Murthy, 19th Surgeon General of the United States encouraged validation of art therapy. He said: “Within the arts lies a powerful but largely untapped force for healing. The arts and science are two sides of the same coin, which is our shared humanity. Our ability to live fulfilling healthy lives depends on bringing these two forces together.” *
The atmosphere in a relaxed studio at the cancer center was very different from a medical office, where a patient often feels compelled to talk a lot about their problems. In fact, I hardly talked at all for the first hour. The effort to draw, then paint a flower took most of my concentration. That was a good thing, since it left no space for thinking about cancer or much of anything else. It was relaxing to only focus on the task at hand and one flower. As we all progressed, the group members begin sharing and opening up in ways I’ve only seen in very effective support groups. Yet the entire time we had fun with each other as we enjoyed our project.
Studies have been conducted on women with cancer, finding that art helped them express experiences that were too difficult for words. Sometimes, people with cancer can explore the meanings of their past during art therapy; therefore “integrating cancer into their life story and giving it meaning.” Other studies found women with cancer who “engaged in art-making demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in symptoms of physical and emotional distress during treatment.” Evidently, the relaxation caused by “creative expression opened pathways to emotional healing.”*
As society becomes more willing to recognize art as a form of therapy, the arts could become an integral part of a multi-faceted approach to health care. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to my next art class! While my pictures may not closely resemble identifiable objects, they most certainly will paint a brighter and healthier me.
Reflection:
1. What art project could you work on to help you explore your feelings?
2. Do you struggle with anxiety? Have you ever tried art as a stress-reliever?
* https://www.atcb.org/Public/WhatIsArtTherapy
*Borgmann E. “Art therapy with three women diagnosed with cancer.” Arts Psychotherapy 2002;29(5):245–251 [Google Scholar].