“Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing.” – Julia Cameron
I like this quote by Julia Cameron, author of the Artist’s Way and other books on reclaiming our creativity and realizing creative dreams. Many people with mental illness have turned to art for healing. As I write about the history of art therapy and mental illness, it is clear that art making benefits people with lived experience of mental illness. It is important to know that all not all people with mental illness are great creative talents or even see creativity as part of their healing. Creativity is just one tool in a collection of resources that people with lived experience can draw from. That being said, as I’ve explored in other posts, art therapy is an evidence-based therapy for mental health.
So how did art making evolve to its current form in mental health treatment, like the use of art therapy and the therapeutic arts in inpatient mental health services?
In many ancient cultures art has been used in both practical and deeply spiritual ways (Malchiodi, 2007). In fact, art was used by some cultures with the intention of healing (Malchiodi, 2007). Art therapist Cathy Malchiodi says that, “Shamans are the ancient forerunners of modern psychiatrists and particularly art therapists” as shamans use visual images in their rituals and ceremonies to help “…bring out harmful and unhealthy elements from people’s bodies…” (2007, pg. 24). Shaun McNifff deepens this discussion in his book, Art as Medicine (1992). His experience working with people with lived experience of mental illness is reflected in his insights around mental illness, which has helped me understand the emotional and psychological aspects of my own symptoms of psychosis.
Malchiodi notes that throughout human history and culture there have been overlaps in meaning of visual images, evidence for Jung’s idea of collective unconscious (2007). It reminds me of my dreams about Orca whales and the art piece that came out of that. At the same time, here on Vancouver Island, unknown to me, there were multiple examples of people creating mosaics with Orcas. Obviously Orcas have become a symbol with rich meaning.
Art therapy’s roots stem from this ancient use of art but also from modern psychiatry (Malchiodi, 2007). Emil Kraepelin and Karl Jaspers, two psychiatrists from Europe, made the observation that the art of patients could be used to understand their mental illness (Malchiodi, 2007).
Freud and Jung enter the scene further developing the relationship between images and the unconscious. Freud’s observations led to the understanding that art making could be a conduit for exploring a person’s inner world (Malchiodi, 2007). Jung, as I mentioned before, developed the concepts of collective unconscious and archetypes. There is so much here to explore about Freud, Jung, art, dreams and the psyche. This just touches the surface and shows how art therapy was significantly influenced by these two psychiatrists.
With the turn of century, there was growing interest in the art of those with lived experience of mental illness. There are two figures that I will note here, Paul-Max Simon, a French psychiatrist, and Hans Prinzhorn, an art historian who later became a psychiatrist (Malchiodi, 2007). Simon’s theory was that artwork of people with lived experience of mental illness reflected a relationship between symptoms and the content of artwork (Malchiodi, 2007). Prinzhorn supported the belief that art making is inherently healing especially as a form of self-expression (Malchiodi, 2007). We can see two threads here exploring the interrelationship between mental illness and art: one where art can help diagnosis mental illness and one where art helps to improve mental health.
In the 1950s, the belief that the creative process could promote rehabilitation and growth; the emergence of new therapies; and, the influence of moral therapy (more humane treatment of those with lived experience of mental illness), contributed to the birth of art therapy as a distinct field (Malchiodi, 2007).
Two of the most influential American art therapists were Margaret Naumburg and Edith Kramer (Malchiodi, 2007). Naumburg was influenced by Freud but evolved the concept of art and the unconscious by having clients draw dreams and images instead of just talk about them (Malchiodi, 2007). Kramer put emphasis more on the creative process and how it is healing (Malchiodi, 2007). These are just two of the significant figures in the development of art therapy (Malchiodi, 2007).
The Menninger Clinic in Kansas, a world famous inpatient clinic, influenced the development of art therapy and the treatment of mental illness (Malchiodi, 2007). The clinic’s philosophy was that art could help patients with mental illness recover (Malchiodi, 2007). One of their artists, Mary Hunton, coined the term “art-synthesis,” “…to describe the process of self-discovery that many of her patients experienced after completing an art work” (Malchiodi, 2007, pg. 38).
Other influences on modern art therapy have included the connection of mind-body-spirit. Art therapy can include relaxation, meditative, and spiritual exercises. Art therapy and the therapeutic arts are used in inpatient and outpatient mental health services, non-profit mental health agencies, in group settings with peer supporters, in private mental health facilities, in mental health clubhouses, and in private art therapy sessions. The current research of art therapy lies in looking at neuroscience for ways to understand and support art therapy’s impact on mental health.
I have really condensed and cut out parts of the history and evolution of art therapy as there is so much material. The point is art making has had a long history in healing and that it has become an integral, complementary treatment for mental illness. I would like to see more access for people with lived experience of mental illness to both individual and group art therapy.
Okay, are you ready to dive into making some art?🎨
Therapeutic Arts Activity
This is a writing activity that gets you to think about the healing qualities of creativity. These questions are meant for when you have time and the desire to reflect on the therapeutic aspects of creativity.
Instructions
Chose a piece of art that creates an emotional response. Explore the relationship between the art piece and your emotional process? How might attuning to emotions be connected to mental health?
Reflect on any therapeutic arts medium (writing, art making, music, dance etc.) that you have engaged in to express a matter close to the heart. How did it feel to express your “voice” through creativity?
Have you created a piece of art or writing where new feelings, thoughts, and insights emerged that you hadn’t been aware of before? Did the insight(s) impact your life?
Describe a time when you experienced a state of flow when engaged in the arts. How does it feel to be brought into the present by art making? How does presence affect mental health?
Have you engaged in art making as a ritual, as a connection to something spiritual, or something that connects you to deep meaning? Is art making itself a ritual?
Materials
- Pen
- Journal
Each person will decide what creativity means to them and how it may be healing. Many people engage in creativity without consciously thinking of the art form’s healing properties. It can be helpful to know what benefits to your mental health you are getting from art making, especially if you have lived experience of mental illness. Although this may be obvious, I think it is important to say: doing more of what is therapeutic for you is so helpful for recovery. If I feel like stress is impacting my mental health, I know I need to go back to my creativity for clarity, for release, and for grounding.
Just a heads up, my next post will differentiate between trauma and triggers, exploring some of my own healing as an example of how trauma and triggers playout in mental illness.
❤️❤️❤️ With care and kindness, Meegan
In the spirit of creating a community of reflection and art making, your comments are welcome. If you choose to leave a comment, it is important to know I respect your privacy. Your information will not be given, lent, rented, or sold to anyone. However, when making a comment on the site, your IP address and browser user will be collected. Please see full Privacy details on my Privacy Policy Page Privacy Policy. If you are having a mental health emergency, please take care of yourself, and call 911 or take yourself to emergency at your closest hospital.
Sources:
Malchiodi, C. (2007). The Art Therapy Sourcebook. McGraw-Hill: New York.
McNiff, Sean. (1992). Art as Medicine. Shambhala: Boulder, Colorado.
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