It’s common for art therapists to also hold licensure in counseling or social work. Although people have benefited from art therapy for a long time, it’s become a more well-known term art therapy for addiction ideas in the past few years. Visit any bookstore or arts and crafts store, and you will see a wide selection of detailed, intricate coloring books marketed for adults to relieve stress.

They then can simply let their minds free and draw different designs inside each shape, being as creative as they wish. Participants then imagine being on a boat on a beautiful day, but the weather worsens, and the sea becomes cold and choppy. They are lost and don’t know how to get back, but then a lighthouse appears in the distance.

What are some common approaches in art therapy?

The goal of art therapy is to make people more aware of their feelings and give them an alternative way of working through them to promote better mental health. Art therapy for drug and alcohol addiction recovery is an excellent tool to help individuals connect with their emotional challenges, explore their feelings, and reconcile emotional conflicts they have been suffering from. Many addicts suffer from emotional trauma, which is often the reason for their substance abuse. The utilization of art and music therapy within SUD treatment centers has been understudied. However, with increasing use of CAM in a diverse range of medical settings, and recent federal legislation likely to reduce barriers in accessing CAM (“ PPACA, ” 2010), the inclusion of CAM in addiction treatment may grow in importance.

Art therapy allows people to access and explore their unconscious thoughts and emotions. This can help them gain insight into their addiction and the factors that contribute to it. Telehealth is a virtual program where individuals communicate with licensed health counselors. It doesn’t matter which type of art therapy you try so long as you’re trying something new. Seeking treatment from experienced rehab and recovery professionals can increase your odds of kicking your old habits and preventing relapse in the future.

Traditional Approaches vs. Expressive Therapies

Everyone can benefit from art therapy when working with a professional art therapist. During art therapy for addiction, a trained and specialized therapist facilitates the experience. The addiction treatment is versatile and can be applied in almost any therapeutic context, from individual sessions to group counseling. These therapists have specialized training in art therapy treatment for addiction and hold a master’s level degree or higher.

The box itself can also be decorated to demonstrate the individual’s idea of self-care. The box will hold items the person can turn to for comfort during troubling or challenging times. After crafting the jar or box, have the individuals collect items that remind them of pleasurable, happy memories. As they fill the jar with these emotion-evoking items, they’ll remember positive moments in their lives and bring up good sentiments. It’s hard to find motivation to do anything when all you want to do is drink or use drugs. The courses listed below and other programs at EGS are the only expressive arts therapies training options currently available in Europe.