Art Therapy For Trauma
Art therapy can aid trauma recovery by enabling the safe exploration of traumatic experiences through creative expression.
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Trauma may be caused by abuse, violence, injury, displacement, physical health issues, or other unexpected experiences that affect one's sense of safety. These experiences can have a negative impact on emotional regulation, sense of self, physical and mental health, and relationships.
The responses to trauma will vary depending on many factors such as the intensity of the event, if they were recurring, the age of the individual at the time of the event, whether or not they received support or treatment soon after the event, etc.
Art therapy can aid trauma recovery through the safe exploration of traumatic experiences through creative expression. This process can help process and release emotions that may be challenging to verbalize.
Book a free consultation with an art therapist. We can help.
How Does Art Therapy Help With Trauma?
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People who experience trauma can sometimes experience feelings of shame or a sense of losing their voice or ability to speak when trying to speak about their experiences and the impacts of the trauma.
Through art-making, you can express these difficult experiences non-verbally so that they can processed in a safe and controlled way.
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The art-making experience can help individuals who have experienced trauma and stress disorders such as anxiety or PTSD to experience an increased sense of relaxation and tools for self-regulation.
First, the physical act of art-making can be regulating because it provides a sense of control as one works with the art.
Second, it can be used as a healthy distraction from negative thoughts or negative body sensations that can arise for individuals who have experienced trauma.
Third, art-making fosters mindfulness because it involves a body/mind connection – physical movement and mental processing.
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Individuals who engage in art-making may gain a sense of accomplishment or positive self-regard, increasing their self-esteem.
Art therapy offers the opportunity for individuals to reconnect with one’s self: their values, wants, needs, limits, likes and dislikes, etc. It can help increase self-awareness and start to develop self-trust.
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The art process can be a useful outlet for individuals to externalize their traumatic experiences. In one study, researchers suggested that art therapy can help survivors of prolonged or recurrent trauma (Schouten et al., 2018).
Art therapy can help them see the trauma as being separate from who they are. It can help them explore their responses to the traumatic experiences in a controlled setting, where they can learn more about themselves and a different way forward.
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The healing journey from traumatic experiences can be complex, difficult, and take a lot of time, which can cause feelings of despair or burnout.
The collection of artwork produced in art therapy helps reflect the individual's healing process and accomplishments and can inspire hope that they are able to continue to heal and grow.
About Us
Welcome to Full Circle! We are a non-profit organization founded in 2014. We provide mental health care through individual art therapy sessions, workshops and group art therapy. Our mission is to provide a safe space for people in need of mental health support, by helping them heal through creative processes.
Our team is dedicated to helping people heal and grow, through art therapy and other creative mediums. Please reach out to our team if you have any questions.