Art therapy is one of many expressive activities that contributes to healing at the Center for Eating Disorders Care. The creative process acknowledges each person’s unique expression, making it beneficial across all ages and ability levels.
“Using a language of visual imagery, patients can metaphorically access and express their feelings in a way that they may not be able to accomplish in words,” says Janet Waronker, MA, MCAT, LPC, who facilitates art therapy groups at the Center for Eating Disorder Care.
In particular, art therapy can help patients:
- Connect with themselves and with others. Often patients are given the opportunity to describe their creative process and the feelings it evoked in the group setting.
- Solve problems. Art can involve stepping out of one’s comfort zone and taking risks to create a final product that holds emotional relevancy.
- Loosen up perfectionist tendencies. There’s not one right answer when creating artwork; rather, it encourages people to set aside expectations – particularly when working in messier mediums, like paint, clay, and chalk.
“Just as the journey to recovery is different for everyone, no one painting or sculpture is exactly alike,” adds Waronker, who often uses guided imagery to walk patients through an art session. “In the end, attention to the process is more important than the ultimate product.”