Art Therapy... Psych 101...

ART THEORY

The art of getting better

Art is an extremely expressive medium. It can help people communicate, aid in dealing with stress, and can let someone discover and study the different parts of their own personality. In psychology, art is used to improve a person's mental health and can even be used to treat psychological disorders. This is referred to as art therapy.

By integrating the creative process that is required to create art with psychotherapeutic techniques, art therapy can allow an individual to resolve their problems, decrease the amount of stress they face in their life, manage their behavior, improve their interpersonal skills, and strengthen their self-awareness and self-control.

Art therapy first began to emerge as a distinct form of therapy in the 1940s, when psychiatrists took interest in the paintings created by mentally ill patients and educators began to realize that developmental, cognitive, and emotional growth could be seen in the artwork of children. 

WHEN TO USE ART THERAPY

There are groups of people who have been shown to respond very positively to art therapy. Some of these groups include: 

• Adults that are struggling with severe stress
• Children that are struggling with learning disabilities
• People who have undergone a traumatic experience
• People that have mental health problems
• People that are struggling with a brain injury
• Children that are struggling with social problems and behavioral problems at home or at school
• Anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, or domestic abuse

What Art Therapy Isn't

Art therapy is not a recreational activity or a time to teach someone how to make art, and no previous experience in art is needed for an individual to partake in this type of therapy. Most importantly, art therapy does not involve the therapist interpreting the patient's artwork. Art therapy is about teaching someone how to heal through his or her art. 

HOW ART THERAPY WORKS

Art methods involved in art therapy include painting, drawing, collage, and sculpture. Once in an environment that makes the patient feel safe, an art therapist will either provide the topic for the patient to work from, or the patient will be invited to work without any direction. 

As the patient creates art pertaining to their life experiences or an event, the process of making art allows the patient to think about their experience on a deeper level and transform what is in their head into symbols and metaphors. By making these images on their own terms, which is an important part of recovery and self-discovery. The patient is the only person who knows and has the ability to explain what these symbols represent.

This process of taking and experience from the person's "inner-self" and putting it out into the world as a physical object helps the individual become distant to the experience, which in turn makes him or her fell safer about talking about their problems directly, which can be very difficult for them to do, they can talk to the therapist about the artwork they have made. Gradually, this process increases a person's understanding, self-acceptance, and self-awareness. 

OTHER BENEFITS FROM ART THERAPY

Along with increasing self-awareness and self-acceptance, there are many other benefits that an individual can gain from art therapy. 

• Being forced to actively participate in the process, which fights boredom, alienation, and feelings of apathy
• Decision-making and choices are encouraged
• Creativity is nurtured, and this can then allow an individual to react differently towards situations that may be difficult
• Catharsis, a cleansing of negative feelings, can occur
• Interpersonal and social learning can occur

Not Just Painting

There are also versions of art therapy in music, dance, writing, drama (known as creative art therapy), and even the performing arts (known as expressive art therapy).

What is truly exceptional about art therapy is that an individual has the ability to take an active role in the therapeutic process. By expressing thoughts through artwork and symbols, a person can recover and become self-aware on his or her own terms.

"Art therapy is about the creation and the discussion of the intent of the client. It's a different way of sharing. No matter how healthy, verbal expression is the hardest thing to do." - Kelly Roberts.

~Bella

Is that body art?

When someone refers a tattoo by a body art, I know that they somewhat either have some themselves or love them! When you mention body art to someone they look at you like you are an alien or they just ignore the fact of your mentioning tattoos. These situations are rather common from what I can see. 
Two men were talking behind where I was sitting, taking notes, minding my own business. I happen to have ears that love to be curious so I didn't control what I heard and what I didn't. The conversation was around two adults about one of their teenagers, don't ask me if it was a teenage boy or girl, I have no clue! One the man was very frustrated almost looked worried while the other was confident, seemed more relaxed than the other! The calm guy mentioned "body arts" while the other was staring at him in an odd way. I looked at them both wondering who had tattoos and who didn't... Surprise, surprise, the one that said "body arts" had two sleeves while the other didn't have any visible ones. 

Before I had tattoos myself, I didn't pay attention to people that had them or didn't even bothered listening to how people view them. I always liked tattoos, always thought it was some type of art, but it wasn't such a big deal at the time. Now, I have three, planning more and I cannot stop looking at everyone's tattoos! It's becoming an addiction that grows stronger each time. I've gotten ADDICTED! When people say the pain that tattoos cause is addicting, you better believe them! You will never see a person with just one tattoo, it's either two or more!

My first one is on my wrist, two zodiac signs, love them to bits, have to get them touch up, eventually, but.... Not right now! I was a real disaster when I got it, the pain wasn't as bad as everyone would say, but the noise made me jumpy, almost screamed "bloody murder", poor tattoo artist!
The second one is a bit more special... It's a quote, one I wrote myself, translated by my really amazing Italian friend in Italian (so if there is a mistake it's his fault ha-ha), with a feather pen at the end! I'm a writer, I love Italian, so I just had to, it's me. Want to know the quote on the back of my right shoulder... Ask me.
My third one isn't entirely a mistake, at the time it meant a lot! Still, means a lot , it proved me how much and how far I can go with someone I love. It's a name, and I am indeed thinking of covering it up because it is painful to live with it especially if you want to move on. Lucky me, I love the name, I can deal with the fact that is it on my chest. 

So to get this chest tattoo covered up I was thinking about symbols from where I'm from! Yes, I'm Celtic meaning I've got Irish blood in me for sure! Brittany is a region in France, but it is the little Ireland of France, more Celtic than anything else. I highly prefer saying I'm Bretonne (people from Brittany) than French. A shamrock (the Irish symbol) and have another symbol to represent Brittany a little more to end with an Irish Gaelic word. I'm still looking for the right word to put on my chest as it is indeed a part of my body that gets to be seen more as I do wear tank tops. It's difficult to find the correct tattoo as it is permanent. One mistake is enough! 
I thought about removing it, but it will cost a lot, it will hurt more, and I want that name to be a reminder of certain things like don't make the same "mistake". Once is enough! Next time I put names on my body, it will be my kids' names as a bracelet.

Tattoos are a way to express our feelings, where we are from, what we did. It tells a story, at least my tattoos do. Many of us decide to get them as a reminder of a special event or a family culture... I actually have my friend's roommate who have his country tattooed on his back shoulder, Hawaii. An Island yes, but it is a country and he has it on him. I personally love it! People who have meaningful tattoos have amazing stories behind them as short as the story may be, they are still amazing to me! 

Obviously, they are people that have tattoos just for the fun of it. I was talking to someone over the phone last time and the guy told me he saw two girls have Pokemon on their body. Now, PokemonGo has been the addiction that everyone gets addicted to, but to tattoo your body with that... What are you going to tell your future kids? The funny thing was that apparently, they didn't even know how the Pokemon evolved or anything about it for that matter. You could at least know the name of your Pokemon tattoo. Idiotic, but can't judge, I've got an idiot side as well. I just wouldn't want to have a Charmander on my ankle!
Be careful on what you choose, don't regret anything, if you make a "mistake" just learn from it, tell it to people from experience and be sure you get what you think will last forever or else you are stuck with it, have to cover it up or erase them with the laser. 

For my part, I want that cover up tattoo, then an anchor with the letter "S" and "E" incorporated inside for my mum, Sonia and both of my brothers, Emilian and Enzo! The anchor is from Brittany as it is close to the sea, so it will remind me of how scared I am of water and how much I get seasick in boats. I actually just realize that when I'm typing this post. Smart me... 
Then I'm thinking about getting a simple plane on my left forearm as I do love to travel to places I love, and because planes have been impacting my life in many different ways. I want a souvenir of how much the experiences affected my personality, made me stronger as a person even if it's just a plane to people to me it has meanings. Finally, I would love to get a yin yang on my ankle. I've always been fascinated by it, the good and the evil, the light and the dark, the feminine and the masculine... It's also a reminder of how life and people are. My father isn't a good person whatsoever, but when I look at a yin yang, the dark side also has a bit of light, so if my father is awfully terrible, I know he has some good in him, hiding away, hopefully. Never give up on hope!

If you have ideas on what that Irish word should be, please tell me, I'm interested! I may have really amazing ideas, but we can't have enough of them!

"Tattoos have meanings even the ones you just find pretty! They are on your body for a reason. Art has stories so does tattoos!" 

~Bella