Why Art Therapy? - By Maxine Fehr

Why Art Therapy? What is it? Art therapy involves the use of creative techniques such as drawing, painting, collage, creative journaling, coloring or sculpting to help people express themselves artistically and examine the psychological and emotional undertones of their art.

The Arts have always been a passion of mine. At an early age I went to Victoria School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Edmonton, Alberta. I was accepted for their music program but graduated high school with honors in the IB Visual Arts program. I had an accident at a wave pool early on, when I was 13, the year that I first attended Victoria school. A head injury that changed and shaped my perspective on the world around me. I was scared and grieving what was, what had been and the self that I feared I would never find again. The me that I once was, happy and care free, now scared, confused and insecure. Taking this into account, I started channeling myself creatively which helped me explore the emotions that I couldn’t put into words. As a young teen going through so many changes, art helped reduced my anxiety, increased my self-esteem and resolved other psychological conflicts that may have laid doormat at the time. As I got older, my passion grew and so did my love for humanity. I wanted to make a difference, and help people find their voice, that confidence and love inside themselves that it took me so long to find within. What better way to express that care, that love and support for my clients, then to share what had helped me heal and become the person that I am today.

Not only does art heal and help you express your emotions in a safe and healthy manner, but it can also have real benefits to heal the connections of neurological pathways in your brain and help to strengthen and redefine both gross and fine motor skills.

With the grieving process, we use art to express the 5 stages of grief without going in any particular order. Creating images can help you experience catharsis (cleansing and purging) of intense emotional pain, while your art, or what you create, can help you understand yourself better and help bring closure to your grief. With this process, it isn’t the end result that heals, it’s the journey, both trials and triumphs, along the way.

Art therapy isn’t about being good or being the best. It’s about being you, being authentic and expressing who you are. Your feelings are real, they are valid and sometimes it is the hardest thing in the world to express how you feel during times of loss and grief. Art therapy is about taking it all in, feeling your emotions, and letting it go in a healthy, safe and creative manner.

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