Discussion 7 Art Conservation & Restoration and Art Therapy - Essay Example

Your Full 16 February Art conservation and restoration and art therapy. Art Therapy is defined as “the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development”. This therapy holds the objective to heal others “through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art” (Art Therapy, 2011).

Generally Art Therapist are professionals with master degrees in Art Therapy or something related. These individuals have skilled training in drawing, sculpting, painting, and other visual media in order to apply it as treatment and analysis (What Is Art Therapy, 2011). These skills are applied toward assisting other individuals using artworks as a form of treatment. Basically the therapist art materials to counsel patients during sessions. The practice of art therapy has only been a significant consideration for about forty years.

It can naturally be assumed that the growing practice has several issues. To name a few, art therapist suffer encounter issues in cultural boundaries, ethical standards, and limitations in practice. Misunderstanding between cultures is a typical process this day in age. Since art therapy has been growing in the number of practitioners and it is readily available to anybody who wishes to seek its assistance there ethnic boundaries. Individuals who seek help with an art therapist can easily be miss diagnosed if they therapist is not familiar with how their culture relates to their expression.

The lack of words in this case could be harmful to the patients well being. In the case of the therapist, it is important to recognize cultural differences in order to be able to understand where the client is coming from. When dealing with professional positions ethical practices are important. Therapist have to be careful how much in-depth information is given to the client. When using art therapy the interpretation of the therapist could easily be transferred to the work of the patient. Avoiding this might be tricky in the field of art therapy, but it is significant because the patients stability could depend on it.

There is also a lack of information that can be processed. When art therapist administer to their patients they are expected to treat them while handling art materials. But, there is only so much a person can offer in the form of art. The final piece can never tell the entire story. This could be a major setback for those patients that have deeper issues. Also, therapist are not required to be artist themselves. They are counselors in the art of art therapy. The lack of artistic ability could end in a therapeutic process that is inaccurate.

Of these issues the most personal to me is the limitations. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Of course, most things have a limit, but a picture can not tell the whole story. Art therapy may be a good therapeutic solution, but it may often require the patient to seek out additional help. However, that is one opinion and the fact that the occupation has grown to over five-thousand practitioners worldwide in counting.ReferencesArt Therapy. American Art Therapy Association. Retrieved from http://www.

art-therapy.us/art_therapy.htm What Is Art Therapy. American Art Therapy Association. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.americanarttherapyassociation.org/upload/whatisarttherapy.pdf