Searching for the science behind art therapy

Abstract

John sat hunched over, ears red, cursing the paint under his breath. A war veteran not an artist, John (not his real name) hadn’t painted with water colors before. But he and seven other combat veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars weren’t trying to master a new artistic medium. They were all seeking relief from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a form of psychotherapy called art therapy. Art therapists use a range of visual media to help patients verbalize and address the pain of traumatic experiences. This watercolor painting of a heart without arteries captured one combat veteran’s state of mind, helping him grapple with feelings of being disconnected. Image credit: “John” (artist) and Juliet King (Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis). Art therapy helps people “tap into aspects of the self and the psyche that aren’t always accessible,” says Juliet King, an associate professor of art therapy at George Washington University. Typically masters-trained and board-certified, art therapists prompt patients to create with clay, paints, and other visual arts media. They talk with patients about the artwork and the patients’ experiences. Their aim is to ease the symptoms of a wide range of mental health challenges—from eating disorders and anxiety to Alzheimer’s disease and depression. The efforts of King and others make one thing clear: Art therapy often appears to work. The question is why. Why might creating abstract art from papier-mâche and pastel help access, explicate, and even soothe the pain of a traumatic experience or condition? Despite efforts by scientists and art therapists, scientific answers remain elusive. The effects of art therapy, an inherently subjective activity, are difficult to test. But King and others are starting to build bridges between art therapy and neuroscience in the hopes of gaining new insight into the approach. If successful, their …