Art therapy is a powerful and transformative practice that harnesses the healing potential of artistic expression to improve the well-being of people with disability. By engaging in various art forms, individuals can explore their emotions, enhance self-awareness, and develop new coping mechanisms.
Promoting Emotional Well-being:
Living with a disability can at times result in emotions of frustration, seclusion, and can impact self-worth. Art therapy offers a secure and encouraging setting where individuals can address these emotions and cultivate effective methods of managing them. Engaging in artistic creation triggers the release of endorphins, fostering feelings of achievement, enjoyment, and decreased stress. It enables individuals to channel their emotions into a tangible form, granting them a sense of empowerment.
Enhancing Cognitive Abilities:
Participating in artistic endeavors can have a profound impact on the cognitive abilities of individuals with disability. Art therapy fosters the development of concentration, attention to detail, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. By exploring colours, shapes, and textures, individuals can enhance their cognitive abilities while simultaneously improving fine motor skills and coordination. These cognitive advantages extend beyond the confines of the art studio, positively influencing daily activities and promoting greater independence.
Encouraging Social Interaction:
Art therapy opens doors for people with disability to establish connections with others and cultivate social skills. Participating in group art therapy sessions nurtures a sense of community, enabling individuals to exchange experiences, offer support, and forge friendships. Collaborating on creative projects encourages teamwork, communication, and empathy. It dismantles barriers, confronts stereotypes, and fosters a profound sense of belonging and acceptance.
Empowering Personal Growth:
Art therapy enables people with disability to embrace their distinct talents, strengths, and capabilities, empowering them to recognize their potential. By engaging in artistic exploration, individuals discover a sense of self-identity that extends beyond their disability. Art serves as a potent catalyst for personal growth, nurturing resilience, confidence, and a positive self-perception. The feeling of accomplishment derived from creating art fuels motivation and inspires individuals to overcome challenges in various aspects of life.
NDSP Plan Managers chatted with Merel Purmer of The Art of Expression to discuss how art therapy supports their participants in achieving their goals.
Provider Spotlight: The Art of Expression
The Art of Expression supports its clients in finding their unique ways to create art that are most comfortable for them. Their participants vary, ranging from those who are non-verbal, selectively mute, occasional talkers, to continuous chatters.
Their art therapy services are suitable for individuals of all ages, starting at 6 years old. They offer a wide range of mediums, including various types of paints, drawing materials, clay, crafting materials, sewing materials, photography, nature items, music, and more.
The goal in art therapy is not to create a masterpiece; rather, the focus is on the journey of creating the artwork. In most cases, clients choose to leave their artworks with the art therapist.
Here are some examples of what art therapy sessions look like:
Example 1:
During an art therapy session, a teenage client uses clay to express their anger after a fight with their parents. They shape the clay while talking about the fight, and at the end of the session, they feel relieved and have less intense anger.
Example 2:
In fortnightly art therapy sessions, a nonverbal teenage client with an intellectual disability explores various art materials and discovers a love for painting. With the therapist’s support, they create their own paintings using brushes, hands, and copious amounts of paint, leading to a content and communicative client.
Example 3:
An adult client engages in a multi-session process of creating a three-dimensional self-portrait with pottery clay. This exercise allows the client to view themselves from an outsider’s perspective, leading to both confronting and insightful self-reflection.
At The Art of Expression, they provide the following services:
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- Individual and group art therapy
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- Individual counselling
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- Success Your Way – School Leavers Employment Support (SLES) program
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- Group Art Therapy Workshops
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- Workplace Well-being Workshops
Clients can access Art Therapy with their NDIS funding. Depending on the level of registration of the art therapist, invoices can be claimed under:
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- Art therapy line item
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- Other Professional line items:
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- Clients under 7 years of age: 15_005_0118_1_3
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- Clients over 7 years of age: 15_056_0128_1_3
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- Other Professional line items:
To learn more about The Art of Expression, visit theartofexpression.com.au.
If you have any questions about NDIS plan management, please call us at 1800 63 63 77 or email us at info@ndsp.com.au. Register for Plan Management Sign Uptoday!
