Art therapy

Art therapy is a way of expressing specific emotional or physical issues through art. It is not about creating a fantastic piece of art. You don’t even need to be able to draw or paint.

Art therapy aims to help you express yourself in a safe environment, using art materials in a way that will have a positive effect on your personal growth and development. It may be very helpful for people who feel uncomfortable with ‘touch’ or ‘talk’ therapies.

Art therapists believe that being creative helps to heal. They believe that we have emotions and abilities beyond our everyday awareness. They say you can access these through different forms of art therapy.

For many years, art therapy has been recognised as a way of helping people cope with mental illness. Although there is relatively little scientific evidence proving that it helps people with cancer, many health professionals think it may

• Encourage you to express your emotions, which could help improve your relationship with others
• Encourage you to be creative and self confident
• Help control anxiety, depression and low self esteem
• Help take your mind off pain or discomfort

Art therapists work with people with a variety of problems, including

• Chronic or life limiting illnesses, including cancer
• Mental health problems, including depression and addiction
• Relationship problems
• Eating disorders
• Learning and behaviour problems in children

Art therapists work in a variety of settings including hospitals, hospices and nursing homes. They may work closely with health care professionals such as doctors, nurses, speech therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists. Registered art therapists must have a degree in art and further training in therapy techniques.

As with many types of complementary therapies, people with cancer use art therapy to help themselves feel better and more positive. Art therapists promote this type of therapy as a way to help people

• Express buried emotions
• Cope with grief
• Cope with fear, anxiety and depression
• Achieve a sense of freedom and self confidence

Art therapy can be a safe way for people with cancer and their families to explore emotions such as anger, fear and anxiety about the cancer and treatment. Some adults and children find it easier to express difficult emotions and painful times through being creative, rather than trying to talk things through.

There is evidence to support some of these benefits. But there is no evidence to suggest that art therapy will help treat or cure cancer. For more information, look in our section about why people with cancer use complementary therapies.

A few published studies have looked at the use of art therapy in people with cancer. One study, published in 2003 in the Oncology Nursing Forum Journal, examined how art helps survivors of breast cancer express feelings about their illness. This study said that ‘art can capture the most intimate and personal aspects of the cancer experience’.

In other studies, art therapy has shown benefits in helping people express the physical and emotional effects of having cancer. A recently published American study looked at the effect of art therapy on people with cancer who had many different symptoms, including pain and anxiety. The researchers found that many symptoms, including tiredness, were improved, but art therapy did not help with sickness.

Two other pilot studies in America researched the effects of art therapy in people having bone marrow transplants. Both studies reported some very positive aspects about using art therapy. And the results of a clinical trial published in 2005 into a new type of group therapy called mindfulness based art therapy (MBAT) suggest that this type of therapy could help people with cancer control their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

A 2003 Cochrane Review called ‘Interventions for improving communication with children and adolescents about their cancer’ included studies involving art therapy. They said that more research is needed in this area. So until larger studies are done we won’t know for sure how well art therapy works in helping people with cancer.

You don’t need experience in art to take part in or benefit from art therapy. Art therapy can take many forms, including

• Drawing, painting and sculpture work
• Dance and creative movement
• Drama and poetry
• Photography
• Looking at and evaluating other people’s artwork

On your first visit, the art therapist will ask several questions about your problems or illness. They will then work with you to design a programme of therapy that suits your particular needs, problems and expectations. This includes how often you have therapy and the length of each session. Sessions can last anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes. Your therapist may encourage you to do some artwork at home between sessions. You may have regular therapy for weeks or months. Some people may take part in group art therapy sessions, rather than one-to-one appointments.

Your therapist will not teach you to draw or paint. They will encourage you to use art to explore your feelings, develop your own confidence and be more self aware. The thinking is that this will enhance your general wellbeing and quality of life. So your relationship with the art therapist is important. Your therapist is responsible for creating a safe and interesting setting for you to work in. This can mean that over time you’re able to express powerful emotions that would otherwise stay bottled up. Therapy may bring up some very powerful and at times uncomfortable feelings. But if you do this in a safe environment with the support of a professionally trained art therapist it is usually quite a positive process.

If you don’t feel comfortable with anything that your therapist suggests, it is important that you feel able to say so, and discuss this with them. Look in our about complementary therapy section for information about dealing with difficulties with your practitioner.

The cost of art therapy varies from place to place within the UK. A few cancer centres and hospitals in the UK may offer patients free art therapy sessions. So always ask your nurse or doctor if this is available on the ward or centre where you are being treated. If not, they may know of voluntary organisations that offer free or low cost complementary therapy treatments to people with cancer.

It is important to make sure your art therapist is properly qualified. The best way to find a reliable therapist is to

• Contact the British Association of Art Therapists or the Health Professions Council below and ask for a list of reputable art therapists in your area
• Ask the therapist how many years of training they've had, how long they've been practicing, and if they have worked with cancer patients before
• Ask if they have indemnity insurance (in case of negligence)

There is no single professional organisation that regulates the art therapy profession. Therapists usually join The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT), but there is no law to say that they have to. The BAAT website has information on

• The Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Practice for Arts Therapists
• The training and qualifications necessary to become an art therapist

The BAAT also have a list of private art therapy practitioners on their website. If you already have the name of an art therapist, you can see if they are registered on the Health Professionals Council website.

There is more information about finding a reliable therapist in our about complementary therapies section.

There are a number of different organisations that art therapists can join. These are listed here, with details of what they can offer and how you can contact them.

The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT)
24-27 White Lion Street
London N1 9PD
Phone: 020 7686 4216
Email: info@baat.org
Website: www.baat.org

Health Professions Council
Website: www.hpc-uk.org
Regulates health professionals including art therapists. Can give details of practising art therapists.

The Scottish Arts Therapies Forum
Email: scottishartstherapies@ntlworld.com
Website: http://www.satf.org.uk/index.html

The following websites have information about art therapy

The Creative Respons
Art Therapy in Palliative Care, AIDS, Cancer and Loss
Website - http://www.creativeresponse.org.uk/

Arts in therapy website
The Arts in Therapy network is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing an on-line community for Creative Arts Therapists and people interested in using arts as therapy. It has information about the different types of creative arts used as therapy. You can contribute to online discussions.
Website - www.artsintherapy.com