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Art Therapy and You!

MEAGHAN WIGGINS, �LMHCA, OPN-CG

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Who am I?

  • Meaghan Wiggins! ☺
  • Licensed mental health professional and fulltime art therapist at Cancer Support Community.
  • Have been working exclusively with cancer patients for the past 4 years.
  • Fun facts: Enjoys sweets, thinks otters are INSANELY cute.

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Art Therapy 101

  • What the heck is art therapy?
    • Art Therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship. Art Therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change (AATA, June, 2017).

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More specifically…

NOT ART THERAPY! ☹

  • Coloring books
  • Painting at home, to relax.
    • Therapeutic art, NOT therapy.
    • Not every conversation you have is therapeutic!
  • NOT art class!!

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ART THERAPY! ☺

  • Creating an image with a trained professional.
    • Exploring what that image can say about your life!
  • Creating something specific with an art therapist based on your needs!
    • Art therapists have specific training to help guide you through creating to understand your art on a deeper level.
    • Master’s level profession that involves mental health!

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Story Time!!

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Ok so…�Who can art therapy help?

  • Art therapy can be utilized with any population! It’s NOT just for kids!
    • Examples: Substance abuse, eating disorders, trauma, adolescents, LGBTQ+ persons, also those with Dementia/Alzheimer’s.
      • Most importantly survivors AND caregivers!

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What about someone like me, facing cancer?

  • Benefits for those affected by cancer include…
    • Decreased cortisol, reduced stress.
      • Research from Mayo Clinic shows a 21.6% reduction in anxiety levels.
      • 20 of 21 participants found bed side art therapy effective in reducing stress.
    • Increased insight into problems.
    • Improved self awareness and esteem.
      • In another study, 14.6% of participants reported increase in positive mood!
      • A different study showed 51 of 54 participants felt that doing art therapy during the chemotherapy treatments was largely beneficial.
        • Those involved noted the experience was “relaxing,” and noted that it was helpful in, “expressing emotions and searching for meaning in the art.”
    • Improved communication skills and conflict resolution.
    • Common themes: Identity, Control, Communication, and End of life work.
  • (Curry EA, Ehlers SL, et al., 2018; Eldridge, 2018; Forzoni et al., 2010; Malchiodi, 2018; Tripanthi, 2015.)

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Where can I find art therapy?

Cancer Support Community!

    • Open Art Studio (Virtual)
      • CSC Campus Tuesdays 6:00PM
    • Individual Sessions (Virtual & In person)
      • Completely free at CSC!
    • Groups (Virtual)
      • CSC Campus, Coffee & Coloring Club, Thursdays 11:00AM
      • CSC and CHN, Art Therapy Group, Every first Friday at 1:00PM (Free art kit included!)

Art Therapy Centers in Hospitals!

    • Art carts on infusion units/bedside
    • Riley Children’s Hospital
    • Saint Vincent’s Breast Center

Private practices!

    • Vary depending on location.
    • American Art Therapy Association’s website
    • Ask your PHP/PCP, or a mental health professional.

I am now 100% convinced to start art therapy!! But wait, how can I find an art therapist?

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“The aim of art is to represent not their outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”

ARISTOTLE

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References

American Art Therapy Association. (2017, June). AATA’s description of the profession [Data File]. Retrieved December 3, 2017, from https://www.arttherapy.org/upload/2017_DefinitionofProfession.pdf

DiGangi, L. (2018, January 21). For cancer patients, art therapy is more than just painting pictures. Retrieved December 20, 2018, from https://www.cityofhope.org/cancer-patients-art-therapy-more-than-painting-pictures

Eldridge, L. (2018, June 23). How Can Art Therapy Help Cancer Patients? (G. Hughes, Ed.). Retrieved December 20, 2018, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/art-therapy-for-people-with-cancer-2248957

Forzoni, S., Perez, M., Martignetti, A., & Crispino, S. (2010). Art therapy with cancer patients during chemotherapy sessions: An analysis of the patients' perception of helpfulness. Palliative and Supportive Care, 8(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1478951509990691

How Expressive Arts Help Patients Cope with Cancer. (2017, May 22). Retrieved December 20, 2018, from https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2015/11/how-expressive-arts-help-patients-cope-with-cancer

Malchiodi, C. (2018, April 24). Bedside Visual Art Interventions for Cancer Patients. Retrieved December 20, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/arts-and-health/201804/bedside-visual-art-interventions-cancer-patients

Saw JJ, Curry EA, Ehlers SL, et al. (2018). Brief bedside visual art intervention decreases anxiety and improves pain and mood in patients with haematologic malignancies. European Journal of Cancer Care. e12852. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.12852. 

The Benefits of Art Therapy for Cancer Patients. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2018, from https://mesothelioma.net/benefits-art-therapy-cancer-patients/

Tripathi N. Assessing Self Using Art Therapy: A Case Analysis. Insights Blood Press 2015, 1:1.

  • All images are sourced from www.pexels.com and are eligible for free use.