Expressive Arts

Creativity as therapy

Growth Through Creative Expression

Art therapy encourages patients to express themselves through a variety of activities, providing a creative way to give voice to feelings and experiences they may not feel ready to verbalize in a group or one-on-one setting. Artistic expression is also helpful for processing what they learn during group sessions, often leading to self-discovery or insight that wouldn’t be accessed through more traditional therapy methods.

Artistic Ability Optional

This form of therapy is not at all cognitive, so it works with the lower parts of the brain that we don’t normally have access to, and it’s beneficial to experienced artists and the “creatively-challenged” alike. That’s because the works of art created are not the final product. When patients are given a creative environment for personal expression, they experience a freedom that allows them to unearth and dissect their inner feelings, which is an important part of the healing process. By using images to communicate, patients often better express their emotions than if they were to convey them verbally.

Our Gentle Path art room is stocked with paint, clay, collage and drawing materials, pastels, colored pencils, and other creative supplies for free expression. Patients take part in regular art therapy through directed projects that relate back to topics covered during group sessions as well as the reasons they came into treatment. This simple yet profound exercise is about what patients can recognize and realize about themselves through the process.

Change Your Story

Gentle Path is a safe, nurturing community composed of peers where your journey of recovery will include not just dealing with outward behaviors but examining the underlying causes. The goal is to gain the courage to face difficult issues (including grief and loss), heal from emotional trauma, and become accountable for your feelings, behaviors, and recovery.

 

Taking that first step is hard, but there’s a new life of health and hope just waiting for you. The next chapter of your life can begin now, but only you can change your story.

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