Using Art in Therapy

Art Therapy first came to light in 1918 after World War 1, when young veterans where lying in their hospital beds with horrific injuries, lost limbs, PTSD and catatonic depression. All their medical needs were met, yet many of the young vets were unable to face the world, psychologically crippled by their experiences. They refused to speak to psychologists, not wanting to relive the horrors they’d seen. The nurses and doctors were at a loss and didn’t know what to do for the young soldiers whose declining mental health was unresponsive to medication.

A nurse struck up a common interest with a patient who shared her love for art, and he asked if she would bring her canvas and paints to hospital for him to pass the time. This seemingly simple act of kindness brought the soldier great peace of mind and joy. Simultaneously his health improved, not just his mental health but his physical health too.

As other patients began to dabble with paints and the canvas, the doctors and nurses noticed a positive emotional shift in the wards. The patients began to communicate with each other and talk about their art. They began to leave their hospital beds and sit in the grounds to paint, getting fresh air and sunlight on their faces. Even the soldiers who did not participate in the artwork, felt the contagious shift in mood. They began to alter their perspectives from within to outward, and remembered they had families, friends, dreams and goals. The complexity of trauma had been unlocked and their long journeys of rehabilitation had begun.

This was one of the first recorded pieces of evidence that connected mental health with physical health and how they enhance (or impede) one another.

My name is Meg O’Halloran and I’m a trained counsellor in varying models. I’ve been working in the area of child abuse, grief, neglect, trauma and anxiety related issues for approximately 10 years and for the last 3 – 4 years I’ve been working within The Ministry’s systems, seeing for myself how trauma manifests and what services are available to address it; some good, some not so good.

Over and over again, I have found one of the most effective yet gentle tools to use when working with children, is art. To understand how art works with trauma, we first must understand how trauma effects the brain.

Trauma can be so profound, that it’s hardwired and stored deep in the memory; a complex part of the brain, impacting a child’s learning and how they attach, associate and integrate. The brain’s survival domain (the amygdala) gets stuck on “high-alert” and releases high doses of the stress hormone cortisol, which interferes with brain development. The child emotionally detaches as a means for survival at a time when they should be learning how to  communicate and connect. The child struggles in the classroom, on the playground and among their own families and friends. They find themselves isolated and ostracised as the trauma continues to live in the memory of their DNA. They disconnect. Without a gentle and effective intervention to bring them back, the child is at risk of developing unsafe and unhealthy ways to mask their pain.

One major threat when working with children who have been abused, is the risk of re-traumatisation. How do we acknowledge the abuse without it causing them to relive the pain and the trauma? How do we empower a child to find their voice and strength whilst recognising that what happened to them was wrong, and not their fault? Sometimes the abuse is so severe that it’s buried deep within their subconscious ….. how do we safely unpack that without causing further significant psychological and emotional distress in an already overloaded little body?

This is where art comes in to play.

Art by nature is hypnotic and meditative. It places the brain in a trance-like state where it’s relaxed and can access painful memories and experiences with minimal adverse response. Through using a medium that is enjoyable, the brain releases serotonin, oxytocin and feel-good hormones that are a direct antidote to stress and anxiety (cortisol).  Of course, there will be some exposure to the trauma that cannot be avoided, but when a therapeutic intervention can be managed in a safe and supportive environment, neurotransmitters begin to focus more on what feels good and less on the trauma. The hypersensitive amygdala is reset.

The child is better able to reintegrate back into their families, school and society without being consumed by fear, worries, triggers and flashbacks. They learn to separate the past from the now and feel empowered to take back control of their minds, bodies and spirit.

Their healing journey can begin.