How does art therapy help with mental health?
Creating art has proven benefits in reducing anxiety, increasing self-esteem and managing behaviours and feelings. Through the creative process, people are able to explore their emotions and resolve psychological conflicts, as well as achieve personal insight.
What we offer
Art therapists employ visual art techniques such as drawing, painting and sculpture, in order to support the emotional, cognitive, physical and spiritual wellbeing of individuals.
- Palliative care
- Rehabilitative care
- Dementia / Alzheimer’s care
- Respite care
Art therapy for aged care
Art therapy can allow the expression of complex thoughts and emotions, help to alleviate anxiety and depression, improve motor skills and cognitive function, and encourage socialising.
Individuals with dementia suffer the loss of language due to the decline of the left side of the brain and can lead to an increased ability to utilise visual ways of understanding the world.
Benefits of art therapy include:
- Allow the expression of complex thoughts and emotions;
- Alleviate anxiety and depression;
- Improve motor skills and cognitive functioning;
- Encourage socialising and create a supportive atmosphere;
- Encourage self-expression, confidence, and independence;
- Promotes residents utilising art therapy as a coping strategy.
Meet our Art Therapist:
MA. Art Therapy (La Trobe), BA. Fine Art (RMIT)
With a background in fine arts and a passion for employing art therapy to help people, Abigail has delivered art therapy programs at the Alfred Hospital, Montefiore Aged Care Facility, and the Metropolitan Remand Centre.
Abigail independently designs programs tailored for clients, helping them achieve respective outcomes.
For patients with mental health issues, her programs expose patients to different art materials to provide opportunities for self-expression and to find relief.
For people in aged care, Abigail creates spaces where the residents feel comfortable experimenting with different mediums, whilst discussing how they feel and socialising with others.
Most recently, Abigail has run art therapy programs at the Alfred, in the adult psychiatry unit, with programs designed for both individuals and open studio art groups.
Each home and community is different.
That’s why Abigail will tailor art programs to suit the needs of your clients, delivered on-site.
Dementia / Alzheimer’s care
Residents will pick a postcard that relates to a fond memory and speak about their chosen postcard to the group. Residents will then create an artwork using a colour that reminds them of this memory.
Dementia / Alzheimer’s care
Residents will pick a postcard that relates to a fond memory and speak about their chosen postcard to the group. Residents will then create an artwork using a colour that reminds them of this memory.
Dementia / Alzheimer’s care
Residents will pick a postcard that relates to a fond memory and speak about their chosen postcard to the group. Residents will then create an artwork using a colour that reminds them of this memory.
ColourSpace Gallery alert