Expressive Art Therapy - A sure way to improve a senior's mental health Art is a two-edged sword. It heals both the creator and viewer. Our history has well-witnessed what great art forms can do and mean to any society. It is a universal human experience! No one teaches anyone to respond to an expressive art form, it’s in our nature. A great piece of art never fails to heal, attract, influence, and has the power to make a human out of a person.
For now, we just focus on the ‘healing’ part of it. Mankind relies on art to get through difficult times. Need proof? Ask a teenager who had a first breakup. The first thing he or she would probably do is put on a pair of headsets and drown in the music of their choice. What about a senior citizen? A senior faces more challenges than a petty breakup. In that case, do these arts and crafts still be able to heal? Will they improve mental wellbeing and enhance the way seniors go about their activities of daily living? Stay with us until the end of the blog as we take on how expressive art therapy can help seniors and their physical and spiritual wellness. What is expressive art therapy and how does it help? It could be dance, music, visual arts, or any creative outlets that make a person feel, move, or allow them to reflect or express. It’s a multimodal approach to art. The prefix ‘expressive’ before the term ‘art’ refers to various art forms and their combinations. In a senior’s context, most art therapy forms include dance with slow movements, painting, drawing, writing, and music. The effective use of these forms facilitate healing both physically and mentally.