Using art as a form of therapy

A GROUP of students is displaying work which explores the use of art as a form of therapy in a new exhibition at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.
As students on the MA art therapy course at The University of Chester, the group have created a diverse range of paintings which delve into their own psyches as they learn about the therapeutic benefits of art as a form of psychotherapy.
Art therapy uses visual art media as its primary mode of communication, allowing those dealing with mental health problems, learning ifficulties, neurological conditions and addictions for example, to express and explore feelings which can be confusing and difficult to communicate verbally.
The course requires final year students, who come from a variety of backgrounds including teaching, nursing and social work, to try art therapy first hand in order to help them understand, once qualified, what their clients may experience.
Derek Dick, outreach and engagement manager at the museum, said: “Art has long been known to have therapeutic properties and you can understand why when you see the work these students have created.
“Many of them described the programme as ‘life-changing’ and you can tell they’ve really delved deep to discover the feelings and emotions which have inspired this collection.
“The work on show illustrates well their experience of training as well as their personal development: it makes for a really striking and interesting exhibition.”
Holly Hamer’s exhibition Looking from the Inside Out, which is also currently on display at the museum and art gallery is another example of the use of art as therapy: the 19-year-old explores the effects of her cancer diagnosis through her paintings and drawings.