eco-art therapy – Art Would

What is Eco-Art Therapy?

Eco-art therapy combines psychotherapy and environmental education, using creative activities such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and writing to help people connect with nature while exploring their feelings. It takes place in indoor and outdoor settings so individuals can take advantage of natural elements like trees, plants, flowers, water sources, rocks, sand, etc., while practicing art expression. Through this therapy, individuals learn to express themselves creatively while being mindful of their environment.

The Benefits of Eco-Art Therapy

One of the main benefits of eco-art therapy is that it allows individuals to explore their emotions without judgment or criticism from others. It also helps people develop healthier relationships with themselves and nature. In addition, it can also help foster creativity, leading to improved problem-solving skills and increased motivation. Finally, eco-art therapy can help reduce stress levels and increase self-esteem as individuals learn to tap into their inner resources to cope with difficult emotions or situations they may face during these turbulent times.

Eco-art therapy offers a unique approach to helping people deal with the emotional impact caused by the pandemic. Combining art expression with environmental education allows individuals to explore their feelings while connecting with nature in a meaningful way. Through this therapeutic practice, individuals can learn how to use creative expression to improve their mental health and cultivate healthier relationships with themselves and the natural world around them. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues caused by the pandemic, then eco-art therapy could be an excellent option for finding relief from these difficult times.

Abstract for: An Examination of Eco-Art Therapy: A Proposed Natural Modality for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

There exists room for improvement within the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Currently, there is good support that Eco-Art therapy is a viable complementary or alternative therapy treatment method for this condition. Eco-art therapy expands our client’s awareness beyond a focus on the individual or family, or a cultural or social perspective to include the larger ecological systems as a source of both suffering and healing (American Art Therapy Association [AATA], 2014) It gives the therapist and client greater awareness of the context within which they are interacting.

Another aspect of eco-art therapy is that Eco-art therapy is a form of positive psychology. It is a method full of optimism, gratitude, peace, meaning, and purpose. It marries art therapy and ecotherapy into a complex and emerging field (Pike, 2021). Although eco-art therapy is an under-researched and emerging area in the modern field of psychology there is a lot of promising support of its applications in the treatment of PTSD. Eco-art therapy can be described as combining concepts from ecopsychology with concepts of art therapy to create a unique modality that applies beyond the Eurocentric norms of many other modalities. Art therapy can help with negative emotions, stress responses, restricted affect, depression, anxiety, as well as some somatic responses. Through the containment of the outdoors and increase socialization many of our modern ailments may be alleviated. Adding awareness beyond oneself to include the Earth as a whole creates a deeper understanding of healing and suffering that can empower and validate the client.

IF you would like to request the full research document it can be requested from Research Gate at the link below:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353273278_An_Examination_of_Eco-Art_Therapy-A_Proposed_Natural_Modality_for_Treating_Post_Traumatic_Stress_Disorder_-_By_Rebecca_Wood-_MFT_Trainee

Tag: eco-art therapy

A Healing Solution for Mental Health Issues Caused by the Pandemic

An Examination of Eco-Art Therapy: A Proposed Natural Modality for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder