HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ART THERAPIST?
I’ve always been an artist, using whatever medium I can find. Before becoming an art therapist, I worked in different art galleries. I loved those jobs because they allowed me to create connections with fellow artists and art lovers over something incredibly meaningful. While pursuing a degree in psychology, with minors in art history and visual arts at the University of San Diego, I worked on campus to educate and promote awareness around
the prevalent issue of sexual assault and relationship violence. I also worked with various nonprofit organizations, with the goal to increase access to arts education. With these varied experiences, I wanted to combine my interests of social justice, artmaking, community-building, and mental health—art therapy was a perfect combination of all these interests. This led me to pursue a master’s in art therapy and counseling at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
WHAT IS ART THERAPY? CAN IT BE ANY ART?
Art therapy uses artistic processes and counseling techniques to support individuals, groups, and communities with communication, expression, reflection, and healing. Any art form? Yes, sometimes I don’t even use any art! I often just use my creative lens to speak with people and meet them where they are to support them.
WHO IS ART THERAPY FOR?
Art therapy is for anybody who is willing to participate!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ART THERAPY?
There can be many benefits of art therapy. Some include increasing feelings of belonging, providing positive socialization, encouraging active participation and decision making, celebrating individuality and identity, and stimulating cognitive functioning.
HOW IS ART THERAPY DIFFERENT FROM A TRADITIONAL ART PRACTICE?
When I think of traditional art practices, I think of someone working on their personal artistic endeavors
in an art studio and exhibiting their works in art shows or selling their work. It could also be someone who makes art personally for enjoyment or for skill building. Art therapy is different because it is practiced with a professionally trained therapist with the goal of self-expression and emotional processing.
CAN ANYONE PRACTICE ART THERAPY ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, OR SHOULD YOU ALWAYS BE
GUIDED BY A PROFESSIONAL?
Anyone can make art that feels therapeutic. Find what you like to make and start creating! Artmaking, in general, can have some of the same benefits of art therapy. Art therapy, however, is like traditional counseling and therapy
in the sense that it is guided by a professional who has a master’s level education and adheres to ethical guidelines. We are trained in a variety of art mediums that can serve as different modalities to do the real work of therapy: connecting, processing, problem solving, and learning more about ourselves.
To learn more about Cara’s work in our Memory Care Programs, call 847.242.6250.