Art Therapy: An Innovative Approach in Mental Health Settings

Afsheen Amir Ali Hirani*, Lubna Ghazal**, Zahira Amir Ali Khalfan***, Khadija Dossa****
*-***-**** Nursing Intern, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Karachi, Pakistan.
** Senior Instructor, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Karachi, Pakistan.
Periodicity:November - January'2016
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.5.4.4816

Abstract

Art therapy is one of the therapies which is used along with other psycho-pharmacological therapies in the recovery and rehabilitation of the psychiatric clients. The aim of this paper is to elucidate the importance of art therapy in the clients' assessment and evaluation of their progress in response to their treatment in a mental health setting. In this observational study, the art therapy was used as an intervention in a mental health setting and the clients' responses were noted. The paper presents various clinical observations of clients with different art therapies and its positive effects on clients with different mental health diagnosis. Art therapy was found effective to enhance a clients' focus, attention span and reality orientation. This therapy also helped them to enhance their reflective thinking, express their inner feelings, identify their moods, and to build a therapeutic relationship with staff and other patients. In addition, art therapy also improved problem solving and decision making capabilities in mentally ill clients. In conclusion, this therapy is found effective to evaluate clients' progression of treatment and counseling sessions. Thus, it can be one of the useful tools for a healthcare professional to promote mental health of clients.

Keywords

Keywords: Art Therapy, Expressive Therapy, Mental Health and Art Therapy, Art Therapy and Clients' Progress.

How to Cite this Article?

Hirani, A.A.A., Ghazal, L., Khalfan, Z.A.A., and Dossa, K. (2016). Art Therapy: An Innovative Approach in Mental Health Settings. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 5(4), 40-44. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.5.4.4816

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