What is Expressive Art Therapy?
Also known as Creative Response Therapy™, Expressive Art Therapy is a holistic and transpersonal approach to Art Therapy.
It works like this: we get into a very precious ‘flow state’ when we are being creative. This is when we are receptive and allowing of the things we might normally ignore.
Art can be a mirror to what is going on in your inside world. The beautiful thing about art is that it transcends the confines of language, which is why it can express profound experiences that sometimes cannot be labeled.
Art goes deep. It speaks where words cannot go.
The History of Expressive Art Therapy
Creative Response Therapy™ (CRT™) was created by my first internship supervisor, Cyntha Gonzalez. She’s a leading global Transpersonal Psychology counsellor and somatic bodyworker. Above all, Cyntha my my professional idol.
Cyntha conceived Creative CRT™ over 28 years ago in Paris, France. She developed it whilst teaching and training medical professionals as a therapeutic resource for their in- and out-patient population. She offers CRT™ trainings in the U.A.E., Bahrain, India, USA, Europe and online.
I was fortunate enough to intern for Cyntha by helping her devise a digital CRT™ training workbook manual. In exchange, I underwent the intense week of CRT™ training for facilitators.
Expressive Art is an incredible way of exploring yourself beyond measure.
How Does Expressive Art Therapy Work?
Where: We can have an Expressive Art Session anywhere, as long as it’s a closed space. We can also hold online sessions.
How: Expressive Art Therapy has 6 different visual art modalities…
- Spontaneous Painting
- Clay
- Collage
- Face Mask
- Colored Mandalas
- Sand Mandalas
Each modality serves a specific therapeutic purpose and is adjusted according to the therapeutic objectives of the session. For example, we could do a Spontaneous Painting on your inner child and that of your partner.
It’s structured with guided meditations, explorative journaling, guided visualisations, and sharing-integration.
What Are The Benefits of Expressive Art Therapy?
The Benefits of Expressive Art Therapy Are:
- Emotional processing
- Integrating unconscious themes into the conscious mind
- Inter-relational understanding
- Reducing stress symptoms
- Self-esteem
- Reduction symptoms of stress
- Growing acceptance of the self
- Couples (or any dyad, like mother/daughter) counselling
- Trauma release and healing
- Gaining understanding of oneself
- Radical self-compassion
Ishana Durante Bose 