Art is an effective tool for improving mental health.

European University of Lefke (EUL) Dr. Fazıl Küçük Faculty of Education Department of Counseling and Psychological Consulting organized a conference themed “Therapy through Art: The Healing Power of Exploring Creativity within Us”. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülnur Bayezid Şahin attended the conference held at the EUL cinema hall as a speaker.

Şahin: Don’t be afraid to express yourself though art

Şahin said that “Art is an effective tool for improving mental health”, and added that t art therapy helps the people to express themselves and ensures that the people are in good shape  in terms of physically, mentally and emotionally. Şahin also said that “Don’t be afraid to express yourself through art, the important thing is the creation process and the transfer of the inner life to the work, it does not need to be beautiful”, and stated that art therapy can make use of different typed of arts such as drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramic, collage, and literature.

Pointing out that the art therapy gives voice to the silence within us, Şahin said that the art therapy is used in processes such as expression, imagination, active participation and mental-physical connection. Stating that these processes ensure relaxation and self-confidence and can be implemented as individual or in groups Şahin said that “Art therapists are trained from psychologists, psychiatrists and psychological counselors. Artists can also study and be master artist with a therapist”.

Şahin: Art interferes with pre-consciousness defense habits

Şahin pointed out that the therapist asks open-ended, non-referral-type questions that will allow clients to understand and interpret their own images and added that “The therapist does not force the client to follow such a course when asking questions”. Şahin also said that art does not only helps participants express themselves in a new way, non-verbally but it also interferes with pre-consciousness defense habits and added that “Moreover, the challenge that comes with this innovation functions as an intrinsic motivation and creates a situation that adds to the playfulness of a sometimes painful challenge caused by self-awareness”.

Şahin further stated that therapy types such as expression through drawing, dance, movement, music and drama therapies are used as art therapy and added that “Art plays unconsciously with the inaccessible but still accesses it”.