How art therapy is transforming mental health in India

Jaisleen Kaur, psychology major, image consultant, soft skills trainer, and a Dehradun-based life coach, said that art has demonstrated remarkable therapeutic properties. “Engaging in a multitude of artistic expressions, encompassing painting, drawing, music, dance, and more, art can significantly boost mental well-being. These creative activities have been used across cultures and ages to help individuals express emotions, reduce stress, and enhance their mental health,” she said.

Art provides a non-verbal outlet for self-expression, allowing people to process their thoughts and feelings. “The goal of art therapy is to utilise the creative process to help people explore self-expression and, in doing so, find new ways to gain personal insight and develop new coping skills,” Kaur said.

In India, the practice of art therapy is experiencing a significant upswing, gaining recognition for its effectiveness in addressing mental health concerns. But how does art therapy work? We turned to art therapists and organisations working in this domain in the country to know more.

Ritu Dua, Art Therapist, Center for Mental Health, Pune explained that art therapy uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being. “A variety of materials – from crayons and pencil colours to paints, clay, and wood – are used. In my own practice, I have also introduced nature,” she said.

Art has therapeutic properties (Source: Pexels)

Dua said that the choice of material depends on the concern of the client since materials play a big role. “Each material has a property. Sometimes, I may give one child a crayon and give watercolours to another. In our art therapy language, we classify art materials as structured and unstructured. A crayon is a structured material but watercolours are unstructured. For example, if a person is going through some kind of emotional trauma, watercolours will make their emotions flow. Sometimes, we allow that but we need to be very wise with it. So, I would give them more structured materials instead,” she elaborated.

Holistic Art Therapists Association (HATA), Mumbai, on the other hand, practices a very particular form of art therapy, called the wet-on-wet technique, founded by Dr Margarethe Hauschka. “She developed it to not necessarily cure patients but to prevent diseases in them. She called it a ‘health-giving process’,” Natasha Singh, Founder, HATA, told indianexpress.com.

Since this technique works with watercolours and fluidity, it prevents a lot of hardening processes that can happen inside the mind. “In this technique, we work with watercolours on wet paper. We don’t necessarily work with an image in mind. We work to deeply explore the colour and an image almost appears out of this work. In terms of psychology, this is like a projective technique. We don’t create an image, we discover an image,” Singh added.

According to her, this form of art therapy helps people who come in with a host of issues, ranging from depression and anxiety to issues with changes and transition. “What this technique does is it helps balance thinking, feeling, and action. For people who tend to overthink, this technique really helps you go into a mindful space,” Singh said.

Dua, too, mentioned that art therapy helps achieve holistic well-being. “From a child to a senior citizen or even a cancer patient, anybody can benefit from art therapy. Everybody is touched by art and creativity in some way or another. A therapist engages the client in simple but soothing art activities in the beginning, such as drawing, painting, clay sculpting, etc. They facilitate them with a means of expression. Sometimes, an individual is not able to express themselves in words. In such scenarios, art plays a crucial role. It enables them to express themselves,” she said.

Agreeing with the thought, Kamalika Guha Thakurta, Founder and Director, Artscape, Mumbai said people have trouble expressing themselves as they are disconnected from their emotions. “But when we engage with those thoughts, we learn a lot about ourselves. It is a very fluid way to reach your inside,” she said.

In addition to colours, Artscape works with the entire gamut of arts, including movements, music, body works, drama, storytelling, journaling, etc. “Depending on the people we are addressing, we choose the medium. At Artscape, I have tried to explore how performing arts can be used beyond entertainment. As an artist, I wanted to use my knowledge to benefit and empower others. We work with multiple creative art-based tools,” Guha Thakurta, actor and performing artist who founded the organisation in 2016, told indianexpress.com.

Explaining how it is different from conventional talk therapy, Guha Thakurta said, “When you go to traditional counselling, the therapist and the client sit across the table and talk. Art therapy allows you to create a safe space wherein you can express yourself through different mediums. It’s a very very deep medium. It is how you express yourself through colours, movements, etc. Art allows you to connect with yourself. In our sessions, you are prompted to engage, express, and reflect. Since it is a non-verbal experiential process, the learnings are your own.”

Taking us through the process of art therapy, Dua shared that it is a collaborative process. “When a client checks in, I as an art therapist try to gather as much information about them as possible, including the factors that led them here. Then, we set up therapeutic goals. After that, I give them art materials and I provide them with total freedom in the initial sessions since I have to build a therapeutic relationship with them. Once I am able to provide a safe space and supportive environment, I go into more detail to see what specific art materials they would need and make observations,” she shared.

The clients create their artwork on the basis of the prompt given to them by the art therapist. “After the artwork is created, they will be asked to reflect on what they have done. They share what feelings and thoughts they went through while creating it and describe what they have created. Instead of looking into hidden meanings, I ask them directly. In most cases, positive changes are observed after a few sessions,” she added.

Those who are hesitant to join an art therapy organisation can begin the practice from their homes. “To start art therapy at home, you can explore different art mediums and see which one brings you joy. It should not be started with a sense of fear or an outcome in mind. If you aren’t someone who is comfortable in verbalising their thoughts, art therapy is a great way to begin with,” said Singh.

Guha Thakurta suggested journaling (writing down one’s thoughts) and listening to music as excellent ways to do art therapy at home. “A tool that one can use is journaling in which you can express your emotions privately. It allows you to engage with them and let go or retain what you want. Another simple way is actively listening to music. Expression is important, in whichever way you want,” she said.

However, it is crucial to remember that you do not need to be an artist to practice art therapy. “Even if you draw a single straight or crooked line, that is your expression. That is your feeling at the moment. There is no right or wrong. There is nothing called a mistake. That’s the main idea,” Dua concluded.

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