Art Therapy

            How many among us have used any form of art to help ourselves get through a difficult time in our lives?  We often listen to music that reflects our moods or hum a tune that reflects our disposition at that time.  Some of us would write a journal, paint or draw, or even dance to express a sentiment or experience that we are having. 

            I have met a few people who profess that art helps them deal with the realities in their lives.  It helps them celebrate the positive, and go through the less pleasant, even painful, situations in their lives.  Art offers an avenue of expression, a way of making sense of an experience. 

            This is the basic principle that guides the practice of art therapy.  In expressing oneself using any art medium (i.e., visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, etc.), one is able to go through an experience and find growth and healing in the experience.  This is when we believe that art is therapeutic, and merely expressing oneself using an art form is enough for psychological healing to take place. 

            Now, it is easy to think at this point that one has to be trained and therefore very good in a particular art form in order to make art therapeutic.  Whereas this is the experience of many trained and talented artists, it is really not necessary to be schooled in a strict discipline of a particular art form for any of us to use art as a medium of expression.  In fact, we don’t have to be very good at it in order to use it as a therapeutic medium.  So, any of us would, in fact, benefit from expressing ourselves using any art form that we find at least suitable for us. 

            For many psychologists, the manner of expression used in a specific art form is also indicative of the experience and the feelings that punctuate it.  This means that our behaviors and the subtle choices that we make in going about doing an art form is also a source of information that can help us gain insight about ourselves and what we might be going through.  This process is often initiated through reflecting observations and asking clarifying questions.  With some reflection on one’s own thoughts and feelings, an individual can gain much insight and understanding of themselves and their process. 

            In effect, art can be therapeutic in itself.  Doing art can promote insight and can also be healing.  At the same time, the art product and the process that one goes through in this production can likewise be used as a means of making meaning and expounding on one’s experiences.  These two ways of understanding art in the context of counseling and psychotherapy, art as therapy and art in therapy, are the two main forces in the practice of art therapy. 

           In many countries, the practice of art therapy is governed by an organization of practitioners or, in some cases, even by law.  In the Philippines, there is neither such organization nor law that guides the practice of art therapy.  However, it is often seen as a specialized area of work for psychologists and artists.  Although I am not an art therapist and would not identify myself as such, I often incorporate art in my work with clients.  I find that clients, both children and adults, are sometimes better able to express themselves through means other than just talking.  

Stigma in the Name

            If you had a headache, would you like to be called an “acher” or simply a person with a headache?  When you are referred to as an “acher,” then this ache defines you.  The ache is who you are.  When you are referred to as the person who has a headache, then you are not defined by it.  It is simply something you have—you might suffer through this seldom or more often, but it clearly does not define you. 

            I must admit that this example I just gave is preposterous, even hilarious.  Who would ever think of calling oneself or another person an “acher,” (Is there even such a word?) just because that person had a physical ache of some sort.  I guess I wanted to show how parallel this example can be to what we frequently do with the diagnoses of many illnesses, not the least of which are mental illnesses.  For example, we often call a person who has Diabetes to be Diabetic.  As far a mental illnesses are concerned, there are more examples, such as, “manic” for those who are in a state of mania, “depressed” and “anxious” for those suffering from clinical depression or anxiety disorders, “phobic” for those with unusual fears, “schizophrenic” for those who have schizophrenia, etc.  The list goes on. 

            Although more cumbersome, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM, the American diagnostic manual used in diagnosing mental illnesses) recommends that we refer to persons as having this or that mental illness rather than making the diagnosis identify them.  On one hand, it is just a politically correct and accurate way of stating the condition of the person.  On the other, it de-stigmatizes the person and detaches them from their diagnosis.  They simply have this illness, rather than the illness being who they are. 

            This practice of saying that a person has a certain condition or illness can also be liberating.  It helps the person think of themselves as being greater than what it is they have.  It also helps others to see that these people who have this or that condition or illness have other characteristics and traits that make them persons, and not simply a category in one’s minds.  And so, it is a perspective that offers further consideration and a potential for further growth.   

            In many everyday conversations, many of us are guilty of poking fun and trivializing people who may have a condition or mental illness.  Perhaps this is a response to the awkward and ignorant fear of the reality of mental illness in our midst.  It could also be a way of distancing this reality from our own experience, a way of denying that such a condition can befall us too.  We call such people by many names, names that we ourselves would never approve of being used on us.  And yet, many mental illnesses are treatable, just like many illnesses are.  This makes identifying the person to be that illness rather inaccurate and useless. 

            The stigma of mental illness is perpetuated by our own lack of understanding.  If we can only begin by referring to people to have such and such condition or mental illness, rather than identifying that person to be that illness, then maybe we can lessen the stigma of these conditions or mental illnesses. 

Suicide and Suicide Risk

            I was in college when someone I knew, a former classmate, in fact, committed suicide.  It was the first time in my life that I had known anybody kill him/herself.  When friends gathered for the wake, the common questions asked were, “Why?  What would drive a person with a promising future to the point of ending his/her life?”  Of course, these questions were never fully answered.  A young person ended his own life, and also cutting any possibility of justifying his/her actions.      

            In the wake, I heard many of our mutual friends make references to times when this person actually talked about dying and ending his life.  Being the curious person that I was, I asked what they said when they heard such talk from our friend.  One simply dismissed him by saying not to talk about “silly” things.  Another did not know what to say and simply let it pass.  Yet another confronted him and accused him of being a coward for even considering this option.   I must admit that at that point in time, I also did not know what to say or do if someone I knew actually told me that he was thinking of dying or killing himself. 

            So, what can you do as a friend or family member when someone you know tells you that they are thinking of ending their lives?  Here are my suggestions:

-   These threats must always be taken seriously, and the first thing is to understand how serious that person is about ending his/her life.  Is it just a passing thought or have plans been made as to how and when the suicide will take place?  The more concrete and accessible the plan, the more serious it is regarded. 

-   It is best that the person has company.  If you cannot be there, make sure that he/she is accompanied by another person.  Suicide is often a lonely act, and having company actually prevents it. 

-   Listen to the person.  Ask him/her questions and engage him/her in a conversation.  Be with that person and try to feel what he/she is feeling.  Knowing that someone cares can make the person feel supported. 

-   Encourage the person to engage in self-soothing activities.  Taking a warm shower, burning some scented candles, getting a massage or eating comfort food are some things that can help the person feel better.    

-   A professional consult can often help in making a more thorough assessment and implement relevant intervention.  So, report this to an authority figure who will follow through with prompt action.  Psychologists or psychiatrists are the professionals who can help, and seeking their assistance is warranted. 

-   Take care of yourself, delegate responsibility, and avoid being the only caregiver of this person.   

There are also a few things that a friend or family member should not do, and they are as follows: 

-   Do not overlook or trivialize these thoughts and verbalizations of suicide.  They are always to be taken seriously.  If you know you cannot help, report immediately to the person’s relatives or authority figures (e.g., teachers, boss, etc.). 

-   Do not promise to keep this information confidential.  You need to tell such crucial and possibly life threatening information to others, so as to get appropriate assistance. 

-   Do not take it upon yourself to care for the person who is at risk of suicide.  You need to take care of yourself; you owe yourself at least that.  Help, but only to the extent that you are still able to care for yourself. 

-   Avoid drinking alcohol.  Alcohol is a depressant and can make the situation worse for the person. 

            On 21 May 2011 (Saturday), I will be facilitating a seminar-workshop on assessing and responding to suicide risk.  It is meant for various professionals (e.g., mental health workers, teachers, managers, etc.) who would like to have a greater understanding of how suicide can be assessed, and knowing what kind of response is appropriate.  If you or anyone you know are interested to participate, please call PsychConsult, Inc. at (02)4212469, (02)3576427, or (0917)8080193 for details and reservations.  You can also email psychconsult@gmail.com.  Do call now as slots are limited. 

Managing Anger (2)

            Last week, I wrote about managing our emotions through calming our bodies through relaxation techniques.  Relaxing ourselves is a good first step to managing anger, and we cannot stop there.  We need to address the source of our anger by understanding it in a fuller manner, and deal with it constructively. 

            Understanding our needs (see the post entitled Of Basic Needs and Inner Harmony posted on 30 April 2010) might be the next step in knowing what it is we really want from this situation where we find ourselves getting angry.  This often takes some time to think about, and you might need to be calmer and alone.  So, leaving the situation that makes you angry might be necessary at this point.  Is it something you or another person can do something about?  If so, what can you do or how can you ask so that you get some form of what you want that fulfills your needs?  If not, how can you best accept the situation as the most natural thing in the world?   

            Another thing that you might want to do is to reassess how you are thinking about your situation.  Asking yourself questions such as the following can help you think of other ways to make the situation less provocative: 

·         How can I interpret the situation in a way that is less irritating/annoying? 

·         What particular thoughts cross my mind that make me angry?  Are there alternative ways of seeing the situation, albeit remote, that would make this situation better for me? 

·         Is there anything funny about all this?  What about the situation can I take less seriously? 

·         To what extent are your thoughts accurate or exaggerated?  How can you tweak them to reflect reality better?   

You might also want to look at changing some of your thoughts and beliefs about the situation by challenging the thoughts that make you angry.  For a more detailed discussion on this, you might want to refer to the article I posted in this blog on 06 August 2010 entitled ABC-DEF in Managing Our Emotions. 

            Being able to express yourself in a non-threatening and calm manner is the key to being able to communicate to others what you are thinking and feeling.  This can also aid in asking for what you need and negotiating (see my post on this blog entitled Neogtiation as Conflict Resolution dated 22 November 2011) with others.  Assertiveness skills is certainly part of this. 

            If you can’t seem to get a good grasp of managing your emotions consistently, it might be a sign for you to seek professional help.  Now, please don’t think that I am suggesting that you are crazy and that’s why you need help.  As a matter of fact, I think that many of those who seek help are those who are mature enough to admit their areas of improvement and seek venues to make things better for themselves and others. 

            Essentially, what psychologists and counselors will do would be to explore how you experience and manage your emotions, including your triggers and other habits that sustain the anger.  This is helpful information in learning about yourself better, which may be key in helping you manage your feelings more effectively.