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43 
 

CHAPTER  

3 

ART THERAPY: A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO HEALING 

 

 

Godwin Ogbu Uka and Elizabeth O. Ogbu-Uka 

Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 

Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 

 

 

Introduction 

Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses the creative process of 

art-making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals 

of all ages. Psychologically it is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic 

self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, 

manage behaviour, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. 

Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, 

and other art forms), and the creative process with models of counselling and psychotherapy in 

this process. Art therapy is a specialized area of mental health that uses art materials and the 

creative process to explore emotion, reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem and resolve other 

psychological conflicts 

Visual expression has been used for healing throughout history, but art therapy did not 

emerge as a distinct profession until the 1940s. In the early 20th century, psychiatrists became 

interested in the artwork created by their patients with mental illness. At around the same time, 

educators were discovering that children’s art expressions reflected developmental, emotional, 

and cognitive growth. By the mid-century, hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centres 

increasingly began to include art therapy programs along with traditional “talk therapies,” 

underscoring the recognition that the creative process of art-making enhanced the recovery, 

health, and wellness of individuals. 

The word “therapy” originated from the Greek word Therapies, which means “to be 

attentive to” this could explain as follows: for instance when a creative and skilled professional 

on one hand, attends to an individual who is making the art.  On the other hand this skilled 

professional’s guidance is a key to the process of therapy. Creative expression has been used for 

healing from the traditional period till the present day. The Holy Bible recorded the earliest 

healing in the history of mankind, “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon 

Saul that David took a harp, and played with his hand so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and 

the evil spirit departed from him” This form of healing therapy was repeatedly done by David to 

get King Saul out of his psychiatric problem as recorded in the Bible. 



Art Therapy: A Psyclogical Approaach To Healing 

44 

 

Art therapy as a subject of study integrates the fields of human development, visual art 

(drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms), and the creative process with models of 

counselling and psychotherapy,  

Aim of the Study 

The aim of this study, therefore, is to educate people on how art and other m methods can 

aid in the healing of individuals 

 

Purpose of this study 

This study focuses on effective ways to use art therapy to heal patients of all ages to 

improve cognitive and sensor motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate 

emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and 

distress and advance societal and ecological changes 

Research Questions 

• How can art therapy help in the treatment of children with lean in g disabilities 

• People experiencing mental health issues 

• Adults experiencing serve stress 

• Individuals suffering from brain injury 

• Children or adults who have experienced a traumatic  

 

Scope of the study 

The focus is mainly on art and medical area of study 

 

Significance of the study 

Increase in knowledge for all 

Review of Related Literature  

Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses the creative process of 

art-making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals 

of all ages. Psychologically it is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic 

self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, 

manage behaviour, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. 

Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, 

and other art forms), and the creative process with models of counselling and psychotherapy in 

this process. Art therapy is a specialized area of mental health that uses art materials and the 

creative process to explore emotion, reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem and resolve other 

psychological conflicts. Visual expression has been used for healing throughout history, but art 

therapy did not emerge as a distinct profession until the 1940s. In the early 20th century, 

psychiatrists became interested in the artwork created by their patients with mental illness. At 

around the same time, educators were discovering that children’s art expressions reflected 

developmental, emotional, and cognitive growth. By the mid-century, hospitals, clinics, and 



Contemporary issues in the Visual Arts in Nigeria 

45 
 

rehabilitation centres increasingly began to include art therapy programs along with traditional 

“talk therapies,” underscoring the recognition that the creative process of art-making enhanced 

the recovery, health, and wellness of individuals. 

The word “therapy” originated from the Greek word Therapies, which means “to be 

attentive to” this could explain as follows: for instance when a creative and skilled professional 

on one hand, attends to an individual who is making the art.  On the other hand this skilled 

professional’s guidance is a key to the process of therapy. Creative expression has been used for 

healing from the traditional period till the present day. The Holy Bible recorded the earliest 

healing in the history of mankind, “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon 

Saul that David took a harp, and played with his hand so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and 

the evil spirit departed from him” This form of healing therapy was repeatedly done by David to 

get King Saul out of his psychiatric problem as recorded in the Bible. 

Although art therapy is a relatively young therapeutic discipline, its roots lie in the use of 

the arts in the 'moral treatment' of psychiatric patients in the late 18th century, this moral 

treatment, Susan Hogan argues, “arose out of utilitarian philosophy and also from a non-

conformist religious tradition”, (Hogan, S. 2001). Other researchers are of the view that art 

therapy first began around mid- 20th Century, arising independently in English-speaking and 

European countries. The British artist Adrian Hill coined the term art therapy in 1942 (Hogan, S. 

2001). Hill, recovering from tuberculosis in a sanatorium, discovered the therapeutic benefits of 

drawing and painting while convalescing. He wrote that the value of art therapy lay in 

"completely engrossing the mind (as well as the fingers)…releasing the creative energy of the 

frequently inhibited patient", which enabled the patient to "build up a strong defence against his 

misfortunes". He suggested artistic work to his fellow patients. That began his art therapy work, 

which was documented in 1945 in his book, Art Versus Illness, (Hill, A. 1945).  

U.S. art therapy pioneers Margaret Naumburg and Edith Kramer began practising art 

around the same time as Hill. Naumburg, an educator, asserted that "art therapy is 

psychoanalytically oriented" and that free art expression "becomes a form of symbolic speech 

which…leads to an increase in verbalization in the course of therapy, (Naumburg, M. 1953).  

Edith Kramer, an artist, pointed out the importance of the creative process, psychological 

defences, and artistic quality, writing that "sublimation is attained when forms are created that 

successfully contain…anger, anxiety, or pain, (Kramer, E. 1971). Other early proponents of art 

therapy in the United States include Elinor Ulman, Robert "Bob" Ault, and Judith Rubin. The 

American Art Therapy Association was founded in 1969, (Junge, M. 2010). National 

professional associations of art therapy exist in many countries, including Brazil, Canada, 

Finland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, South Korea, and Sweden but not in Nigeria.  

Art Therapy is believed to begin as far back as cavemen times unknowingly (Otunaiya 

2009), this is because even before the usage of language, pictures were painted on cave walls to 

perform the dual function of expressing feelings and recording actions, which was referred to as 

an effective way of communicating. In the same vein employing artistic visual symbols for a 

psychological connection could be a good sign of art therapy for the early hunters who believed 

in the religious and magical power of the symbols. Human beings have always expressed 

themselves with symbols throughout history. In Africa, masks, ritual pottery, costumes, ritual 

objects of shrines, cave drawings and Egyptian hieroglyphics are among the visual objects of 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_treatment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Hill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Naumburg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Kramer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_%22Bob%22_Ault
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_A._Rubin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Art_Therapy_Association


Art Therapy: A Psyclogical Approaach To Healing 

46 

 

therapy in the early period. In some other places or parts of the world Celtic arts symbols are all 

visual records of self-expression and communication through art. 

Recently, the field of art therapy has gained attention in healthcare facilities throughout 

major countries of the world and is within the fields of psychiatry, psychology, counselling, 

education and arts.  In the middle of the 20th century, art began to be formalised as a healing 

therapy. Art therapy integrates psychotherapeutic techniques with the creative process to 

improve the mental health and well-being of individuals. The American Art Therapy Association 

describes art therapy as "a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making 

to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. 

It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people 

to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behaviour, reduce stress, 

increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. 

 

Some situations in which art therapy might be utilized include: 

• Children with learning disabilities 

• Adults experiencing severe stress 

• Children suffering from behavioural or social problems at school or home 

• People experiencing mental health problems 

• Individuals suffering from a brain injury 

• Children or adults who have experienced a traumatic event 

 

An art therapist may use a variety of art methods including drawing, painting, sculpture, and 

collage with clients ranging from young children to the elderly. Clients who have experienced 

emotional trauma, physical violence, domestic abuse, anxiety, depression, and other 

psychological issues can benefit from expressing themselves creatively. Hospitals, private mental 

health offices, schools, and community organizations are all possible settings where art therapy 

services may be available. 

 

Art Therapy Projects 

General Projects 

• Get Creative With Collages via Art Therapy  

• Knitting (Art Therapy)  

• Make something, anything, without direction or the result in mind. Grab some materials 

and paper and let anything flow out. 

• Positive Pockets via Creative Therapy Sessions. Create a personal box of inspirational 

statements. 

• Project Positivity via Deviant Art – Write out or create a piece of art that incorporates 10 

things that you like about yourself.  

• Sewing Dolls and Pillows  

 

Projects for Reaching Goals and Solving Problems 

• Panic Book – Create small pictures or cards of things, places and people that help you to 

be calm, or that bring your mind into them and away from panic and anxious thoughts. 

https://www.verywell.com/interpersonal-skills-self-help-books-3024246
https://www.verywell.com/what-is-self-esteem-2795868
http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/instructionalmaterials/qt/Learning-Disability-Strategies-Strategies-That-Help-Learning-Disabilities.htm
https://www.verywell.com/brain-injuries-and-learning-disabilities-2162398
http://womensissues.about.com/od/domesticviolence/a/Domestic-Violence-Myths.htm
http://www.arttherapyblog.com/art-therapy-ideas/get-creative-with-collages/#.VQLDnGTF8Vw
http://www.lizbeck.net/2007/10/23/knitting/
http://www.creativetherapysessions.com/creative_therapy_recipes.html
http://news.deviantart.com/article/70698/
http://www.lizbeck.net/2009/03/13/sewing-dolls-and-pillows/


Contemporary issues in the Visual Arts in Nigeria 

47 
 

Document your favourite things so that you can look at the images in times of stress to 

help bring you into the ‘now’.   

 

• The Problem – Draw a picture that represents any current problem that you are having. 

Try to do this without thinking about it too much, just letting the process take over. Once 

done look at the drawing to see if it reveals anything new about the issue. It might help to 

set it aside and look at it the next day. 

 

• Tarot Personality Cards – Create visual representations of the ‘voices in your head,’ 

otherwise known as alters and/or personality fragments. Create one representation on 

each card. I suggest using collage art because it is easy to cut out symbols and pictures 

that remind you of each alter and put them together. 

 

• Vision Board – This project can be an invaluable tool for helping you meet goals by 

making them visually tangible. Create a piece of art, or series of art pieces, that represents 

your goal or desired result.  

 

When is Art Therapy Used? 

Art therapy can be used to treat a wide range of mental disorders and psychological 

distress. In many cases, it might be used in conjunction with other psychotherapy techniques 

such as group therapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy. 

 

• General illness: Art making is a common activity used by many people to cope with 

illness. 

• Cancer diagnosis.  

 

Many studies have been conducted on the benefit of art therapy on cancer patients 

 

• Disaster relief 

• Dementia 

• Autism 

• Schizophrenia 

• Geriatric patient 

• Trauma and children 

 

Art therapists work in a wide variety of settings including Hospitals and clinics, both medical 

and psychiatric, outpatient mental health agencies etc. Art therapy involves the use of creative 

techniques such as drawing, painting, collage, colouring or sculpture to help people express 

themselves artistically and examine the psychological and emotional undertones in their art. 

Today art therapy is widely practised in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, psychiatric 

and rehabilitation facilities, wellness centres, forensic institutions, schools, crisis centres, senior 

communities, private practice, and other clinical and community settings. During individual 

and/or group sessions art therapists elicit their clients’ inherent capacity for art-making to 

https://www.verywell.com/what-is-group-therapy-2795760
https://www.verywell.com/what-is-cognitive-behavior-therapy-2795747


Art Therapy: A Psyclogical Approaach To Healing 

48 

 

enhance their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Research supports the use of art 

therapy within a professional relationship for the therapeutic benefits gained through artistic self-

expression and reflection for individuals who experience illness, trauma, and mental health 

problems and those seeking personal growth 

 

How Does Art Therapy Work? 

An art therapist may use a variety of art methods including drawing, painting, sculpture, 

and collage with clients ranging from young children to the elderly. Clients who have 

experienced emotional trauma, physical violence, domestic abuse, anxiety, depression, and other 

psychological issues can benefit from expressing themselves creatively. Hospitals, private mental 

health offices, schools, and community organizations are all possible settings where art therapy 

services may be available. You might also wonder how an art therapy session differs from the 

average art class. "In most art therapy sessions, the focus is on your inner experience that is your 

feelings, perceptions, and imagination. 

While art therapy may involve learning skills or art techniques, the emphasis is generally 

first on developing and expressing images that come from inside the person, rather than those he 

or she sees in the outside world," explains Cathy Maldiochi in The Art Therapy Sourcebook. 

"And while some traditional art classes may ask you to paint or draw from your imagination, in 

art therapy, your inner world of images, feelings, thoughts, and ideas are always of primary 

importance to the experience." 

 

Conclusion 

   Conclusively, the value of research in the natural sciences are widely recognized, and the 

fact that artist also engage in research must be acknowledged. The research operation in any 

society is highly valued, we need to understand why being engaged in legitimate art-making tasks 

implies that one is engaged in worthwhile research activities The research operations associated 

with creating art,  are quite different from the research activities of the scientists. Research in both 

natural and social sciences relies upon measures that generate quantitative data from which 

qualities are inferred. In visual art counting the number of times something occurs reflects on the 

level of its significance. In science, specific instances of behaviour are identified and quantified 

very carefully. These are translated into qualities which become the basis for formulating 

generalizations about phenomena. In art “style", a term used by both art historians and art critics, 

is a construct for thinking about reoccurring characteristics in works of art. A particular style is 

inferred from observing and categorizing common elements in works produced by a variety of 

artists, or in the works of an individual artist.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://womensissues.about.com/od/domesticviolence/a/Domestic-Violence-Myths.htm


Contemporary issues in the Visual Arts in Nigeria 

49 
 

References 

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Hogan, S. (2001), Healing arts: The history of art therapy. London: Jessic 

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Hill, A. (1945),  Art versus illness: A story of art therapy. London: George Allen and Unwin.  

Junge, M. (2010), The modern history of art therapy in the United States  Springfield, IL: 

Charles C. Thomas. ISBN 978-0-398-07940-6 

Kramer, E. (1971),  Art as therapy with children. New York: Schocken Books, p. 219.  

Macgregor, J. M. (1989),  The discovery of the art of the insane Princeton: Princeton University 

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Marcia A. Barnes; Fletcher, Jack; Fuchs, Lynn (2007), Learning Disabilities: From 

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Naumburg  M. (1953), Psychoneurotic art: Its function in psychotherapy. New York: Grune & 

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Walker, J. (1992), Glossary of Art, Architecture & Design since 1945, 3rd. ed. London, Library 

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Serial_Number
http://www.worldcat.org/issn/0279-6015
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780398079406
http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs17txt.htm

