Art Therapy for Chronic Illness
Sickle Cell Disorder is a chronic illness. When a person is diagnosed with illness, the health worker’s first instinct is to focus on the physical health and alleviate the pain. But in addition to the physical health, they should also keep in mind that these individuals also suffer emotionally.
Concerns about health can be a source of stress and anxiety, not only for the patient, but for his family and loved ones as well. The good news is that patients and their families can get through this emotional turmoil with the help of art therapy.
Today, art therapy is used in several hospitals in developed countries to tend to the most seriously ill children. Here are some of the benefits of art therapy in children with chronic illness.
Expression and communication
Not for young children only:
Art therapy is not only for little kids. With persistence and dedication, the medical art therapist can engage adolescents in meaningful creative work. Demonstrating interest, support, and respect for the adolescent’s autonomy form the foundation of meaningful engagement. Maintaining a client-centered focus is especially important with adolescents – for therapy to be meaningful, the goals must belong to the patient. In medicine, the therapist most often initiates the therapeutic process. Art therapy can be a window to the world outside the hospital, and a valuable way to help an adolescent patient’s voice be heard by his or her family and the medical team.
Art therapists have developed many methods of evaluating personality through art. Most of these are aimed at enlightening symptoms of mental illness. In medicine, the goal is usually to uncover strengths, coping mechanisms, and qualities of resilience.
Spontaneous pictures too, can help the art therapist understand the patient’s strengths, skills and understanding, especially when children discuss the meaning of their artwork with the therapist.