Psychologist Irina Solovyova specially for the magazine “Our Psychology” What is art therapy? Art therapy is one of the central areas of psychotherapy, known to one degree or another even to people far from psychology. Art therapy is also popular in our country. But at the same time, it is surrounded by a large number of myths: 1. Creativity in itself is already art therapy. The goals and objectives here are exactly the same as those of any other psychotherapeutic direction - working with the client’s specific request. “Just draw” is just drawing and has nothing to do with psychology. In art therapy, drawing is a way to solve a specific problem. Art therapy implies the obligatory presence of an art therapist who supervises the process occurring with the client. Therefore, drawing comics or playing the violin at home is certainly a commendable activity, but has nothing to do with art therapy. Otherwise, we would have to say that all artists do art therapy with themselves, and ballerinas do dance movement therapy... The power of art is, of course, healing - but in itself it is not art therapy. Salvador Dali, no matter how much he painted, did not become psychologically better... 2. Art therapy is when one draws. However, art therapy is immeasurably broader, and it includes a variety of directions in creativity. In addition to working with drawing, this includes modeling, music therapy, bibliotherapy (“biblio” is a book), fairytale therapy, laying out mosaics, working with photography, creating dolls (a variety of puppets, amulets), dance therapy and much more. 3. In art therapy, something must be composed. It is not necessary to create new works, you can use ready-made ones. For example, in music therapy, a client can listen to the works of classics - Mozart, Bach, and in bibliotherapy - read excerpts from works where the hero experiences a similar situation and feelings - and he feels better (“I’m not the only one”). 4. You must have the ability to do art therapy. In fact, every person has the ability to be creative, it is like the ability to breathe and accompanies us all our lives. Another thing is that it is suppressed in us, and this is where many problems arise. After all, as long as a person retains the ability to be creative and flexible, he will easily and quickly solve any difficulties - remember Ostap Bender! For a creative person there are no hopeless situations - in extreme cases, like Stirlitz in the joke, he will come out through the entrance... Therefore, the task of an art therapist is not to teach the client creativity, but to awaken this creativity. We all have treasures of creativity hidden within us that we hardly use. When we were children, we drew, sang, and danced... And now we say: “I don’t know how”, “I can’t do it”, “I have no ability”... Alas, society suppresses creativity, and as the child grows up, it is in the child curls up into a ball and falls asleep. In some, especially severe cases, he even falls into a lethargic sleep. And, years later, he suddenly wakes up in the art tetrapelist’s office and says: “Huh? What? Who called me? I'm here!" Now the client looks at his problem situation with a different look - a creative one. This alone did not solve the problems - but they are now easier to solve... 5. If the client is a dancer, he needs to do dance therapy, and if a musician - music therapy. Just the opposite. Art therapy works with all clients, the only exception is that the person does not have to be a professional in this field of activity. Because otherwise, he will follow the learned patterns, will create “as it should”, and not follow himself. This does not mean that art therapy is not recommended for a professional at all: it’s just that you can sculpt with clay with a ballerina, and do fairytale therapy with a sculptor ... 6.Art therapy - complete freedom. The client creates whatever he wants and how he wants. This is partly true, the client is free in his creativity... within the framework set by the therapist. That is, he can give specific tasks: “Draw your dream,” “Sculpt your resentment,” etc. After all, this is psychotherapy, and not a “Skillful Hands” group. 7.B