Thursday 10 May 2018

Jo Ann Danchik And The Use Of Art Techniques As Emotional Therapy

By Dorothy Hughes


We are certainly living in times of hardships and certain struggles. The world has become a rather difficult place to live in and sometimes one needs a bit of an emotional security blanket and a place for their thoughts and emotions to feel safe. One such way of obtaining emotional comfort is through art, specifically the art of water color painting therapy, as Jo Ann Danchik suggests. Since many a moon ago, human beings have manifested their need to be heard and to express their feelings and emotions, and this has often been done through the use of various forms of art.

Therapy is a form of treatment that is highly recommended for people suffering from dementia or Alzheimer. At its core, therapy allows the individual a safe place to truly express themselves and their emotions without the burden and the expectation to remember who they are and also recognize friends and family. Therapy allows patients to feel normal as if they are getting to know a new person. This method of therapy does, however, stop working as the Alzheimer stages start to grow.

As technology seems to be dividing people socially the need for feeling heard and understood has risen dramatically. This has, in turn, led to the creation of a number of art forms to try and convey the message. According to the journal of psychology, it is human nature to want to tell stories, to want to share parts of ourselves with others and make connections through various channels whichever format those expressions may take.

Another art form that is used as a form of emotional therapy is music, music has the ability to transcend emotion and feelings, and sometimes may feel like a translator and decoder of one s own personal emotional struggles. Most artists tend to write their music from their own personal experiences. When these artists do this, they act as an anchor of emotional release, which again is a form of art therapy.

When these colors are used during therapy on people with Alzheimer it signals muscle memories within the brain and enters the brain s memory centre where patients can then link colors to specific memories, feelings and thoughts. When the colors are a lot lighter as is the case with watercolors they create a layer of serenity as the colors aren t as intrusive to the patient s mind.

In a number of cases, displacement of emotions tends to occur. Where the individual will place blame on themselves. Using painting allows individuals to correctly asses the event without dissecting it. Although some argue that art doesn t fully get to the bottom of the issue, many therapists disagree.

Colors emit emotions, they stir up certain memories, thoughts, and feelings by the mere sight of looking at them. This is called association and using a colour in one s artwork helps you to emote. Paintings tend to be a security blanket of emotions where you can simply tell how the artist was feeling on the sole basis of the colours they chose to use.

Art is a form of freedom, and one thing that Alzheimer s patients are in need of is a little freedom from the burden of their condition. Art allows for that escape and gives them something to use to hold on to some of their memories or to access these memories again.




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