Art therapy is an integrative mental health profession that combines knowledge and understanding of human development and psychological theories and techniques with visual arts and the creative process to provide a unique approach for helping clients improve psychological health and cognitive abilities. Art therapists use art media, and often the verbal processing of produced imagery, to help people resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.
There are many ways that a therapist can use art therapy with their client. An individual can draw a picture of an event or an emotion. Also, more than one person can be involved in the art project, such as having a family draw a picture together. In these examples, a therapist observes the finished piece; therapists are trained to interpret the nonverbal symbols that are expressed in the art. In addition, in the case of multiple individuals, can observe how the group interacted as they worked together.