Art Therapy: Healing Through Creativity (www.kiu.ac.ug)

https://www.eejournals.org/ Open Access
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited
Page | 1
Art Therapy: Healing Through Creativity
Ahairwe Frank
Faculty of Business Administration and Management Kampala International University Uganda
Email: ahairwefrank56@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Art therapy, a form of creative arts therapy, is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool for
psychological healing and emotional expression. This paper examines the evolution, theoretical
foundations, modalities, techniques, and clinical applications of art therapy across diverse populations and
settings. Drawing from both historical and contemporary perspectives, it examines how visual art can
facilitate emotional expression, trauma recovery, and mental health rehabilitation. The discussion
incorporates neuroscience research, psychodynamic theory, and cross-cultural considerations,
emphasizing the therapeutic benefits of non-verbal communication in art-making. Specific attention is
given to art therapy’s effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and
neurodegenerative conditions, as well as its role in physical rehabilitation. Furthermore, this review
identifies gaps in qualitative meta-synthesis and calls for further interdisciplinary research. The findings
affirm that art therapy is not merely a supplementary treatment but a vital component of holistic care
models.
Keywords: Art Therapy, Creative Arts Therapies, Mental Health, Trauma, Non-Verbal Communication,
Cultural Sensitivity, PTSD, Visual Expression.
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, creative art therapies (CATs) in clinical settings have gained traction worldwide.
"Creative arts therapies" encompass art, music, dance, drama, and poetry utilized in therapeutic
engagement to restore, maintain, and promote mental wellbeing, functional capacity, autonomy,
independence, and quality of life in persons with disabilities. Among these therapies, art therapy uses the
visual arts to promote healing in body and mind. It is becoming a widely accepted approach to mental
health and wellbeing, restoration, rehabilitation, and therapeutic intervention both internationally and in
Jordan. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent review studies were published on the application of
creative art therapy techniques and their impact on mental health and well-being. A search of major
scientific databases revealed that art therapy has been used as a chief treatment modality for people
coping with extreme distress. Excluded from the search were studies that applied creative arts outside
professional settings. Several recent high-quality studies demonstrated efficacy ratios of > 60%–79 % for
art therapy in resolving anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fear, and emotion
regulation. The duration of eight therapy sessions claimed a 75–79% efficacy ratio. Many qualitative
studies have documented subjective accounts of unique and unprecedented transformation effects
attributed specifically to art therapy. However, a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies is lacking.
Recognizing art therapy's longitudinal effects on mental health and well-being is essential. In past
decades, qualitative studies on creative art therapy have proliferated. The collective results of these
studies offer insight into the transforming effects of creative art therapy on mental health and well-being.
Hence, quantitative meta-syntheses of creative art therapy will be reviewed, along with qualitative
studies, to gain insight into their collective therapeutic benefits and implications for mental health service
development as a holistic treatment for better outcomes [1, 2].
Historical Background
The use of art for therapeutic purposes has a long and complex history. Many examples of this practice
can be found in ancient cultures, such as in the cave paintings of Lascaux, France, as well as artwork from
EURASIAN EXPERIMENT JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES AND
SOCIAL SCIENCES (EEJHSS) ISSN: 2992-4111
©EEJHSS Publications Volume 7 Issue 2 2025

Page | 2
early Egyptian, African, and Australian civilizations. For centuries, art was believed to have mystical or
religious properties, leading to the formation of sacred masks, talismans, and amulets meant to ward off
evil spirits or manipulate the forces of nature. The Aztecs and Mayas created elaborate systems of
calendars and hieroglyphs that may have acted as formulas to accurately communicate with the gods.
Shamanic art was believed to be a direct bridge to the spirit world, while art, music, and dance became
ways to induce visions for shamans in many cultures. Some cultures, perhaps most notably the Hopi, used
the ceremonial “Kachina” dolls, which embodied the spirits of the gods, to teach children about the natural
world. Along these lines, many cultures created a wide variety of dolls, some representing benign spirits
and some malevolent. Art has often been viewed as a means of establishing A) order of control over chaos,
and B) as a magical means of control over the natural world. The historical flourishing of creativity in
children was perhaps most thoroughly documented by Freud; he considered artistic expression to be a
sublimation of sexuality (or aggressive channels in the case of destruction of a painting). From this, he
concluded that such therapy might improve symptoms in adult patients suffering from acting-out or
vague, psychophysiological syndromes. Since art is a major channel of human experience, it was only
natural that somaticists should find it to be a fruitful area of inquiry. The psychoanalytic view that
creativity was essentially a derivation from sexuality led to scholarly parallels invoked between the
drawing and the dream: both being “symbolic metonyms” of something deeper. However, the parallels
became murky when differences in therapy style were considered. Freud, already famous to a much wider
audience by 1910 than he was in 1900, was also more influential amongst professionals. However, his
work was somewhat dependent upon the development of an international idiom of therapy on paper [3,
4].
Theoretical Foundations
Art therapy integrates theories of memory with emotional understanding. Memory goes beyond
cognition; it encompasses both explicit (verbalized) and implicit (non-verbal) components. Explicit
memory can be articulated, while implicit memory influences behavior without conscious awareness.
Emotional covert memories signify feelings of safety or distress, affecting a person’s capacity for thought,
especially when trauma is involved. Recent neuroscience advancements, including brain imaging,
challenge previous conceptions of memory systems. Evidence suggests dual tracks for encoding and recall
in memory. Additionally, scientists are exploring the brain's role in reflective consciousness and
emotional memory. The cortical-hippocampus network governs explicit memory, while the right
amygdala and other right hemisphere structures are involved in emotional memory. For art therapists,
understanding how to access these memory systems through art requires interdisciplinary knowledge to
connect different fields [5, 6].
Types of Art Therapy
Art therapists use diverse modalities like drawing, painting, sculpting, journaling, or pastels to help
patients gain insight and develop creativity. These media engage patients, encouraging visual imagery
that therapists can interpret more easily than narratives. The choice of modality and tasks depends on the
patient’s cognitive abilities, experiences, available time, and project goals. Tasks are designed to stimulate
imaginative, expressive, or specific engagement, with varying complexity based on the patient's progress.
Patients dealing with traumatic events may create drawings reflecting their experiences upon the
therapist's suggestion. Initially, art tasks focus on recent events, becoming more abstract as patients
become more skilled. Unlike traditional psychologists, art therapists analyze unconscious material
visually. Art therapy is crucial for mental health, allowing emotional expression and trauma processing.
By separating emotions from memories, it helps reduce anxiety and anguish. Over two years, the insights
from seven patients indicated that no therapy session went unanswered, attributed to patient readiness
and a supportive environment. Visual representation of emotions can occur before discussions, using
humor as a tool. Non-verbal communication emerges through colors, indicating feelings like unhappiness.
Successful transference and counter-transference enable exploration of the therapist's and patient's
histories. Group dynamics are also represented, illustrating connections and feedback. Art therapy
influences various mental functions, including cognitive abilities and thought development, offering a safe
space for reprocessing trauma while fostering creativity and emotional understanding [7, 8].
Techniques Used in Art Therapy
Art therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses art-making as a means of communication and expression.
Some individuals find it easier to share worrisome thoughts through drawing rather than verbalizing
them, and simple crafts can evoke feelings or memories that unravel the story behind the creation.
Embedding something tangible in an object, in a drawing, or painting captures it, holds it, and allows it to
be revisited. As soon as the art begins, the mind opens. Art therapy modalities can vary widely, as can the

Page | 3
goals of therapy. These techniques can be grouped into three basic styles: directive, semi-directive, and
non-directive. Directive art therapy involves creating a piece of art with specific guidelines that promote a
particular outcome. Guided atmosphere painting, artist trading cards, or cartoon panels depicting an
event are examples. Semi-directives also have specific instructions, but the artist has more input about the
necessary materials and technique. A tornado done in watercolor pencil with salt and bleach might
illustrate an overwhelming feeling, or an abstract painting done with the non-dominant hand could show
confusion. Non-directive art therapy has few directives, asking only for the materials, dimension, and
essence of a story or feeling depicted. This style of therapy allows for self-discovery, where the client may
explore themes as complex and abstract as the inner workings of the mind. Art therapy is an invitation to
express creatively, safely processing anxiety, fears, passions, excitement, and happiness. Whether the
creations are written, drawn, painted, crafted, danced, lit, sung, or performed is entirely the individual’s
choice. Art therapy is also the invitation to seek insight, growth, understanding, transformation, and
awareness of one’s process. With intent, understanding develops, and creative releases build a knowing
that leads those who seek it to answers. Art therapy is this path. A commitment may be necessary,
forming an art practice that embraces and prioritizes the idea of creating art to reproduce chaos or, as
often happens, to clean house [9, 10].
Benefits of Art Therapy
Art as Therapy is based on the connection between the creative act (an activity embracing self-finding
and self-experimentation) and the reactions and feelings it evokes. The correlation with beauty helps re-
establish a connection to what people are and can do. This perspective has steadily gained strength,
recognized as sensitivity and creativity, “Because everything is, at the bottom, a sensibility.” People
become acquainted with life, with the world, the self, and others, starting from and through the senses.
They learn to live through association and prosthesis. They are nourished and regenerated through the
Fourth Dimension, the dimension of being known and of knowing. Art therapy has been shown to
improve self-esteem by reinforcing emotions of self-worth or competence. The self-esteem of individuals
with mental problems, such as depression, dementia, schizophrenia, and psychosis, has been improved
through art therapy. It has been proposed that art could aid people to boost their self-esteem by providing
abilities that can be acquired and mastered. As demonstrated by the first art therapy movement in Europe
and the United States, and with the establishment of the first art therapy organizations in those regions,
art is a means of communication that may be used to overcome the reticence of some patients. It is
through art that some people learn to comprehend themselves and alleviate their suffering. By
participating in creative activities, one may reduce and evade accumulated stress and despair, and reduce
the burden of chronic mental illnesses. There was almost universal acceptance in that era of the idea
derived from various cultures that artistic expression could considerably assist the healing process. It was
favourably met by health psychologists, who examined how art therapy aids in the healing of emotional
traumas, improved awareness of oneself and others, and the capacity for self-reflection. Many aspects of
people’s behaviours or psychological states might be remolded, and how art therapy could reduce mental
manifestations was also examined. These writings also exemplified how people’s fears and shyness could
be eclipsed. As a result, art therapy is now employed as a treatment modality in many areas, including
cancer patients, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, COVID-19 patients, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease [11,
12].
Art Therapy for Specific Populations
Art therapy has been used successfully for many different populations, from birth through the elderly
years and across the span of socially acceptable behaviors and psychopathologies. Use of art therapy
practice with specific populations is reviewed, focusing mainly on developmental issues that relate to the
effectiveness of art therapy with a special emphasis on treatment of trauma in children. Aspects of minor
applications of art therapy with veterans, the aged, and the medically fragile are then explored. In
addition to queries about the interactivity between art therapy practices and specific populations, an
extensive list of resources, both for clients and professionals, is included. The Clinical Art Therapist
(C.A.T.), a professional committed to the beneficial uses of art media and creative expression in a clinical
context, is highlighted. A commitment to the avoidance of art materials that infringe upon any
population’s sense of safety is made. It is anticipated that the future will include the professional practice
of Art Therapy and the understanding and potential of art media in dramatic and exciting ways. Art
therapy can offer veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder an effective medium of communication that
is an alternative to more traditional verbal approaches that are not experienced as feasible or safe. Several
reports have documented the use of art therapy with ex-combatants or other veterans who experience
PTSD around the world, including those in Uganda, Afghanistan, the UK, and the USA. With the

Page | 4
unwinding of hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, the role of art therapy in the treatment of returning
veterans and veteran suicide prevention has become a high priority. For active-duty military personnel,
the rapidly rising prevalence of PTSD has brought calls for urgent solutions. Through a review of self-
reported and researcher-generated descriptions of artifacts, including soldier drawings and installations,
the therapeutic role of art therapy with military personnel with battle trauma will be examined. Actively
defending nations and their borders places great stress on military personnel. The prevalence of
psychological trauma amongst ex-combatants is therefore high. Meaning in Life therapy is a talk therapy
that helps uncomplicated trauma victims, but may be too confrontational for veterans or those with
complex trauma [13, 14].
Art Therapy in Mental Health
Art therapy is a creative approach distinct from art education or entertainment. A certified art therapist
aims to treat mental illness and enhance self-awareness. It effectively reduces stress in chronic pain
patients and has shown positive results for survivors of trauma, like Fukushima disaster victims.
Adolescents with psychiatric disorders often respond better to non-verbal expression through art rather
than verbal communication. Art therapy uses creativity in color and imagery to help participants express
emotions and reveal memories. Health psychologists analyze artworks to understand health behaviors
and the healing process associated with art therapy. Research indicates art therapy helps with trauma
recovery, self-awareness, symptom relief, and changes in behavior and mindset. Techniques are explored
to link composition methods with psychological outcomes, examining how art can indicate psychological
states. The collaborative theme investigates what images reveal about creators' feelings, correlating art
with behavioral medicine. Sharing the aspects of art therapy demonstrates its healing impact on both
patients and therapists, even in non-verbal artworks [15, 16].
Art Therapy in Physical Rehabilitation
In an increasingly competitive environment, such as the workplace, a calming outlet for emotional stress
may be found outside of the immediate tension, through art. For many, this stems from a young age, in
doodles in the margins of lecture notes, posters made for a club or organization, or making cards for
family and friends. However, for some, it goes further. A creative outlet born of necessity becomes a
technique for coping with extreme emotional distress. Whether forming words with spiraling calligraphy,
shading in the black space around a simple ink drawing, or weaving colorful threads into intricate
patterns, creative expression grows into a balm for the spirit and a true art form. This engagement may
fully absorb the attention of the creator, a state in which they lose track of time and place, their version of
catharsis. In therapy, this state is exploited with the assistance of trained professionals, who guide the
production of art by patients with the goal of mental healing. However, the process may have significant
and unforeseen applications beyond psychology. In the field of physical therapy, recreation and exercise
are the mainstays. Initially of note were similarly instantaneous and physical techniques like dancing or
hula-hooping; however, the tangible arts remained in the periphery. As thinkers began to apply art theory
with more direct intention, reactions mingling body and mind began to shape inspiration and application
in unexpected ways. Stimulating the imagination through paintings became an integral technique within
treatments for strokes. After presenting the patient with laudatory and mood-boosting works, a drastic
reduction of depression, anxiety, and stress within similar patients was noted. Whether appreciating an
old “S” or mentally reclining towards a youthful “E,” 116 canvases were parsed with expertise, consulting
findings that an hour of passive art presentation could raise endorphins significantly [17, 18].
Cultural Considerations in Art Therapy
As with any treatment modality, cultural considerations of the art-making process must be adhered to
with care. Art therapists, especially in the public sector, must strive to understand items that may be
highly significant or potentially offensive to clients. Additionally, clinicians who are invited to lead
groups such as those at a homeless shelter may address a population that is culturally different from
them. Consideration may be given to how this has assuaged fear and confusion in each setting. For
private practice creative psychotherapists, there may be discomfort in presenting at a conference or
workshop with a highly different clientele. Clinicians may grapple with pens as props as they create with
a much-displaced vulnerability. As long as watchfulness is remembering, one may remain ready to
experience the unexpected and illuminate questions engendered by those who may reside in a culture of
disregarded heterodoxy. The present conundrum is how to hold that space generously.
Gedankenexperimente cooptions births self-consciousness. There may be boxes and walls of different
heights and hues, bubbled and barbed. Some governments ban black markers or chalk. And some fish
busily swim against gushing currents, while others slowly drift atop oily surfaces. To be outside a
person's world is to be awash with colors unimagined and textures unknown, and it is to have a hundred

Page | 5
healing questions spill into the mind. It is asking with honesty, “What, if anything, can I do? What life
can I give?” And mirthful agreeability can dart back even as hunger scratches ever deeper. Who is it to be
this way? Add in uncharted territories of deviance–impoverished or inebriated eyes abroad in
governments’ high-end establishments and shops serving an actress in red pumps and satin gloves,
orthodoxy erupts in a multitude of fissures [19, 20].
Challenges in Art Therapy
Despite the things that art therapy can do in terms of healing and growth, there are challenges that must
be faced. These include doubts about its legitimacy, about whether being creative can actually help
someone heal, about who could benefit from art therapy, and about how to present the work and claim its
value. Such doubts and challenges must be acknowledged and accepted, in the belief that art therapy is
both a legitimate, century-and-a-half-old professional discipline, and that it can be as valuable and valid,
as talking therapies. Nonetheless, these challenges must not be allowed to dominate the field or deter
practitioners from finding the courage and means to tell the stories of their work. Creative practitioners
invariably push the boundaries of their professions, and in the area of visual art, this is done via drawing
and writing. Drawings can communicate transient feelings and express thoughts and emotions that are
raw, vacuous, brutal, silly, or dazzling that words and even written images cannot. Written word, though
it may not have the same level of directness or immediacy, and despite the institutional parlance version
of it found in the work of some psychoanalysts, has the potential to be a highly expressive medium. In the
realm of art therapy, where the phenomenon of the written word occurs through a blending of creative
forms, different and more varied realms of communication open up [21, 22].
Future Directions in Art Therapy Research
Investigation into art therapy and the practice of art making by art therapists has been encouraged. They
explore how art therapy can be studied through subjective experience. Varied methods examining how
graduates from art therapy programs connect with their art can provide useful information, including
interviews, surveys, and autoethnography. If art educators and art therapists share a common role in
facilitating the connection of individuals with art therapy, education, and creative self-expression through
art making, as well as offering an empathetic viewer to artists and art makers, an increased body of
qualitative research documenting the methods and meanings of personal art making within a school
environment is desired. Precedence indicates this is an underexplored area of study within the field of art
education. It is hoped that this topic will stimulate creative thought and dialogue; that research will
include in-depth illustrative case studies that explore personal art making by pre-service art
therapists/art educators, including art educators currently at work; and that a diverse range of methods
be explored, including digital video, photo documentation, and narrative responses to the viewing of a
personal videotape recording of the artist creating and reflecting on artwork. Art therapy is also an
under-researched area of inquiry within art education, commending what has been achieved in academic
publications, including a recent special edition of Studies in Art Education dedicated to art therapy. Next
steps are called for, including widening the research focus beyond the important and productive
physiological studies, and sampling the experiences of clients, art therapists within a variety of work
settings, and supervisors of art therapists. Future research and writing opportunities include the
development of models of supervision, as little has been documented or explored in this area [23, 24].
Case Studies
Art can be a visible expression of thought and feeling and can embody events, fixations, and perceptions,
bringing them to a controlled field of attention. After flipping through a few magazines, I pulled images
that resonated strongly with what I felt. Using the words and images together, a collage was built,
establishing a visible “tangibility” to the feelings. The monumental emotional storm condensed into this
work was a shock itself. Having embodied the emotions, they were now able to see and be seen. No longer
“the storm,” they shifted to something outside of myself I could control, just as suggested. With each
phrase and image pasted on the board, I felt relief, a clearing sensation, and release. Afterward, the pain
remained but had transformed into mourning. This different energy fueled a different set of feelings
capable of being processed and worked through; the metaphorical storm shifted to something more akin
to swimming in the ocean. What had felt like a chaotic, raging tsunami became a medium to deconstruct.
By transforming rage through metaphorical inquiry, pain was reshaped, and insight was gained by
building mourning. With mourning came closure through the mediation of objects, helping metabolize
and solidify the emotions, specifically for the sake of letting go. The experience desecrated notions of art
that had previously been held. It was stimulating and led to a further understanding of the healing
potential of art. Though unexpected, some of life’s most traumatic emotions, experiences, and visions rose
to the surface. Initially, this was terrifying. With retrospective appreciation, the immediacy of the images

Page | 6
began to make sense. Trauma is the most constraining of all experiences: it borrows the witnessed event
and prioritizes everything else. Importantly, forms of translating trauma created an opening through
which response-ability returned. The understanding of how to create changed dramatically through this
exploration. Instead of approaching the material as the work itself, there became a more profound insight
into it being a medium through which something else reveals [25, 26].
Ethical Considerations
Protecting the confidentiality and right to privacy of clients is an important ethical responsibility of art
therapists. Because of the unique nature of visual art, confidentiality policies should encompass much
more than simple statements about locked files and places to conduct interviews. For art therapists, this
means keeping clients’ art and documentation anonymous and away from all potentially salacious eyes—
for instance, free from faxes, copiers, and email transmissions susceptible to nosy coworkers. Numerous
special events and exhibits throughout the country are held to share and celebrate the artistic creations of
clients in hospital, school, and institutional settings. This is a delicate balance, as exposure can benefit
clients while more private approaches may be warranted for other populations. Providing an informed
consent form early on in treatment may facilitate this process. This should spell out insurance or other
documentation requirements, an overview of how art and visual artwork will be used, indications of where
and with whom they will be shared, and the types of discharge documentation that might occur. Although
it is expected that clientele will understand disclosure conditions, some may enter treatment with limited
or no comprehension of the complexities of written English. It is often best to break down the document
and read it together, explaining particulars as they are addressed. Listening to a client speak of sexual
abuse can leave a health professional exposed to vivid, intrusive memories and powerful physical
sensations. Silence may be a perfect response to such a statement, as it creates a cradle within which the
client’s words can reverberate, standing alone and powerful. Nonetheless, myriad experiences can
accompany this listening. Some of these are so visceral, shameful, and discrediting that they cannot be
articulated effectively in words. Efforts to keep them inside can preclude eye contact, a stiff posture, and a
terse tone that sends a powerful message of incompleteness. Movements may be too heavy and awkward,
or too frantic, loud, and frenetic. If this tsunami of bodily-based responses is to affect the staff as
effectively as it does the client, it will need to find a means of expression that does not annihilate them in
the process [27, 28].
Training and Certification for Art Therapists
Currently, around 75 programs in the U.S. offer master’s degrees in art therapy, with one program
providing a doctoral degree. Coursework typically includes art therapy theory and practice, psychological
theory, research methods, human development, and various art forms. Programs generally require a
practicum and a supervised clinical internship of at least 600 direct client contact hours, usually over one
year. Non-English-speaking institutions must provide proof of English proficiency through original
TOEFL scores with their application. Art therapy graduate training varies significantly in size, faculty,
institutional culture, philosophy, and client demographics. Each program emphasizes specific areas of
focus, like age, setting, and diagnoses, and outlines its assumptions about art's therapeutic effects. Some
emphasize psychotherapeutic theories, while others prioritize the aesthetic, cultural, and research-
oriented aspects of art in treatment. Clinical, developmental, or neuropsychological approaches may also
be highlighted. Additionally, programs may focus on developmental or educational issues, including art
therapy with the elderly or in nursing homes. All art therapy programs mandate at least an
undergraduate degree in art or a related field, along with 18 hours of psychology coursework, and a 15-
month internship comprising 1,000 direct treatment hours, with at least 600 in client contact. Various
professional organizations cater to art therapists, including the American Art Therapy Association, the
American Association for Art Therapy, and the International Society for Art Therapy. Each organization
provides a distinct demographic and focuses on different aspects of art therapy and visual arts in health.
Even professional art associations have established committees dedicated to art therapy, highlighting its
increasing relevance in diverse cultural contexts [29-33].
CONCLUSION
Art therapy stands at the intersection of science, creativity, and healing. It leverages the power of artistic
expression to unlock emotions, access unconscious memory, and enable psychological transformation. As
evidenced by its application in treating a wide spectrum of mental and physical health conditions, art
therapy transcends verbal limitations and creates pathways for holistic healing. Its versatility, ranging
from highly structured tasks to free-form self-expression, allows tailored interventions that cater to
individuals of all ages, abilities, and cultural backgrounds. Despite its growing acceptance, the field still
lacks comprehensive qualitative and meta-analytic reviews that integrate its diverse methodologies and

Page | 7
outcomes. Going forward, a collaborative approach uniting neuroscientists, psychologists, art
practitioners, and cultural anthropologists will be vital in solidifying art therapy’s role within both
clinical and community settings. As a mode of restoring agency and meaning, art therapy proves that
healing can be as much a creative act as it is a medical one.
REFERENCES
1. Sigal NI. Integrating Body and Mind in Trauma-Focused Art Therapy Practice. International
Advances in Art Therapy Research and Practice: The Emerging Picture. 2021 May 6:22-32.
2. Shukla A, Choudhari SG, Gaidhane AM, Syed ZQ, Gaidhane A. Role of art therapy in the
promotion of mental health: a critical review. Cureus. 2022 Aug 15;14(8). cureus.com
3. Alzola P, Carnero C, Bermejo-Pareja F, Sánchez-Benavides G, Peña-Casanova J, Puertas-Martín
V, Fernández-Calvo B, Contador I. Neuropsychological assessment for early detection and
diagnosis of dementia: current knowledge and new insights. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024
Jun 12;13(12):3442.
4. Klein-Junior LC, de Souza MR, Viaene J, Bresolin TM, de Gasper AL, Henriques AT, Vander
Heyden Y. Quality control of herbal medicines: From traditional techniques to state-of-the-art
approaches. Planta medica. 2021 Oct;87(12/13):964-88. thieme-connect.com
5. Kossak M. Attunement in expressive art therapy: Toward an understanding of embodied
empathy. Charles C Thomas Publisher; 2021 Jun 25.
6. Malik S. Using neuroscience to explore creative media in art therapy: A systematic narrative
review. International Journal of Art Therapy. 2022 Apr 3;27(2):48-60.
7. Allen PB. Art is a way of knowing: A guide to self-knowledge and spiritual fulfillment through
creativity. Shambhala Publications; 1995 Apr 11.
8. Hunter SR. Drawing soldiers out of post-traumatic stress disorder. Military medical research.
2019 Dec;6:1-3.
9. Reilly RC, Lee V, Laux K, Robitaille A. Creating doorways: finding meaning and growth
through art therapy in the face of life-threatening illness. Public Health. 2021 Sep 1;198:245-51.
10. Uka GO, Uka OE. Art therapy as a healing concept for the mentally challenged: Artistic
approach. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research. 2022 Dec 28;19(4):280-9.
11. Rahna KA, Nithya R. Efficacy of integrated art therapy on social competence, self-esteem, and
personal growth initiative among adolescents from tribal areas. Indian Journal of Health and
Wellbeing. 2022 Jun 1;13(2):197-201. [HTML]
12. Hasan Alam F, M Atia M, A Hassan R, I Rashed N. Effectiveness of art therapy on aggressive
behavior and self-esteem among children with learning disorders. Egyptian Journal of Health
Care. 2022 Jun 1;13(2):2080-96. ekb.eg
13. Ketch RA, Rubin RT, Baker MR, Sones AC, Ames D. Art appreciation for veterans with severe
mental illness in a VA Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center. Arts & Health. 2015
May 4;7(2):172-81.
14. Backos A. Post-traumatic stress disorder and art therapy. Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 2021 Jan
21.
15. Ongesa TN, Ugwu OP, Ugwu CN, Alum EU, Eze VH, Basajja M, Ugwu JN, Ogenyi FC, Okon
MB, Ejemot-Nwadiaro RI. Optimizing emergency response systems in urban health crises: A
project management approach to public health preparedness and response. Medicine. 2025 Jan
17;104(3):e41279.
16. Shukla A, Choudhari SG, Gaidhane AM, Syed ZQ, Gaidhane A. Role of art therapy in the
promotion of metal health: a critical review. Cureus. 2022 Aug 15;14(8).
17. Alwledat K, Al-Amer R, Ali AM, Abuzied Y, Adnan Khudeir F, Alzahrani NS, Alshammari SR,
AlBashtawy M, Thananayagam T, Dehghan M. Creative art therapy for improving depression,
anxiety, and stress in patients with stroke: A quasi-interventional study. SAGE open nursing.
2023 Mar;9:23779608231160473.
18. Hartanto D, Fauziah M, Moog RC, Rizal Y, Herdiansyah D, Hanum NC. Virtual Art Therapy
for Adolescence Mental Health Education: Systematic Literature Review and Future
Perspectives. Indonesian Journal on Learning and Advanced Education (IJOLAE). 2025 Mar
8:233-51. ums.ac.id
19. Ma ZZ, Wu JJ, Cao Z, Hua XY, Zheng MX, Xing XX, Ma J, Xu JG. Motor imagery-based
brain–computer interface rehabilitation programs enhance upper extremity performance and
cortical activation in stroke patients. Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation. 2024 May
29;21(1):91. springer.com

Page | 8
20. Zawadi NK. Exploring Ethical Considerations in Art Therapy. RESEARCH INVENTION
JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION.;4(1). rijournals.com
21. Srolovitz M, Borgwardt J, Burkart M, Clements-Cortes A, Czamanski-Cohen J, Ortiz Guzman
M, Hicks MG, Kaimal G, Lederman L, Potash JS, Yazdian Rubin S. Top ten tips palliative care
clinicians should know about music therapy and art therapy. Journal of palliative medicine. 2022
Jan 1;25(1):135-44. [HTML]
22. dello Stato AC, Staatsbibliothek RB, Furtwängler N, Furtwängler-Scheler N, Maps G, Brunn N.
Archival sources. Communities and knowledge production in archaeology.;1953:217.
23. Lawson S. Testamentary Capacity in Canada: A Call for Medical-Legal Co-Operation. Windsor
Rev. Legal & Soc. Issues. 2022;43:76.
24. Nikolaidou S, Kouki H, Zgeras G, Anthopoulou T. Co-designing an Educational Game on Food
Sovereignty: Insights from a Participatory Research Project in Greece. Food Ethics. 2025
Jun;10(1):4.
25. Ugwu CN, Ugwu OP, Alum EU, Eze VH, Basajja M, Ugwu JN, Ogenyi FC, Ejemot-Nwadiaro
RI, Okon MB, Egba SI, Uti DE. Medical preparedness for bioterrorism and chemical warfare: A
public health integration review. Medicine. 2025 May 2;104(18):e42289.
26. Dinham J, Baguley M, Simon S, Goldberg M, Goldberg M. Improving the uptake of arts
education for student wellbeing: A collaborative autoethnography that highlights potential areas
of focus. International Journal of Education & the Arts. 2024 Jan 25;25(2). ijea.org
27. Kühnapfel C, Fingerhut J, Brinkmann H, Ganster V, Tanaka T, Specker E, Mikuni J,
Güldenpfennig F, Gartus A, Rosenberg R, Pelowski M. How do we move in front of art? How
does this relate to art experience? Linking movement, eye tracking, emotion, and evaluations in a
gallery-like setting. Empirical Studies of the Arts. 2024 Jan;42(1):86-146. sagepub.com
28. Chamberlain R. Perception and cognition in visual art experience. InThe Routledge
International Handbook of Neuroaesthetics 2022 Sep 6 (pp. 295-314). Routledge. [HTML]
29. Rizinski M, Peshov H, Mishev K, Chitkushev LT, Vodenska I, Trajanov D. Ethically responsible
machine learning in fintech. IEEE Access. 2022 Aug 29;10:97531-54. ieee.org
30. Ugwu CN, Ugwu OP, Alum EU, Eze VH, Basajja M, Ugwu JN, Ogenyi FC, Ejemot-Nwadiaro
RI, Okon MB, Egba SI, Uti DE. Sustainable development goals (SDGs) and resilient healthcare
systems: Addressing medicine and public health challenges in conflict zones. Medicine. 2025 Feb
14;104(7):e41535.
31. Khan F, Mer A. Embracing artificial intelligence technology: Legal implications with special
reference to European Union initiatives of data protection. InDigital transformation, strategic
resilience, cyber security and risk management 2023 Sep 28 (pp. 119-141). Emerald Publishing
Limited. [HTML]
32. Giacomucci S. Addiction, traumatic loss, and guilt: A case study resolving grief through
psychodrama and sociometric connections. The Arts in Psychotherapy. 2020 Feb 1;67:101627.
33. Kossak M. Attunement in expressive art therapy: Toward an understanding of embodied
empathy. Charles C Thomas Publisher; 2021 Jun 25.
CITE AS: Ahairwe Frank (2025). Art Therapy: Healing Through
Creativity. EURASIAN EXPERIMENT JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES
AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 7(2):1-8

Art Therapy: Healing Through Creativity (www.kiu.ac.ug)

More Related Content

Similar to Art Therapy: Healing Through Creativity (www.kiu.ac.ug)

More from publication11

Recently uploaded

Art Therapy: Healing Through Creativity (www.kiu.ac.ug)