Through creativity, humans can connect in ways that do not need words. Color on a canvas, notes on a piano, clay in a kiln can speak louder than any voice, conveying feelings that cannot be easily explained. Art therapy is a method used by many doctors and therapists who are looking to aid communication within their patients. One of the groups of people who have seen a lot of benefits from using art as a communication tool is the autistic community.
According to the CDC as of 2023, 1 in 36 children are on the autistic spectrum. Every case is different and the phrase, “if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person” rings very true. Art therapy may not work for every autistic person, but it is a method of expression that benefits many within the community. The beauty of it lies not only in its ability to bridge a communication gap but also in its therapeutic, developmental, and creative benefits. There is beauty in reaching that level of connection, to be understood through art.
Art Therapy is described by the American Art Therapy Association as, “a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and self-awareness, and achieve insight."
Art therapy can be done in a variety of ways. It all depends on the person. Whether it’s structured, open-ended, or working toward a goal, the purpose is to create an environment that fosters engagement and self-expression. When it comes to autism, art therapy can be especially helpful to those who are nonverbal or have a difficult time processing language. What seems to happen with autistic individuals who cannot be placed in a traditional classroom setting is that their opportunities for everyday artistic activities can be limited. This is where art therapy comes in, giving those individuals an outlet into artistic media.
It’s important to note that art classes and art therapy are not the same. Rather than teaching people how to do certain artistic techniques, art therapy is a way to communicate and tap into emotions. “Many autistic people think visually ‘in pictures.’ Art allows them to use their abilities to process memories, record images and visual information, and express ideas through drawing or other media. Art is a form of expression that requires little or no verbal interaction, and it can open doors to communication” (Source).
While there’s limited studies when it comes to the benefits of art therapy for autistic people, the existing studies discovered many benefits to art therapy including the discovery of talent, improvements in the ability to recognize and respond to facial expressions along with symbolic interpretation, and improvement of both fine motor skills and sensory aversions. The beauty of autistic art is that it highlights the strengths of the artists. Creative expression through art gives autistic people a chance to create just as they are, nobody trying to “fix” them or place them into a neurotypical box. People on the spectrum tend to perceive the world differently, thus autistic people develop different ways of communicating, learning, thinking, and problem solving than others. Differences are not bad, nor should they be considered weaknesses. As Pierce from The Guggenheim so eloquently puts it, the differences represent “diversity of the human experience” (Source).
Looking further into the article from The Guggenheim, there is a touching story from Sharon Zhang, mother to Lizzie who was diagnosed with autism four months before she turned three. While the diagnosis was a shock at first, Zhang began reveling in small achievements, trying to understand her daughter and encourage her interests. When that interest turned to art when Lizzie was four years old, Zhang was in awe of her talent saying, “her drawings weren’t simply doodles on a piece of paper. Lizzie’s art was a window into her mind, like a visual language.”
Zhang tried taking her daughter to the Guggenheim Museum, but the stimulation was too much. Instead, she enrolled her in the Guggenheim for All (GFA) program, which is “a unique initiative that aims to create a welcoming, accessible, and nonjudgmental experience for visitors with autism and sensory sensitivities.” Through this program that collaborates with the Brooklyn Autism Center, it was like Lizzie had a sense of direction to go with her creativity, an outlet. “You can get lost, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. But now she has a guide.”
It’s programs like these that give people on the spectrum, especially children, a place to express themselves without judgement. The way the program looks at it, one does not need to be extraordinary to be valid in their creative projects. They exhibit inclusion by allowing ordinary, a chance to be themselves, in a safe space. Providing spaces like these also help give autistic artists the support and encouragement to pursue art forms not only for the love of it, but the opportunity to make money doing it.
Lizzie and Sharon Zhang’s story is one of many who have found comfort and encouragement through programs like the one at The Guggenheim. There are many other beautiful existing examples, one close to the heart of Savage Content. While our entire All Without Words event was about the beauty of autism and art, we also worked with four artists on the autism spectrum who were commissioned to create paintings inspired by each song variation from the All Without Words Live music program. Looking at the final pieces from each artist, they’re all in different styles, but all represent the artist putting brush to canvas and what they wanted to express from listening to the music.
This All Without Words music program was written by Justin Morell, who created it after being inspired by his nonverbal autistic son Loren’s vocalizations. These pieces were a way for father and son to connect, for Morell to better understand his son and ponder what the world looks like through his eyes. Loren’s vocalizations often sounded like singing to his father, and while Loren cannot be become a traditional musician like Justin, he is communicating through his vocalizations. This type of communication is how he is heard.
Making the decision to pursue art therapy is entirely up to the individual, but those in search of an art therapist can identify one by their master’s degree and certification by the Art Therapy Credentials Board. The Credentials Board has an online locator function where one can specify what kind of therapist they’re looking for. From there, it is a matter of calling the therapist up to verify and better understand their credentials, if for example, one is looking for a therapist with experience working with autistic individuals.
Written by Kristen Petronio via The Butterfly Journal
التعليم الروحي تحت إشراف شيخ روحاني
تحت إشراف شيخ روحاني، يمكن للأفراد الاستفادة من دروس ودورات تعليمية تهدف إلى تعزيز الفهم الروحي والديني. تشمل هذه الدروس مواضيع متنوعة مثل تفسير القرآن، الحديث الشريف، الفقه، والعقيدة. من خلال هذه الدروس، يمكن للأفراد بناء قاعدة معرفية قوية تساعدهم في تحقيق النمو الروحي.
إن التعليم الروحي تحت إشراف شيخ روحاني لا يقتصر على المعرفة النظرية فقط، بل يشمل أيضًا التطبيق العملي للقيم والمبادئ الدينية في الحياة اليومية. هذا يساعد الأفراد على تحقيق توازن بين الحياة الروحية والمادية، مما يساهم في تحقيق السعادة والرضا الداخلي.
دور شيخ روحاني في حل المشكلات الروحية والنفسية
يواجه العديد من الأفراد مشكلات روحية ونفسية تؤثر على حياتهم اليومية. يقوم شيخ روحاني بدور المستشار والمرشد في مثل هذه الحالات، حيث يقدم النصائح…