Art is a good medium for expression as it is a none verbal exercise, which means the inner most thoughts, may be expressed in a way understood by the maker without revealing everything that may be uncomfortable in the way that verbal communication does. Just the act of making the art can be all absorbing and very therapeutic. By making art about ones thoughts and feelings one is creating an object that has a physical presence and a separation occurs from the maker of the thoughts and feelings being expressed and externalized into an entity of its own.
Memories can be created and kept in a sketch book for may years but looking back on them will create a sense of a journey and progression from these initial thoughts and feelings. Making marks on paper or canvas and using the paint in various different ways can be seen as expressive even if the art work has no narrative but is just a painterly exercise. It can be organic watching the paint freely move on the canvas and mixing colours.
Expressing things in a visual way is not always the familiar method to express for most adults but they, with persistence can create their own visual language. It can be interpreted differently by others and there is a sense of keeping ones privacy about the intention of the art making, unlike with language which we are quite adept with, it still is more direct and intrusive than mark making. In a therapy setting the creation of artwork can open up discussion about things that may be hidden or manipulated if language was the only conduit for therapy.
There is a sense of freedom when making art. Nothing is wrong, nothing is right.
recoverycardz 