Art therapy is a protocol-based designed intervention by a certified practitioner who incorporates some elements of creative expression through visual art media for the well being of a psychologically disturbed person; rehabilitation after cure from a medical condition due to illness, injury or surgery; as well non-art benefits for peoples with special needs. In a way, art therapy is an enabling service based profession to improve the functions of a person.
Besides the psycho-therapeutically through analytical art therapy and medical use of art therapy for rehabilitation, art therapy is being used to help people with special needs to improve cognitive skills, -sensory-motor functions, coordination skills, attentiveness and self awareness.
In the early childhood and for children with special needs, art should be used for cognitive, fine motor kinesthetics, and coordination skills gains.
The formal art should be introduced at the age of nine, but before that experiences in visual areas such as visual symbols, stick drawing, shape drawing be given as a part of acquiring literacy skills, I believe.
According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is 'an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psycho-therapeutic relationship.'
The non-art use of art has been tried by me at Disha-A Resource Centre for Multiple Disabilities in Jaipur for cognitive gaind, fine motor training, enhancing attentiveness, fine moror training and coordination skills.
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