Description of The Healing Powers of Art Making

I am always looking for good descriptions of what art therapy is and what makes art making so healing. Here is a great synopsis (written by colleague, art therapist Fredricka Brooks: website: http://www.fredrickabrooks.com/) which includes so many of the important aspects of the creative process of art making that makes it so powerfully healing:

“It has been my experience that people use and benefit from art-making in many different ways, including: making art as a way to be seen, finding pleasure and joy in the process, as a vehicle for self expression, as a way to communicate, as a way to care for oneself, a way of developing and learning new coping skills, relaxing, learning to work to completion, learning to self-start, and meditate. Art-making can increase self-esteem through pride about one’s work, creating meaning through making images, metaphors, and stories, witnessing oneself develop a visual language that is unique, and taking pride in oneself and one’s identity as an artist.”

Thank you, Fredricka!!!