Art Therapy

The Art Therapy classes are very popular with clients and very rewarding. Taught by professional artist volunteers, the classes provide students a medium of expression that is satisfying and therapeutic. While students learn the techniques of oil painting, they similarly learn how color and form convey emotion and feeling. In the classes clients explore their own creative response to the constraints and frustrations of disability; they paint with hands, feet, mouth or headgear – whatever means is available to them. Completing a painting is an accomplishment that affirms the student artist’s skill and sense of self-worth.

Classes meet on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, both morning and afternoon, and on Tuesday afternoons. Students gather between 9:00 and 10:00 to socialize and enjoy a light snack. 

The emphasis in art therapy is on the creative process, as the simple act of putting paint to canvas has both physiological and psychological benefits. Research shows that functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and breathing slow when people are immersed in an activity they enjoy. Creating art stimulates true neurological pathways from the brain to the hands.

For those with physical limitations or communication challenges, the artistic process provides an outlet for self-expression and promotes feelings of achievement and productivity. The completed artwork reveals to the artist what he or she can accomplish and enhances feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem.

As artists work alongside one another in a group setting, they find support and enjoyment in the company of others who share their unique experience in life. The components of the art therapy program are: oil and acrylic painting, crafting and cooking for the blind. For information on classes and fees, please contact Liz Disney, Director of Programs, 954-434-3306, Ext. 101