Creative Expression as Healing: The Benefits of Art on Mental Health

Abstract

This paper aims to gather abundant evidence which supports the use of the creative arts (music, visual art, creative movement, and/or drama) as a means of healing symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In other words, it will function as an examination of the creative arts' therapeutic benefits, particularly, their ability to reduce adverse mental health issues associated with PTSD. One challenge of treating PTSD symptoms with conventional methods of therapy such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is that depending on the individual experiencing the PTSD symptoms, verbal expression of self, symptoms, and traumatic experiences may not be viable. This paper explores the ways in which the creative arts not only serve as a beneficial and accessible means of treatment for individuals with PTSD, but one essential to improving one's mental health. This paper also analyzes the creative arts' ability to reduce PTSD symptoms within adolescents, adults, veterans, refugees, and active duty military service members, particularly, by increasing coping strategies, feelings of community, sense of control, and self-efficacy.