Art Therapy and Palliative Care

Abstract

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. This presentation reviews the tenets of art therapy as they apply to assessment and intervention with patients in palliative care.