Art Therapy in the Modern Workplace
Art Therapy in the Modern Workplace
In its truest form, art therapy involves a psychologist overseeing a patient who engages in creating art. The creation process itself is meant to be therapeutic, allowing the patient to concentrate on a single task to the point where he or she may be more receptive to discussion with the psychologist, even about difficult issues. In a broader sense, however, art therapy can also be used to a great benefit in the modern workplace. Managers face a number of difficult tasks in setting up their businesses, not the least of which is the fact that most (workers and managers alike) often don’t pay particular attention to their work environment. Work is seen as a place that must be gone to, rather than a place one wants to go to. No doubt that the work itself has something to do with this, but office managers are now using different forms of art therapy to aid in invoking positive emotions in their employees.
Art therapy in the modern workplace is more passive, in contrast with the direct involvement of the psychologist in the one-on-one patient-doctor setting. Office managers interested in how their space interacts with employees can hire art therapists to come into a workspace and make recommendations not only for the kind of art to include, but its specific placement as well. Entire aesthetics can be created in this way, possibly incorporating input from the employees as well. Periodically, art therapists may continue the process with surveys designed to get employees thinking about individual art pieces in their environment. Based on this data, the art therapist can then make recommendations based on survey results to create additional arrangements.
Depending on their budgetary concerns, office managers may also wish to use art therapy more directly with their employees. Many art therapists will agree to host a group activity based around art, getting employees engaged with watercolors, clay sculpture, or a variety of other choices. Managers may elect to encourage regular teambuilding exercises with art therapy as the centerpiece, especially when adding new employees to the mix or dealing with a traumatic event in the office.
Though art therapy is growing in popularity, well-known art therapists still aren’t very common outside major municipalities. Interested managers are encouraged to pursue one of the many online art forums that allow users to connect, as well as view and comment on each other’s work. The wider the user base of such a forum, the higher the chance that there will be a number of art therapists among its regular users. Artists themselves are a great resource for connecting managers with art therapists who may be nearby.
Keywords: modern workplace, art therapy, office manager, art therapist