Art and Healing: Using Expressive Art to Heal Your Body, Mind, and Spirit

by Barbara Ganim

Artists have always known intuitively what science is just beginning to that creating a visual image through any medium can produce physical and emotional benefits for both the creator as well as those who view it. Most important, you don't need to think of yourself as an artist or even believe you have any "talent" to tap into the healing powers of art.
        
In this remarkable testament to the power of creativity, Barbara Ganim shows step-by-step how to use art to heal body, mind, and spirit. By using guided meditation and artistic techniques, you can gain insight and clarity into depression, anxiety, rage, and even illnesses, including cancer, arthritis, and AIDS.
        
At once inspirational and instructive, Art and Healing will teach you how to connect with negative, painful, and even repressed emotions, and then express them through drawing, painting, sculpture, or collage. Releasing these feelings through the creative process frees up the immune system and clears the mind, allowing the body to fight off disease and begin to heal emotional wounds. Filled with actual stories from those who have triumphed over adversity and with more than a hundred different pieces of artwork created using this groundbreaking method, Art and Healing is sure to provide the tools needed for healing body and spirit.

Genres: Art

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 1999

Reviews

[Deborah Charnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating to hear rational reasons for the benefits of art therapy. The book is filled with exercises so you can practice as you read. My only complaint is there are many images of expressive art, and I would have liked to see all color -- butI know that's costly.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for a self led art journey to heal body, mind and soul...

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an increasingly complex world, I have come to find Art Therapy is just as vast, with many different schools. I love Barbara Ganim's approach to art as a personal practice for emotional expression, self-discovery, creative development, and just plain fun! It's not in the same vein of 'art as psychotherapy' treatment. This book has a great many number of exercises that you can do in whatever order you like whenever you want.

It's a book that meets you where you are. Before I wrote this review, I found myself diving into the Healing the Body section because I recently started a medical treatment that I have conflicted feelings about. Barbara made me realize that attitude has a huge influence on my body's response to the treatment and her exercise helped me ascertain the feeling-images that I am currently holding. What stress I had! Through a series of drawings, I have created an image that directs my body and mid to work in harmony with the treatments - and go in with peace.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a guide to self-healing through the arts.

[Teri Temme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! The first I have read about Art and Healing and it was amazing. I enjoyed all of the exercises and case studies. I have always been interested in this subject and this was the perfect introduction.

Random quote from the book: "The important message here is to be certain that you have pushed yourself to explore every aspect of your imagery and every association it suggests, no matter how remote or insignificant it may seem."

Powerful stuff!

[Tristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book on the healing power of art.

[Laura]

*Did not finish