ABSTRACT
Conceptually understanding the historical context, origins, and functions of art and its many forms is imperative for grounding and comprehending its application in the psychotherapy process. Art making, as a naturally arising human activity, corresponds to our need to express our condition, intrinsically and extrinsically, and so it is naturally related to psychological process and understanding. Technological advances, changes in societal attitudes, personal histories, and the like give shape to different understandings of art. Understanding such changes assists us in seeing our relationship to art, how we see arts potential, and what our immediate cultural prejudices may blind us to. Acknowledgment of aesthetics, defined by its ability to elicit feelings, and cultural ideals is essential to utilizing art in psychotherapy, which runs counter to objectivity. The work of employing the arts in psychotherapy is about honoring the individual in his or her immediate context, which both makes sense and is valuable.
