21 May 2018

Water Color Painting Therapy With Jo Ann Danchik

By Dorothy Hughes


Art is truly an expression of self and truth. Well, that is something that many artists attest to be true, one such form of expression that has gained popularity is the art form of watercolour painting therapy. Yes, according to Jo Ann Danchik, art as a form of expression can be used as a therapy tool for most children and adults. Art is a non-invasive way of posing questions and getting the answers, you need without the individually affected feeling vulnerable or manipulated.

Therapy is a form of treatment that is highly recommended for people suffering from dementia or Alzheimer. At its core, therapy allows the individual a safe place to truly express themselves and their emotions without the burden and the expectation to remember who they are and also recognize friends and family. Therapy allows patients to feel normal as if they are getting to know a new person. This method of therapy does, however, stop working as the Alzheimer stages start to grow.

The addition of water colours is a form of psychological programming. Colours are a brain stimulus that is taken in through sight. Using colour helps the individual to associate feelings to specific colours and as such attach them to certain aspects of their memory. Often when a traumatic event or situation occurs it is the brain s default to protect itself from the feeling linked to that particular event. This is when you will find cases of temporary dementia after a traumatic incident, where people report not being able to recall specific details or occurrences within their story. This is because the brain has decided to supress those emotions and thoughts in an attempt to protect the person from the pain and fear they experienced.

Colour has been shown to have a specific positive effect on the brain. With certain colors accessing certain parts of the brain and releasing certain chemicals. Bright colors such as pink and yellow signal joy and life, while colors such as red may signal danger or blood. Darker colors such as black or navy blue are symbols of more ambient and gloomier scenes.

When these colors are used during therapy on people with Alzheimer it signals muscle memories within the brain and enters the brain s memory centre where patients can then link colors to specific memories, feelings and thoughts. When the colors are a lot lighter as is the case with watercolors they create a layer of serenity as the colors aren t as intrusive to the patient s mind.

In a number of cases, displacement of emotions tends to occur. Where the individual will place blame on themselves. Using painting allows individuals to correctly asses the event without dissecting it. Although some argue that art doesn t fully get to the bottom of the issue, many therapists disagree.

Associating colors with specific feelings, memories and thoughts are only the first steps. The second step of this form of art therapy is having the patient paint an image. This could be an image from their own past or a completely unrelated image. Painting these images helps the patient assign colors to specific parts of the image which can be quite revealing of a patient s state of mind.

Art is a form of freedom, and one thing that Alzheimer s patients are in need of is a little freedom from the burden of their condition. Art allows for that escape and gives them something to use to hold on to some of their memories or to access these memories again.




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