Art has many powerful qualities and attributes that help us witness our own feelings and experiences in life. Specifically, collage as a medium can really aid us to dig deeper regarding our emotions, create new meaning from mundane things, as well as assist us in working towards healing from trauma. In its simplest definition, collage is a medium used in art that involves cutting and pasting images together to create a new image. There are many reasons why using collage either inside or outside of therapy, can help us better process and acknowledge our own life:
Symbolism. Collage allows us the freedom to call on higher cognitive functions to use a variety of images in pursuit of creating new meaning. Often, collage affords us the chance to create art that is multilayered and helps us attune to both the metaphorical and concrete parts of reality. For example, a picture of a flower can be just a flower, or it could be a symbol of growth/happiness/etc. It’s your choice!
Inner Critic Fighter. Art making can sometimes be difficult to access when our inner critic is constantly fighting back. Collage as a medium is a helpful tool to allow our inner critic to slow down and be more open to the idea of creating. Due to utilizing other’s images (from magazines, photos, advertisements, etc.,) it allows us to get into a state of creation that isn’t always inherently rooted in technique or skill.
Engagement. With a medium like collage, it allows for active engagement throughout the entire process. From flipping and browsing through magazine catalogs, to ripping or cutting up papers, to gluing things down in intentional places, the act of building a collage involves engagement with your body in ways that can have a playful and embodied value.
Structure. The medium itself, whether prompted in a facilitated or unplanned state, allows folks a sense of control and containment. From the very start of building a collage, down to the end, the artist has full control over the medium (what images to stick down, where to place them, and what they want it to represent). This quality in the medium is extremely helpful for aiding in empowering people, beginning to heal from trauma and regaining a sense of control.
Amongst all the wonderful art mediums that a person can use to explore themes that come up both in and outside of therapy, collage is truly versatile in its ability to make space for our reactions to life experiences through symbolic expression. Often collage is associated as being an art activity that is reserved for younger school children, but in fact, collage can be used by anyone and can be utilized to process and hold both intense and positive subject matter in a dialectical way.
Art is for everyone, and what better way to dive into the world of art than by grabbing an old magazine, some glue and creating meaning from the scraps.
Alyson Rezendes, MA, attended Lesley University, where she received her masters in clinical mental
health counseling with a specialization in art therapy. She is passionate about working alongside clients, acknowledging the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Alyson is confident in supporting those navigating eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD and grief, as well as folks who are in transitional periods of life.
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