Another argument people have against art therapy is that art therapy is only beneficial to one group of people: those who already have an interest in art. This could be true. Those who are already interested in art would likely be more interested in art therapy, as opposed to more traditional forms of therapy. This may be because they are more comfortable talking about their own work than their feelings and emotions.

 

However, to Tally Tripp, director of an art therapy clinic at George Washington University, art therapy is diverse and universal. When asked about people in art being drawn to art therapy, Tripp can recalls a story about a man referred to her to find his emotional depth. He was skeptical, like most, and not very interested in art. After his first session, however, he was able to draw en emotional concept he had never been able to put into words. From here, he found a new appreciation for art as a whole. As for those most suited for art therapy, Tripp suggests everyone is. Children’s “natural language is through art and play” and thus they are good candidates for the therapy, however, adolescents are also “good candidates for art therapy because they may be resistant to traditional talk therapies.” She also confides that adults are children at heart and also like getting into the creativity and exploration of art (Frank, 2015). Art therapy, therefore, is not just for one type of person, nor should it be.