A recent report reveals that women with breast cancer receiving radiation treatment experienced improved mental health, physical health, and an overall higher quality of life after 5 sessions of art therapy.
The findings were a result of testing art therapy intervention among 41 women receiving radiation treatment for breast cancer. The women were randomly selected as part of one of two groups. The first group received five individual art therapy sessions for one hour per week, while the control group did not participate in any art therapy sessions.
The group of women with breast cancer that were selected to participate in art therapy had to answer questions about their quality of life before the start of radiation treatment, 2 months after radiation, and 6 months after the start of radiation treatment.
A trained art therapist administered each art therapy session and a variety of art materials were made available to the women with breast cancer. The same art materials were made available during all sessions: sheets of paper, a roll of paper, oil pastels in 48 colours and oil paints, tempera fluid, lead pencils, charcoal, adhesive tape, scissors and paintbrushes. The goals of the art therapy sessions were to give support, restore body image and reduce stress by giving the women sufficient time and space to reflect and express themselves.
After 6 months, the women who participated in the art therapy intervention showed an overall improvement in total health, quality of life, psychological and physical health. There was a significant and positive influence on future perspectives of self and body image.
Measuring the Quality of Life in Women Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
For many women, being diagnosed with cancer can cause fears of pain, dying, economic changes, social changes, and dependence. It can also affect a woman’s cognitive, emotional and social functioning. Both breast cancer and its treatment can cause various physical disabilities like hair loss, losing a breast, weight problems, and many other things which can cause women to feel alienated from their own bodies.
Women with breast cancer often feel lonely and isolated and worry about sparing other people’s feelings and concerns. The woman will often isolate herself from loved ones so they don’t become too emotionally involved. The findings of the report suggest that fostering an environment for women with breast cancer that allows them to express and comprehend their experiences and feelings will improve their quality of life. This is where the art therapy part of the study helps.
Art Therapy and Breast Cancer
Medical and professional art therapy supports the concept of the mind influencing the body in positive ways. There is more and more research about the benefits of art therapy, such as reduced symptoms from anxiety and depression, reduced stress, improved self-esteem, increased communication, and more energy among other things.
This particular study is part of a larger project on art therapy and breast cancer in women. Previous studies demonstrated improved coping resources for women with breast cancer and the ability of women to “access ideas and practices that gave legitimacy to an active protection of their own boundaries against demands by others.”
You can read more details about the report here.
This is great news! Cancer–as it is so prevalent and relatable to many people–is a good test subject to reveal the overall postive results of art therapy in general.
With less understanding of the cause and effect relationships in our lives this illuminates that creative expression is healing and a must for all of us. And for those in crisis a humane and gentle therapy.
Hi, I graduate high school in 2 months and I want to go to school to be an Art Therapist for children with cancer. Any ideas how I should go about doing this?
I am working at an organization that helps cancer patients to deal with their disease. We are, however, have a training programme next month where we are having a 3days retreat for the staff to give them training in some admin related issues. We are having 3 hours for rest/recreation and seeing that I am a artist, we are planning to introduce a very informal way of art therapy to our workers.
Something in the line of each one doing an individual painting of themselves as representative of any kind of tree. I am planning on using acrylic paint (which dries in the minimum amount of time).
Do you have any idea or “guidelines” that I can use. We will be about 15 people.
Thanks for keeping up this site and sharing all of your great ideas! I’m interested to know if you have any ideas on how to get a group “eased into” art therapy projects. In my experience, people are a little scared to enter into the creative process, especially people who have suffered trauma and who would like to avoid remembering their painful past. Looking forward to future posts!
@Anna Thanks for the kind words. Regarding easing a group into art therapy…It’s tough to say without knowing the exact situation, but I usually suggest using your best judgment (or the judgment of the person closest to the situation) and feeling out the people in the group. Some may be more comfortable than others, while some will be less comfortable. Maybe you start some off with a project that’s not directly related to the incident, relieving them of a some pressure, yet still initiating them into the process of creativity. Again, use your best judgment here.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment on my Jouneying Beyond Breast Cancer blog recently – I am so glad you did as it has led me to your excellent blog. I really enjoyed reading this post and I look forward to reading your posts in the future.
Hello,
Thank you for sharing all these.
I want to share news from Turkey similar to all those works. I am a psychologist-psychodrama trainer and I am using psychodrama with art therapy techniques. I have a group of women who are breast cancer. Also I am a
psycho-oncologist. I hope creativity will help all , to express themselves. I would like to hear comments about using psychodrama and art therapy techniques both. Because I did’t see any article about it. I will be so glad if you share your ideas. best wishes..
I’m writing a proposal for art therapy — do you have citation of this research study you can send me?
Thanks for your help!
I am working with an orgnization providing services to underserved, ethnic minority cancer patients. We believe that culturally responsive art therap could provide a very much needed resource for many of our cancer survivors. Any information regarding multi-cultural, or culturally sensitive art therapy programs?
Really great article. There’s a lovely non-profit organization named Portable Playhouse that provides a beading art therapy program to women and children: http://www.theportableplayhouse.org/
Hi,
I am Rana, I am a painter and an Art teacher. I have breast cancer. I have drawn and painted since childhood, befor I could talk I could draw… I drew stories, dreams, hopes and desires and I lived a little in all of the worlds I created… they released me from my NOW space and I became free of ‘other’! Now I am painting a series of print/paintings called…’Breast plates’ LOL …are these paintings about ‘armour’ to protect my heart? or painted breasts pressed against a canvas leaving an imprint to remember me as I once was?… I don’t know, but I do know that this artist that has always been in me is my best friend and supporter in this journey.