As an adolescent, Malini had “selective mutism”, where she consistently failed to speak in specific social situations. It wasn’t a choice; it was anxiety, which interfered with her social communication. Consequently, she experienced pent-up emotions while her parents, in turn, struggled with understanding her emotional state. As a shy child, she relied on constant internal conversations with herself. But when her parents introduced her to the world of art and drawings, she felt a sense of liberation. This expressive method soon developed into her unique form of visual communication. Her drawings were not a substitute for her words; they were in addition to her vocabulary. As she approached her teenage years, she outgrew her old phobia and found herself happier to express via drawings, sketching, photography, videography and paintings. Today, Malini is a successful Art Therapist who helps palliative care cancer patients communicate through art.
The main aim of Art Therapy is to assist patients, in uncovering the underlined thoughts and emotions conveyed in their artwork and understanding its significance, thereby releasing their emotional burden and promoting relaxation. There are various form of art therapies that includes dance, drama and music therapy. However, visual art therapy stands out as the most widely used approach for terminally ill patients, due to its minimal physical demand. Many times, we are not aware of our subconscious mind, and it comes out through visual art.
Our only hope to heal Shabana was through visual art therapy. Yes Shabana, a palliative care patient suffering from carcinoma rectum and HIV +ve, was initially stoic and completely withdrawn, refusing all attempts by counselors at Karunashraya to engage in verbal communication or sharing.
During her first art therapy session itself, Shabana began showing interest in water colour painting, though still silent. In one session, she drew numerous water bubbles with scattered rocks between them. Malini, the professional visual art therapist, interpreted the drawing immediately that the bubbles represented Shabana’s fragile sense of safety, happiness, and self-worth, that can be easily “popped” and destroyed by the “rocks” of her past or present circumstances. This analysis unlocked a powerful emotional release, leading Shabana to burst into tears. Henceforth, she began to communicate about her past life and underlying fear and insecurities, resulting in a feeling of emotional lightness and relief. As rightly quoted by Maya Angelou, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Shabana was heard and cared for at Karunashraya. Her outpouring lightened her heart and lessened her fear.
Visual Art Therapy was instrumental in facilitating an internal change that verbal communication alone could not achieve. It has been proved that verbal expressions and their effects often linger with the patient long after the session is complete. Visual art therapy, however, yields a physical, tangible outcome in the form of artwork. This process signifies the release of thoughts and emotions from the patient’s system, leading to a profound feeling of emotional relief.
Through the integration of visual art into therapeutic interventions, the art therapist aims to encourage patients to share more information and concurrently contribute to the overall healing and mental well-being.
At BHT-Karunashraya, Visual Art Therapy has been used extensively to complement legacy work for terminally ill cancer patients. Its inclusion in palliative care enriches the practice of holistic care that Karunashraya strives to provide.
Author
Shilpi Agrawal, Volunteer at BHT – Karunashraya
Mandakini Menon, Volunteer at BHT – Karunashraya