Feedback from patients on their Art Therapy experiences
These evaluation surveys are completed at the end of therapy and again at six months after finishing therapy. Clients are asked how the art therapy sessions have been helpful to them.
In what ways has your therapy been helpful to you?
I am now more aware of myself and behaviour towards others. Things that I had never even thought of before as problems now make perfect sense as to why they were causing me so much stress.
In what ways has therapy been less helpful than you had hoped?
It hasn’t at all, other than maybe could’ve been longer, but then I am not sure.
When comparing your life now to how it was before therapy, would you say that your life has changed for the better?
Before I was withdrawn and pushed people away, even my husband and kids, now I am more open and accepting. I also used to be a fairly negative person which has changed to a more positive outlook on life.
Additional comments:
I would just like to thank Matthew for the time and energy he spent working with me. I know I am not the easiest of people but I am definitely a better person now for it.
What has been positive about your therapy?
The therapist was very accepting of me and I felt safe and trusted him very quickly. He is the only person in my life that I have trusted in such a way and who I felt cared about my welfare and really wanted to help me. I feel like I have grown as a person and got to know myself better – almost like a growing up process.
How helpful do you feel the experience, outcome or insight will be to you in the future?
Extremely helpful.
Do you think there is anything that remains unresolved?
Feeling trapped in my relationship due to fear of being alone, financial constraints and practical reasons.
How much of a hindrance this will feel in the future?
Moderate hindrance.
Satisfaction with service received?
Very satisfied.
On the basis of your experience would you recommend this service to a friend?
Would definitely recommend this service to a friend.
Additional comments:
Art Therapy helped me to get in touch with my feelings that I was not able to identify before. I wish every person with mental health issues could get the support that I got. My therapist was an amazing person. A true gem – I’ve learned more from him than from anyone I’ve ever met before in my life.
Therapy still helps a great deal (six months after completion).
I have continued with my (own) art. I am using what I learnt to cope with my mental illness. A big thank you… and for all your help throughout the year.
What has been positive about your therapy?
The entire ‘therapy’ experience has been a positive one. Primarily I’ve learnt so much about myself which I think will help me in the future.
How helpful do you feel the experience, outcome or insight will be to you in the future?
Extremely helpful.
Do you think there is anything that remains unresolved?
I’m not sure anything can ever be ‘resolved’ only better understood. My feelings of shame, guilt and anger will no doubt return. But I feel better equipped to deal with them.
How much of a hindrance this will feel in the future?
Slight hindrance.
Satisfaction with service received?
Very satisfied.
On the basis of your experience would you recommend this service to a friend?
Would definitely recommend this service to a friend.
What has been positive about your therapy?
Understanding why I am like I am so this is making me understand and more able to deal with life. Thank you therapist for your time. It has been very helpful and has changed my life.
Satisfaction with service received?
Very satisfied with therapy service.
On the basis of your experience would you recommend this service to a friend?
Would definitely recommend this service to a friend.
What has been positive about your therapy?
I have been able to understand my dreams and subconscious thoughts and behaviours better over the duration of therapy. Also I have felt empowered to take some positive action in regards to my feelings by doing the artwork (in therapy) I have been more able to express myself.
Satisfaction with service received?
Very satisfied with therapy service.
On the basis of your experience would you recommend this service to a friend?
Would definitely recommend this service to a friend.
Do you think there is anything that remains unresolved? How much of a hindrance this will feel in the future?
Moderate hindrance about what feels unresolved but definitely feel a lot better than what I did.
Is there anything particularly good about your care?
I feel my life has now improved immensely as a result of the type of therapy I received (art therapy) and cannot praise the therapist / therapy highly enough.
Is there anything that could be improved?
I wish more people had heard about and understood the nature of art therapy - including other health care workers e.g. GPs.
Art Therapy helped me a great deal over the last year, more so than I ever expected. Thank you.
I’m able to name emotions, like anger. I’m aware of my negative behaviours which can lead to an episode of mania or depression. I’m aware I can minimise my problems. Just being aware of these traits has helped me make small changes.
I feel the therapy has benefitted me significantly. I know better now what my limits are and the issues in my past that raise problems for me and how to manage this so that my relationships don’t suffer, or at least to minimise the impact.
I feel very lucky to have been given the opportunity to have the therapy and without it I’m not sure I could have managed everything in my life. My therapist was excellent and clearly well-skilled and the client-therapist match was a positive one and worked very well. THANK YOU!
Therapy has enabled me to reflect and attempt to act consciously and thoughtfully. I no longer rely on a strategy of blaming others or punishing myself.
Developing a therapeutic, creative and positive relationship with someone has given me a different template for some of my personal relationships.
Art is literacy of the heart.
Seth Godin
The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.
John Maynard Keynes - on creativity
Sometimes the hands can resolve a conundrum that the intellect has wrestled with in vain
Carl Jung