Pat - Prachayaporn Voranata, a new-gen art therapist who use arts to build the balance in life

“I believe that everyone has solution and inspiration to give to each other”

One rainy Wednesday late morning, I was sitting in the lobby of one building, which looked like a home office. This building is located behind a condominium that connects to Asok-Dindaeng road around Rama Nine. The atmosphere of this lobby gave a feeling like I was sitting in an art gallery where several pieces of art were arranged all over the room no matter on the wall or on the floor. While I was sitting and looking around, I heard a soft voice which made me meet with a woman who walked straight to me. She wore a navy blue dress that looked comfortable with shoulder-length hair that hung down naturally, which made her look warm and friendly. It made me think that this might be the kind of person that everyone could feel relaxed with and trust.

Before getting to know the art therapy process, I have some curiosity that is craft therapy which is my interest and art therapy art the same or not. So, I decided to ask an art therapist to see what is her opinion towards art and craft therapy. I spent 3 hours talking to her and information that I have got changed my perspective about art therapy differently.  There are several points similar to crafting, but art therapy is the thing that has to rely on professionals to run the process whereas craft therapy is more easy to do by an individual any time that they want. The outcomes of these two types of therapy are quite similar. I will bring you to see how the art therapy process can benefit peoples’ lives through the perspective of one new-generation art therapist at this time.

Pat - Prachayaporn Vorananta, is a new generation art therapist who dreamed about creating a safe zone for exchanging thoughts and understanding through the process of art therapy that she has studied in order to build balance for lives. This action can make people happier and have less stress. She believes that an art therapist is like a friend who is always ready to listen and help you to go through any problems by using a process that involves art therapy as an assistance for you to get over any obstacles in life. 

What is the real definition of art therapy?

Art therapy is a process for treating people who have some difficulties in life by using art and making creative arts as a medium to convey emotions, open space and build a safe zone for individuals. The process of art therapy  is like an alternative area to support, release emotions, thoughts and stories for people who are facing some difficulties in life. The art therapy process did not require art skills, but we emphasize on a journey, a journey to build understanding, awareness. Sometimes we work with letting go of emotions or feelings that happen within people’s mind until they reflect something that they are more understanding what they are facing or carrying at that moment.

Paintings of participants who come to studio Persona

Why did you choose to study about art therapy?

Actually, it happened since I was doing a thesis for my master degree. As I kind into education and interest on what arts can do to support children having critical thinking, it is about how to support children to think more reasonably. Also, how arts can help children to communicate more about the way that they are themselves. So, I decided to work on my project with children, which I worked on photographing and teaching about writing for reflection. While I was working with them, I observed that children’s work pieces reflected stories about them. But, i don’t know how to support them at that time, which means I’m not sure how to communicate about my worries, and make them trust me. Because I know the impact of communication or my words can possibly affect individuals for the whole life.

This made me research more about positive psychology in a form of children’s drawing then I found out there is one science called art therapy. And, I decided to continually study

after I finished my master degree. That’s all my story why I turn myself to be an art therapist

What is the goal of being an art therapist?

The main duty of art therapists is creating a safe zone. It is like we are caretakers who look out for mainly the security of individuals. We suggest solutions and equipment, and also being such a friend who supports individuals to work on the art therapy process. No matter if it is questioning, helping people find and giving them time to understand themselves more whereas an art therapist is a one relationship like friendship with no judgement and helps people find what individuals are truly need. 

Art therapist’s office

What is the beginning of studio Persona?

Studio Persona inspired my own imagination since I was eight years old. I grew up drawing and playing alone cause I’m an only child. I lived in Bangkok since I was born, so my parents were busy with their work at that time. Luckily , my parents at least give me chances to use the arts to play or learn. There was a part of my life where I studied arts at one place. This place is like a home with a small garden. Then one day I felt that I wanted to open my own art school or create some spaces for people to come and they would feel happy like when I was at that house at that time of my life. So that is the inspiration which has attached with me since when I was young. I feel that everybody has some stories which can inspire each other, but they lack spaces or areas to share. So, that is the reason why I want to create some spaces for anyone who is interested in art and the process of art therapy coming to share.

One room in studio Persona for doing art activities

How can we know that we start to have some stress?

We can know by observing ourselves when we start to have sleeping disorders and routine changes. For example, lack of energy, drowsiness, no motivation to wake up and live a life. Actually, our body is such a good friend for us, it will send us signs which we can acknowledge that there is something happening to our body. And, if I have to suggest the way to solve it, finding someone close that you can trust and rely on and also knowing that they will not judge you from what you are. Maybe you can ask them for some consults or share it with them, that might be a significant beginning.

As an art therapist, do you ever experience some stress?

Personally, I have some stress and many responsibilities that are variables in life which definitely are not different from others. Solutions that I build the balance of my life and sometimes support when I face some stress is firstly I exercise. Secondly is writing, which I will write a lot as I think that writing is not a complex process that we can do immediately whenever we want. Meaning that I  continually write and let all my thoughts and feelings release on that space first. It is like I have already released in my safe zone which is that notebook. Another thing that I will do when I have a chance is that I will always maintain my work life balance such as not working too hard and trying to manage my sense of awareness when anxiety comes in place. I try to find its balance by actively observing my feelings. Sometimes I tell my stress to my close friends or someone that I trust, and I can talk with them about stress and anxiety that I have. Another thing that I do is that I practice letting go of my feelings by trying to live in the present, not stress over the past or the future. Honestly, I think the way we practice as we keep on living helps improve our work life balance despite we might have stress coming in, but with this solution we would be able to detect it earlier. That way, we can decrease our stress level faster, giving us more options for our feelings. 

Based on Pat’s answer towards this question, she also said to me that she has to be able to clear her emotions and control her feelings and thoughts as much as she can. This is because of her duties as an art therapist who sacrifices herself to listen and help people to deal with their emotions. In order to build creativity and responsibility for her career, I think knowing solutions to handle with herself first is the best way to increase the credibility for her work, and also make her customers feel confident and trust that telling their stories to her will make them feel better.

There is one article that said doing crafts and arts helps people release stress. What do you think about it?

I think it is quite true because the main assumption of doing arts or crafts is that giving chances for people to use their own hands doing things, also opening a sense of consciousness to have a focus of what they are doing at that moment. However, art therapy has many goals like building some relaxations and also working on in-depth feelings and unsolved stories. For me, the overview meaning of therapy is creating a safe zone or reflecting understanding or awareness about emotions, thoughts, feelings or stories that individuals are having.

What are the differences between craft therapy and art therapy?

Art therapy is a process that is run by professionals who directly graduated from the field of therapy. The differences are art therapy organized in a room, and also individuals who conduct the art therapy process are professional about creating safe zones. There are chances to exchange stories meaning we have meaning for what we do, and we also have more opportunities for people to question and tell their stories in that safe zone. So, there will be some relationships that happen during the process of art therapy. For craft therapy, I think it is all about creating something by hand, which craft therapy might be one part of art therapy. Actually, I feel that crafting gives feelings of relaxation, safety, comfort and stability very much to people who do crafts. However, the word “therapy” itself does not require specific skills. Also, not emphasizing on creativity or beauty of workpieces, but we focus more on meaningful processes. So, art therapy and craft therapy have some connection at the point that there is no judgement and no expectation of workpieces to be beautiful at the end.

To sum up what Pat said, it is true that craft therapy is a sub topic under art therapy based on Pat’s process of art therapy that helps peoples’ feelings, thoughts and emotions. She included many craft activities in her process of art therapy such as clay molding, coloring, cutting and stitching. She applied some craft activities as I mentioned before because crafting is an activity that works best for feeling expression.

 Equipments for the art therapy process

In your opinion, What is the definition of art therapy?

Personally, the art therapy process is like an alternative that helps people to have new experiences via a safe zone. Creative processes which do not require skills can actually help to maintain, reflect and create changes in a person. 

The word “art therapy” might sound simple, but who will know that the art therapy process can actually affect people’s emotions, feelings and thoughts. Sometimes when we do not have a way to sort out problems , arts can act as our assistance to calm us down. Because it gives us a chance to consider more on the causes of each problem and be ready for several hard things that might happen in life. Similar to Pat - Prachayaporn Vorananta, an art therapist who has the concept of life that “Art therapy helps to balance a life”. She is not only creating a safe zone and telling the concept of work life balance for her clients, but also applying the concept of art therapy to her life as well in order to have a balanced life and be able to handle stress and problems that might occur in her life.

After talking to her, I got very useful information about art for therapy. It is not necessary to come for consultation with an art therapist to feel better with yourself, but whatever styles of art can actually improve your mood and give a sense of calm depending on the types of mediums you use to create work pieces similar to crafting. So, arts and crafts therapy share some similarities based on information that I got. One ultimate goal of doing arts and crafts is opening a safe zone for people to express feelings and emotions through artworks without judgement followed by the sense of relaxation, calm and peace while doing it. After that you will feel more yourself, more confident and more understand what happens or going to happen to yourself.