Therapeutic Wall Art
Exploring Common Themes in Art Chosen for Therapy Offices and Why They Are Chosen
When I was first decorating my therapy office, I had to think about what art I wanted on the walls. Therapists don’t just communicate with our words, but we try to set a stage for healing to occur. The art we choose tends to be chosen for specific reasons. A common theme in a lot of therapy offices is to have imagery of nature, especially with landscapes or paths. But why is that?
Seeing nature itself actually is healing. I think most of us recognize how nice it feels to be out in nature, but even just seeing imagery depicting nature has a similar effect on our minds! Therapists utilize this effect to encourage relaxation in the office space.
Paths also depict a sense of movement, a journey. Therapy itself is also a journey, and many of us think of our work as guides walking along a path towards healing with someone. When you see a path, it evokes a sense of exploration and thinking of the future with hope. By surrounding our offices with similar imagery, we seek to encourage similar feelings about the less visible path we are traveling together.
Houses also tend to be metaphors for a safe space. A home is a container for our most vulnerable parts, where we rest. So, when we see art that showcases a house, we might imagine the feelings associated with a home. Even if we don’t tie the building with home, we do see it as a space for some feeling to exist. Therapy is a similar space, where often it is a safe space to relax, but it is also a space where many other feelings are welcome.
Sometimes, the art chosen in therapy offices is meant to spark conversation. Take this piece of art here, with the path leading towards the ocean for example. You might notice a bunch of white scrapes on it? That is the result of me dropping the framed piece, and the glass shards tearing into the painting. I could have thrown it away, but I didn’t. Why was that?
I hoped it would have spur questions about it, and there would be a few topics I could delve into. Perhaps we could talk about perfectionism, and the practice of accepting and appreciating imperfections. We could also discuss worth and value after being damaged, relating that to trauma. I could also describe it as being freed from the confines of the glass, and the scars it took to get there, comparing it to the journey many people have towards their own sense of freedom. Notice the depth that could be found in a scraped-up piece of art?
Many therapists decorate with intention, and so ask them more about the art you see in their office spaces! That might be the exact purpose of the art. Perhaps you could even create a similar process for speaking to your subconscious intentionally within your own home? I found these pieces of art just browsing over at the local Goodwill on Guadalupe and Dobson Road, and so you can certainly find inspiration wherever you shop. Just slow down and pay attention to how the art makes you feel, and what meanings you derive from it.
