Nowadays, pottery is one of the activities that many people are starting to like. Pottery or better known as pottery or earthenware is a handicraft made of clay that produces products such as bowls, glasses, and pots. This handicraft is one of the oldest human works that is already familiar in society. Not only fun, process pottery It also provides benefits for psychological health. Therefore, pottery or craft clay can be one of a kind art therapy or art therapy. It can be seen that in several cities there are many places that provide activities pottery so that it is easily accessible to the public. Art therapy through activities pottery can encourage patients through works of art to be able to express the emotions and feelings they are experiencing.
Art therapy or art therapy is a type of psychotherapy or psychological therapy that uses art as its main medium. this therapy used for all ages, both children, adolescents, adults to the elderly. Use Art therapy which has a wide age range, making it effective in helping patients who experience everyday problems as well as for their specific mental health conditions, such as:
- Manage emotions
- Manage stress
- Managing traumatic events in the past
- Managing behavior problems or learning difficulties in children
- Elderly and dementia problems
- Medical problems and medical rehabilitation needs
- Psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders to addiction (addiction).
Art therapy will usually be used when the counseling process is felt to be less effective. Process art therapy In contrast to art classes which teach techniques for completing artistic results, patients are assisted to be able to explore themselves expressively and creatively, gain personal insight (self-enlightenment) and develop new skills in dealing with stressful situations. Besides that, art therapy also aims to help patients to be able to reconcile conflicting emotions within themselves, focus on self-awareness or self-awareness , increasing self-worth, social skills and encouraging more adaptive behavior changes.
Below are some psychological or mental health benefits that can be obtained from the activity process pottery, that is :
- Improve focus and concentration
When doing activities pottery , eyes, hands and feet we need to coordinate movements to match and harmonize. The eyes help to pay attention so that the mind is focused on the hands that shape the clay, while the feet turn the wheel on the tool. The touch and pressure made by the hands on the clay adjusts to the speed of the feet turning the wheel, so that you are creative pottery carried out can provide results or forms in accordance with expectations.
Forming process pottery this in addition to increasing focus and concentration, also helps us to mindfull or fully present and conscious. This is because, when we focus and concentrate on completing the creation pottery With that, we are unknowingly present in this moment with full concentration. Everyday busyness and thoughts outside the process of formation pottery no more thought. If this continues to be practiced, it can make it easier to be able to focus and concentrate when dealing with various other aspects of life.
- Lowers stress levels
During childhood, playing with media that has a variety of textures is very important for child development. One of them is touch which can explore tactile or sense of taste as one of the first senses to develop. In adolescence or adulthood, activities form pottery also has the benefit of stimulating tactile or sense of taste with touch and pressure.
During the forming process pottery , a calm atmosphere and a mind that focuses on touch and hand pressure on the ground can have a relaxing effect on the body. This relaxed condition sends a signal to the brain that the body is in a comfortable situation, thereby reducing cortisol or a hormone that causes stress and affects blood pressure to become more stable and the rhythm of breathing becomes more regular.
- Stabilize emotions
When making clay crafts, without realizing it, the mind and body are in the process of meditation. Meditation is focusing the mind on one thing and putting aside other thoughts, especially negative thoughts that can cause stress. Twisting repetitive movements, forming a meditative situation during the process pottery which can help to let go of worry, fatigue, to annoyance. When all these negative thoughts decrease, a focused mind and calm feelings will make it easier to manage emotions and keep them more stable.
- Increase self-confidence
During the activity process pottery , we are free to express ourselves through the creations that will be produced. This freedom of expression gives self-control in carrying out every process of activity pottery , such as the shape you want to make, the speed at which the wheel rotates, the pressure exerted in shaping pottery , and so on. Pottery The result shows self-productivity in achieving something. This is able to provide and increase self-confidence and a sense of worth within.
- Sharpen creativity
In essence, humans are born to live creatively and interactively. The development of the times has unknowingly made most people rely on technology to do various things and tend to be more passive. The art of making crafts with clay can be a solution to re-activate the body and mind, as well as hone creativity.
When creating pottery , the body and mind can be more relaxed in imagining and forming handicrafts. Ideas in making shapes pottery which are just beginning to emerge in the imagination. Besides that pottery also sharpens creativity to become more flexible because it triggers to be creative and seek inspiration from many things in the environment around us. This can be one of the efforts to maintain a psychological condition through pottery .
Those are some of the benefits of pottery that you and your family can get to maintain psychological health. Think about whether you are interested in doing activities pottery this weekend?
Article written by Melvi Rosilawati, M.Psi, Psychologist Sentul EMC Hospital.