by John M. Eger

July 7, 2025

We know that Vincent van Gogh famously severed part of his ear after a confrontation with his friend, the painter Paul Gauguin. We may also recall that in 1889, amid deepening mental illness, he voluntarily checked himself into the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France.

What is less known is that during his one-year stay, Van Gogh experienced what is now considered the most extraordinarily productive period of his artistic life. In just 70 days, he created more than 75 paintings and over 100 sketches and drawings depicting the surrounding countryside, the village, and the natural beauty of Provence—fields of golden wheat, cypress trees, olive groves, and the brilliant skies of southern France.

Though the term didn’t exist at the time, Van Gogh’s time in Saint-Rémy could be seen as an early example of art therapy in action.

The medical staff at the asylum, progressive for their time, recognized that painting calmed Van Gogh and allowed him to express his deepest emotions. While they may not have had a name for it, they understood the therapeutic value of creativity. Van Gogh himself believed in the healing power of art. He often applied paint with his fingers, using a technique known as impasto—layering thick textures directly onto the canvas. The Starry Night, painted during his stay, is perhaps the most famous result of this method and this moment of fragile healing.

The term “art therapy” wasn’t coined until 1942, when British artist Adrian Hill first used it while recovering from tuberculosis. Even before then, by the early 20th century, practitioners began to see that the act of making art—like all art—served as a powerful form of expression, especially for people grappling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or mental illness.

According to the Journal of Art Therapy, by the mid-20th century, many hospitals and mental health institutions in the United States and Europe began implementing formal art therapy programs. Clinicians and educators observed how engaging in creative processes could promote emotional, developmental, and cognitive growth—especially in children. From there, the field grew into a vital tool for assessment, communication, and treatment, applicable to both children and adults.

Today, art therapy continues to evolve. Dr. Cathy Malchiodi, a leading art therapist and research psychologist, emphasizes that art therapy overlaps with other creative interventions like community art programs, inclusive art education, and studio-based mental health support. While these may not be classified as clinical therapy, their goals—expression, healing, social connection, and self-discovery—are closely aligned.

Malchiodi notes, however, that art psychotherapy specifically “embraces the idea that art is a means of symbolic communication,” and is used by trained clinicians to help individuals process trauma, express emotion, and navigate complex inner experiences.

Art therapists are credentialed mental health professionals with training in both psychological theory and creative practice. They work with a wide range of materials—paint, clay, collage, and even non-traditional elements like twigs, leaves, or found objects—to help clients access parts of themselves that are difficult to express verbally. Through this process, clients often uncover nonverbal cues and deep metaphors that lead to growth, self-awareness, and healing.

As the American Art Therapy Association explains, art therapy is “a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media and the creative process to explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem.”

Importantly, no prior artistic experience is required. Art therapy is not about skill or talent; it’s about using creative expression as a tool for emotional insight. People from all walks of life—including those who have never considered themselves “artistic”—can benefit.

In fact, being human—regardless of one’s upbringing or past—qualifies one for the healing potential of creativity. As one Art Therapy Blog puts it:

“Even if you’re using creative arts as a means of expression without the aid of a therapist, there are still many benefits. By expressing yourself through art, you begin to see things about yourself that you otherwise may not have understood. Art can offer a new lens through which to view your identity, your pain, and your healing.”

This belief is taking root in cities around the world—including right here in San Diego, where an exciting new initiative called the Art Pharmacy is emerging. Art Pharmacy is working with partners in California, including a pilot in San Diego and the Imperial Valley. The program aims to “connect people to arts and culture engagements in their communities to support their health and well-being.” It was founded in the sincere recognition and belief in art as  a powerful tool building an equitable and inclusive community that ensures that everyone.

“Art Pharmacy’s solution uniquely combines decades of research in the field of arts and health with the care model of social prescribing to address some of the nation’s most challenging health problems. Social prescribing is a model of care delivery that enables health professionals to formally prescribe non-clinical community activities— including the arts, movement, nature, and service — to improve patient health. Social prescribing will not just have a clear, positive impact on the mental health needs of San Diego youth, but could be transformational for health care systems as we know it. While the long-term success of this work will likely require funding from the health care system and insurance providers, support for this San Diego-focused pilot has come from local philanthropy; and it’s been wonderful to play a role in building the initial coalition of funders.” – Kamaal Martin, Founding Partner, ART POWER EQUITY & Advisory Board Member, Vanguard Culture

If Van Gogh were alive today, one imagines he might feel at home in such a setting—not only for its aesthetic sensibilities, but for its mission: healing through the creative act.