Art Therapy in Cancer

Abstract

The use of art for mental health treatment has become increasingly important in recent years because of its healing and transformative properties. Art therapy allows individuals diagnosed with cancer to express their feelings, thoughts, and illness experiences and increases coping skills by enabling individuals to discover new ways through art products. Studies conducted with patients with cancer emphasize the healing power of art. Through the therapeutic process, individuals diagnosed with cancer gain insight into their feelings and thoughts through artistic activities such as painting, clay, collage, music, and poetry. Literature reviews indicate that art therapy increases the psychological wellbeing of individuals diagnosed with cancer; facilitates coping with feelings of loneliness, helplessness, and hopelessness; and is effective in reducing the levels of psychological symptoms. This chapter conceptually reviews art therapy and presents case examples of art therapy applications in individuals diagnosed with cancer. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.