Finlandia Fridays explores art therapy

This week Finlandia Fridays speaks with  art therapy major Laurin LaBonte. Art therapy is a unique major offered at Finlandia that was first made available in 2013. This major has a wide range of uses as LaBonte outlines it can help immensely with Alzheimer patients, those suffering from PTSD, and even patients recovering from car accidents. Art has been found to carry numerous therapeutic properties that can aid in emotional behavior and even motor skills with Alzheimer patients.

LaBonte will be the first Finlandia student to graduate with an art therapy degree  but it hasn’t taken her long to find her niche in society. She is doing her internship at Gardenview Assisted Living & Memory Care in nearby Calumet working with Alzheimer patients. She works with these individuals by performing art therapy practices with water paints, helping them with motor skills and also trying to tap into memories. During the process of creating art LaBonte will converse with the patients about their memories and what they are painting. This taps into older memories that may have otherwise been forgotten.

Learn more about Art Therapy at Finlandia University

Art therapy is one of many unique academic offerings Finlandia University offers its students. Explore all of Finlandia’s majors by visiting finlandia.edu/belong.

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