Being curious of where detours may lead in art therapy is ideal. It is easy to become discouraged, but there are always opportunities that come from chaos. The art directives in art therapy provoke mindfulness. An art directive is an assigned specified topic which a therapist guides a client through. (An example of this would be, having a client that has been through trauma and has experienced pain, then asking them to draw what pain feels like to them. A therapist would provide the client with materials fitting for them and their unique situation.)
I would usually think of a detour in art therapy as, an art directive making me me upset, anxious or bringing out emotions I might not want to welcome. The unexpected outcomes during an art therapy session will feel negative. I even immediately viewed these situations as a set back because once you have so many good sessions that have positive art outcomes, then have a session which makes you feel negative, it may make a person feel like they have taken steps backwards instead of forward. So much learning can be taken away from these detours though, which ultimately is helping and healing for a client. Having feelings come up during the art making process allows the person to be conscious of what bothers them or provokes their anxiety. They will know why they are feeling they that they do in the future and be able to to avoid it or conquer it. Allowing ones self to welcome these emotions and not just tolerate them it will make the client stronger, more resilient and more mindful.
