Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Developing An Ebook For First Responders: Exploring Arts-Based Interventions To Counter Burnout And Build Resilience, Taysia De Mesa, Baylor Duncan, Emmanuelle Evans, Ashley Herbinger, Hannah Kent, Olivia Waldorf

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The researchers in this project studied the prevalence and impact of burnout among first responders, after which they produced CRISP (Creative Resilience Initiatives for Service Providers), a groundbreaking art therapy-based program published in an electronic book format aimed at addressing burnout and fostering resilience among first responders. Our program aims to foster resilience by integrating art therapy's Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) model with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and anti-racism strategies. The ETC model aligns with inclusive and diverse practices as it emphasizes a system-focused approach in using creativity, self-reflection, and cultivation of effective body-mind empathy. The CRISP eBook features 18 …

Doodling As Self-Expression: Building Self-Efficacy In Normally Functioning Adults, Journey Coward

Art Therapy | Theses and Dissertations

While previous studies identify doodling as a useful educational tool, this study sought to determine if doodling can build creative or emotional self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in their own capacity to express behaviors necessary to attain specific performance goals. The current study also sought to determine if doodling can be a form of self-care. Research collected was quantitative and qualitative using surveys to measure both creative and emotional self-efficacy along with a doodling activity. Ten participants were recruited through convenience sampling on social media and were included in the study after meeting the inclusion criteria of identifying themselves …

The Mandala As Response Art: A Method For Centering, Containing, And Exploring, Kristine Lorentzsen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis examined research that explored the unique characteristics of art made within a circle—a form also known as the mandala. In addition, studies that researched the effects of mandala making on a variety of mental health conditions and as a diagnostic or assessment tool were reviewed. The results of this review suggest that the mandala art form has distinctive qualities, which may be beneficial in a variety of treatment settings. These findings were considered in relation to the practice of response art—art made by the art therapist in response to clinical work. Literature examining the effects of response art …

Imagination Station: Activating Creativity In Children With Disabilities, Allison Dukes

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Play is a major topic of conversation when discussing childhood development is associated with creativity and imagination. Although there has been some research involving the creative process amongst children, little has been explored in regards to expressive arts as a technique to further current studies on play. This paper presents a combined method of intermodal expressive arts therapies and play therapy techniques to aid in the fostering of creativity within children with disabilities by utilized the theoretical framework provided by the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC). A current review of literature on the ETC, cognitive functions, and expressive arts modalities is …

Flow, Creativity And Autism Spectrum Disorder: Creatively Supporting Development And Pro-Social Behavior In Children With Asd, Mehdi Raoufi

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review is an analysis of the literature exploring the use of expressive arts modalities with children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with a focus on emotional regulation and behavior modification. Historically, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has been the standard in terms of behavior modification for this population, but current research and qualitative inquiries suggested that members of this population need more support in emotional regulation and communication than ABA is able to provide. Using an intermodal arts-based method developmentally promotes social and communication abilities in children with ASD. Further, channeling stereotypic behaviors into creative flow can regulate, …

Bleeding Ink: Creativity In Grief For Resilience, Gabriel E. Sayre

Senior Honors Projects

A venomous void pierces the present.

Emanating from the past, echoing to the future.

Seething sensations burrowing beneath the bone.

Seek a road, to not corrode.

Scribe or scribble, Scavenge salvation.

Settle cement of a new foundation.

Faceless fears fading,

weakening woes waning,

mending mentality.

Internally Inspired.

Transformation Transpired.

Embodied Creative Arts Therapy Interventions With Trauma: A Qualitative Study, Brian Timothy Harris

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

With the primary purpose to extend therapists’ knowledge base, open dialogue on treatment efficacy, and stimulate creative yet effective interventions, this two-phase qualitative study pursued the guiding research question, How do creative arts therapists use embodied interventions in the treatment of psychological trauma? Phase One of the study was conducted with music therapists who had extensive experience with trauma and reported on their experiences with and awareness of embodied trauma treatment through a broad spectrum of creative modalities. Phase Two was grounded in theories of body awareness and creative arts therapy applications and included therapists specializing in music, dance/movement, art, …

Spirituality, Creativity, Identity, And Art Therapy, Theresa Crooks

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the question: how does an art therapist’s understanding of God as Creator form his/her identity and inform his/her clinical practice? A review was done in the art therapy, spirituality and psychology integration, and creation theology literature to look at existing research that answers this question. A lack of information in the art therapy literature prompted the development of this study to respond to this inquiry. This involved gathering data from LMU MFT graduates who expressed in a survey that they were willing to participate in this study. Four graduates were able to attend an art workshop to …

Art As A Catalyst For Resilience: Women Artists With A Life-Threatening Illness, Susan Firestone

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This phenomenological inquiry focused on the experiences of 12 professional women artists diagnosed with major medical illnesses, mostly cancer. Data from three in-­‐depth interviews with each participant indicated that their beliefs, personal strengths, learned skills, and lived experiences were fundamental to their commitment to art as a way of life. The overarching question of whether long-­‐term involvement in creative practices acted as a catalyst for resilience during and after treatments became the seminal exploration in this study. Data analysis used methods for qualitative research devised by Moustakas (1994), Giorgi (1985), and Forinash (2012), and a conversational approach in interviews suggested …

Drawing As Self-Expression With Normally Functioning Adults: A 10-Week Technique, Deborah L. John

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

In this research study, a sample of normally functioning adults (N = 30) each made a series of small drawings, one each week for 10 weeks. Participants completed two questionnaires about their experiences of making the series. The pre-intervention questionnaire collected demographic information and asked participants to rate their perceived ability to use drawing for self-expression on a Likert scale. The post intervention questionnaire again asked participants to rate their perceived ability to use drawing for self-expression. Results indicated a significant change from pre to post intervention (p = 0.012) in perceived expressive drawing ability. The post intervention questionnaire also …