Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Aesthetic Mind-Meditative Mind: Reflections On Art As Yoga And Contemplative Practice, Michael A. Franklin

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This dissertation examines visual art as a form of yoga and contemplative practice through the lens of art-based research (ABR) and methods of meditation. Essentially, yoga joins together cognitive, somatic, and socially engaged practices that illuminate a synergistic view of our finite physical self with our infinite Self (Atman) as embodied consciousness. Included in this discussion are contemplative seeing (darshan), art as worship (rasa), the Shaivite view of creation (spanda), theophanic imagination, and the origins of images. This research was further catalyzed by the author’s diagnosis of prostate cancer. As physical disease progressed from diagnosis through treatment, art and meditation …

Sharevision: A Collaborative-Reflective, Expressive Arts Intervention To Address Secondary Trauma, Ellen M. Landis

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study examines the impact of a collaborative-reflective, expressive arts intervention on secondary trauma among mental health clinicians. Clinicians met at their workplace over a three-month period, on alternating weeks, in six expressive arts-integrated workshops. They learned a particular collaborative-reflective format called Sharevision. Clinicians also met independently using Sharevision, on non-workshop weeks. Participants completed a four-part survey on compassion fatigue (Figley, 1995 & Stamm, 1995-1998; Gentry, 1996; Baranowsky, 1996; Gentry & Baranowsky, 1998) at the onset and conclusion of the study period. Findings from the survey, transcripts of workshops, and exit interviews indicate the collaborative-reflective Sharevision model correlates to a …

De-Mystifying The Magic: Meaningful Moments In Music Therapy When Working With Children That Have Severe Special Needs, Kayla C. Daly

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The purpose of my study is to explore the “magic” that occurs in these music therapy sessions, and to discover what this word means for those who use it. For the purpose of this study we will define “magic” as having the occurrence of meaningful outcomes or moments in music therapy sessions. This study will attempt to reveal methods and techniques that are being used by music therapists to further facilitate the therapeutic process for children with severe special needs in their lives and everyday experiences. This study included naturalistic inquiry and phenomenological inquiry.

Healthy Aging And Art Therapy, Sunhee K. Kim

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of art therapy on healthy aging in older adults in terms of its promotion of well-being and a better quality of life. Few research studies have been conducted on the Korean American older adult population to investigate the effectiveness of art therapy. The present study was undertaken to quantitatively assess the effect of art therapy on this population using three standardized psychological instruments to measure the dependent variables of affect, anxiety, and selfesteem. An effort was made to understand the physiology of the brain as it relates to art therapy …

Authority, Leadership, And Peacemaking: The Role Of The Diasporas: A Pilot Study Of A Group Relations Conference: A Dissertation, Tracy Wallach

Educational Studies Dissertations

Research suggests that conflicts are much more likely to re-ignite in societies which have large Diaspora communities in the United States. This study examines the role of American Jewish, Arab, and other Middle Eastern Diaspora communities in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and addresses the generally neglected role of trauma and emotions in perpetuating conflict.

The project employed group relations conference methodology to conduct the inquiry. A group relations lens allows one to look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at multiple levels: on the psychological level (looking at issues of trauma, identity, collective narrative, emotions and unconscious processes); on the social level (looking …

The Role Of The Arts Toward Healing Trauma And Building Resilience In The Palestinian Community, Yousef Al-Ajarma

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study has investigated the sources of resilience in a sample of Palestinians who experienced the first Intifada and are now studying in the United States. The study found that family and community support, the pursuit of an education, and participation in artistic activities all contribute to individual resilience among Palestinians. In addition, political awareness and activity are another source of resilience, because they help individuals living under the Occupation to find meaning in their life and make sense of their struggles. Currently, young people in Palestine are at risk of developing psychological trauma from exposure to the violence of …

Phenomenology Of Embodied Dreamwork With Puerto Rican Women: A Dissertation, Lourdes F. Brache-Tabar

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The author investigated the experience of embodied dreamwork. Participants were eight Puerto Rican women who were chronically ill, of low socioeconomic status, who lived in Boston. The data were analyzed using transcendental phenomenology. Each participant engaged in one embodied dreamwork–unstructured interview session lasting approximately 1.5 hours. In addition, each participant drew a picture of how she felt after the dreamwork interview. This snowball, purposive sample gave detailed information about how they experienced embodied dreamwork. The participants’ statements were grouped into themes: (a) sense of place—environment, surroundings, spatiality; (b) the players—self, others; (c) plot; (d) in the sea of emotions—naming affective …

Care, Culture, And Education Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Care And Culture: Implications For Practice, Pauline Rita Wright

Educational Studies Dissertations

Today's nurses work and live in a multicultural society where they encounter patients whose backgrounds are different from theirs, and who need care from nurses who are both proficient in their work and knowledgeable about the role that culture plays in patient treatment. In this study, 45 student nurses enrolled in a baccalaureate program at a northeastern urban college completed a survey about their perceptions of care and culture including their relevance and application to the practice of nursing. Findings based on qualitative analyses indicated that parents and family were instrumental in students' learning about care and a combination of …