Art Therapy Commons^™

Depressive Symptoms And Bookmaking In Group Art Therapy With Female African American College Students, Joselyn Spence

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the experience and effects of bookmaking in art therapy on the depressive symptoms of a 22 year-old female African American college student through a six-week art therapy intervention using bookmaking. It was hypothesized that bookmaking in art therapy would lead to a decrease of depressive symptoms. The hypothesis was supported as evidenced by a 14-point decrease on the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Additionally, the participant reported that the experience with bookmaking in art therapy was an effective tool in decreasing her depressive symptoms by giving her an outlet and a place to share her feelings.

Understanding Children's Art Making Preferences: Implications For Art Therapy, Amy Morrison

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study employed a phenomenological, qualitative approach to investigate children’s art making preferences. The researcher was curious about the meaning that creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms held for children. Influences and contributions to children’s art making preferences were explored. Lastly the study questioned what children’s artistic preferences mean for the field of art therapy. Theories of art therapy, artistic development, and child development informed the study. Thirteen children ages 5 to 11, four boys and nine girls participated. The researcher requested the children choose a subject and create the subject in both two and three dimensions. A range of …

Intergenerational Mythweaving And Cultural Identity, Ethelyn Anguluan-Coger

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The study explored how intergenerational mythweaving as a form of expressive arts therapies affected the cultural identity of an intergenerational Filipino-American group. The specific research question addressed was, “Is Indigenous Artivism or IA an effective medium for fostering awareness of kapwa-based cultural identity?” IA was the theoretical framework with three components: the indigenous approach of storytelling, the indigenous process called kapwa-based intergenerational mythweaving or KIM, and an indigenous knowledge of helping and healing as a means for decolonization. IA was assumed to increase the awareness of cultural identity when participants achieved symbolic synthesis and cultural healing on the individual and …

The Silhouettes Of Autism, Chloe J. Dobbert

CMC Senior Theses

My passion as a student at the Claremont Colleges is to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder grow and learn as normal children and to help prepare them for life outside the Autism Center at Claremont McKenna College. In my thesis project, I am exploring the concept of silhouettes through photography and my perceptions of the stories told to me by the children I teach. Esthetically, I am inspired by Kara Walker’s installation of large cutout silhouettes but I am using different mediums to accomplish my project: Artistically, I am inspired by the detailed descriptions of the obsessive stories and …

Scripting Therapeutic Screen Stories : Animating The Healing Potential Of Film Narratives, Andrew Levett

Theses : Honours

Beyond entertainment, animated narratives can potentially induce psychological healing, termed “individuation.” Stories exist in many forms, like literature, film and conversation, as well as in the human mind, or “psyche.” These “self-narratives” use life experience to shape consciousness. Therefore, effective storytelling based on archetypal myths can restructure the psyche. Film narratives communicate meaning through symbols, termed “textual cues”, while screenwriters employ specific templates, which organise story information into familiar structures. These guide audiences towards predetermined meaning. Through bibliotherapy, which is the use of literature for therapeutic purposes, audiences project their unconscious content onto narrative components that resonate with it. Ego-consciousness …

Using A Healing Wheel In The Healing Journey, Rebecca Tadlock-Marlo

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Mindfulness can be most comprehensively defined as a multifaceted, present-moment awareness intervention that capitalizes on self-perceptions (Gehart & McCollum, 2007; Nanda, 2009). Native American practices can be easily translated into counseling mindfulness techniques to aide in the healing journey of multicultural clients (Burks & Robbins, 2011; Durtschi,Rybak & Decker-Fitts, 2009; Garrett et al., 2011; Turner & Pope, 2009). A Medicine Wheel, or Sacred Hoop, is just one of the many ways to help individuals heal through mindfulness practices. Through the use of creating and discussing a healing wheel with clients, counselors can promote a context for understanding, respecting, and valuing …

Using A Healing Wheel In The Healing Journey, Rebecca L. Tadlock-Marlo

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Mindfulness can be most comprehensively defined as a multifaceted, present-moment awareness intervention that capitalizes on self-perceptions (Gehart & McCollum, 2007; Nanda, 2009). Native American practices can be easily translated into counseling mindfulness techniques to aide in the healing journey of multicultural clients (Burks & Robbins, 2011; Durtschi,Rybak & Decker-Fitts, 2009; Garrett et al., 2011; Turner & Pope, 2009). A Medicine Wheel, or Sacred Hoop, is just one of the many ways to help individuals heal through mindfulness practices. Through the use of creating and discussing a healing wheel with clients, counselors can promote a context for understanding, respecting, and valuing …

A Phenomenological Observation Of The Reductive Printmaking Experience: Implications For Art Therapy, Nicholas Alexander

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the phenomenological experience of four students in higher education relating to the involvement in a single reductive relief printmaking session. The indirect process of reductive relief printmaking is set apart from other methods due to the multiple steps and the use of various tools during the experience. It offers a reflective distance from the process, which allows the participant time to consider the meaning of an experience as it occurs. The production of multiple images during the process likewise lessens a participant’s resistance. The printed images are composed of layers; a metaphor for life’s process. Prior …

Examining Multicultural Competency Education In The Creative Arts Therapies, Donna C. Owens

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

In the changing landscape of the United States, the skills and competencies of helping professionals must continue to address the unique needs of its various populations. As a growing field, the creative arts therapies must adopt multicultural values and standards necessary to remain competitive and relevant.

This study addressed the issue of multicultural counseling competency training in the creative arts therapies from three perspectives: the governing association, the training institution, and the student/trainee. Throughout this study the term creative arts therapies includes art, dance/movement, drama, expressive arts, music, poetry, and psychodrama.

Information concerning the associations for each of the seven …

Philosophical Concerns: Implications For Art Therapy, Anzhela Akbarova

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Throughout centuries, philosophers have asked and attempted to answer questions that address human concerns: identity establishment, search for purpose in life, fear of nonexistence, spirituality, and relationships with other people in the world. Some psychologists and arts therapists have also acknowledged the existence of these concerns. This thesis is a comparative analysis of philosophical literature and concludes that art therapists should acknowledge human concerns in their theory and practice.

Proposal For An Art-Based Program Promoting Positive Identity Formation In Sexual Minority Youth, Anthony Philip Stroud

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

According to current scholarly research, there is a paucity of literature aimed at preventing negative identity formation for sexual minority adolescents. Unfortunately, most literature aims at the treatment of the consequences of negative minority identity formation. More important, strengthening positive minority identity formation, particularly in reference to sexual minority adolescents, needs to be a primary goal of current research. This paper provides an arts-based program plan for sexual minority adolescents grappling with identity formation. Moreover, this proposed program plan aims at utilizing art therapy and museum education to prevent negative identity formation amongst the participants.

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.

Life Drawing With Gross Anatomy Medical Students And Implications For Art Therapy, Elliott Addesso

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

It is important to incorporate humanities training into medical education in order to enhance the potential for humane and ethical interactions among physicians. In this study, a life drawing studio course was led by an art therapy graduate student to explore the effects of a life drawing course on medical students concurrently enrolled in Gross Anatomy. Based on students’ perceptions of their experience in the life drawing class, theoretical implications for the practice of art therapy in studio applications were discussed.

Five medical students participated in the course on a voluntary, non-credit basis. The course consisted of seven meetings and …

Exploring American Indian Adolescents’ Needs Through A Community-Driven Study, Emily Gordon Basto

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The current higher rates of substance use and abuse for Native American adolescents compared to non-Natives is an issue that requires attention. There are a variety of risk factors that lead to this current situation, including discrimination and acculturation pressures. Past treatment options have been limited with American Indians and have not incorporated community involvement. Art therapy has been utilized in substance abuse programs and with American Indian populations; however, art therapy has been limited in taking a community-driven approach. As art therapy and community involvement are seen as culturally relevant, together they may serve as a model for assessing …

Reflective Visual Journaling During Art Therapy And Counseling Internships, Sarah P. Deaver

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Visual journaling is thought to promote students' critical reflection upon their previous learning, their current experiences, and their ongoing professional growth. Research supports the value of written journals as educational tools that encourage reflection, but the potential for visual journaling to facilitate reflection has not been explored through systematic inquiry until now.

This qualitative multiple case study explored four art therapy students' and four counseling students' responses to visual journaling during their internships. They maintained their journals throughout one 15-week academic semester, and were interviewed four times over the course of the study. Data consisted of transcribed interviews and photographs …

Art Made By Native American Women With Breast Cancer, Hanni Woelk

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study sought to find recurrent themes in artwork made by Native American women with breast cancer. The hypothesis of this analysis stated that a theme concerning body image would emerge. Subjects were found through the “Healing Pathways: Art for Survivors” workshop in which art therapy tasks were given to Native American cancer survivors. Analysis of the artwork occurred using situational content analysis from a grounded theory perspective. Results found many recurrent themes in the participant’s artwork, but did not support the hypothesis that body image was a concern. Themes concerning the self, anxiety, religion, and the body were found …

A Content Analysis Of Acculturating Hispanics’ Artwork: Implications For Art Therapy, Sarah Bufogle

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research in art therapy and other mental health fields on Hispanics is limited. In an attempt to further understand Hispanics and the impact of the acculturation process, this study explores similarities and/or differences between the content of drawings of Hispanics who have lived in the United States for 7 years or less and non-Hispanics. Participants consisted of 9 Hispanics and 11 non-Hispanics. A content analysis of the Free Choice Drawing was utilized to determine graphic differences between drawings of both groups. It was hypothesized that there might be considerable visual differences between drawings by acculturating Hispanics and by non-Hispanics.

The …

Raising Girls’ Self-Esteem: An Art Therapy Approach Using Photography, Alison Mcallister

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

American girls’ self-esteem plummets around age 12, negatively affecting various aspects of their lives. This group art therapy research study explored the effectiveness of the use of photography in raising girls’ self-esteem. The study included seven girls between the ages of 10 and 12 in their fifth grade year. The participants attended six group sessions over an 8 week period. The study utilized a mixed methods design and data collection came from the Coopersmith Self-Esteem inventory, taped interviews, and analysis of artwork. Comparison of Coopersmith pretest and posttest scores indicates that the majority of participants made gains in the total …

Art Therapy With Native American Cancer Survivors: An Observation Of Nonverbal Communication Styles, Kathryn Dengler

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

There is a high morbidity rate among Native American women with breast cancer. Research suggests that traditional beliefs in addition to miscommunication within the healthcare setting may affect the treatment Natives receive. This study observed the nonverbal communication patterns of ten Native American cancer survivors participating in an art psychoeducational workshop. Mapping techniques and situational analysis were used to observe nonverbal communication patterns during the workshop. It was hypothesized that Native Americans would use nonverbal cues more readily than verbal communication.

The results of the study supported the hypothesis. Nonverbal cues were the primary means of communication throughout the workshop. …

Graduate Art Therapy Experience Of Students Of Color, Keena Tarrant

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This narrative inquiry explored the perspectives of three professional art therapists of color. This study explored the past experience of being a graduate art therapy student of color on several levels. It also explored the impact of cultural competency course in relation to the experience of being a student of color. This experience is important in terms of how being an ethnic minority can affect the learning environment in relation to graduate experience of students of color and how cultural competency is taught to all students. This study explored the art recommendations of therapy professionals of color for cultural competency …

Exploring The Applicability Of Visual Thinking Strategy To Group Art Therapy With Adolescents, Jessica Rae Hirsh Angle

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Because adolescence is a time marked by physical, psychological, and cognitive changes and stressors, group art therapy with teens can be difficult. Art history enriched art therapy has proven effective with adults to aid in overcoming treatment difficulties. The Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS) is a research supported approach to art history which emphasizes group dynamics and student-directed art discussion. Therefore, this study explores the applicability of VTS to adolescent group art therapy.

In this study, a group of four 13 to 14-year-old girls participated in a three session workshop. Session one included personal art-making and an open discussion of the …

Adults’ Responses To The Art Process And Interaction With Art Media, Madeline Couch

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The art materials are a major component in art therapy. Their actual usage in sessions with clients, especially with adults, has rarely been the topic of investigation. The ideas about the qualities and purposes that the art materials bring to art therapy sessions are based on older theories, which were created without evidence-based research. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how adults interact with and react to art media. Five adult volunteers, who were not formally trained as artists and who did not regularly engage in artistic processes, participated in the study. The participants experimented …

An Investigation Into The Coming-Out Experience For Families Of Homosexuals: Understanding Through Personal Artmaking And Dialogue, Micah Bennett

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

A review of the literature indicated the lack of art therapy research with homosexuals and their families. The need for research into the implications for the use of art processes and materials to assist in the coming-out process of families of self-disclosed homosexuals was established. A qualitative hermeneutic method of research was initially proposed to study this need. Volunteer participants who were parents or adult relatives of self-disclosed homosexuals would participate in an audio-videotaped workshop to include three art-making exercises intended to evoke expressions of the participants’ experiences of the coming-out process. Data would have consisted of the researcher’s written …

The Healing Potential Of Art: A Psychobiographical Study Of Three Artists, Amy Reahard

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The statement that art in itself is healing may not always be true as demonstrated by the destructive, often short lives of many artists. This may appear to contradict the fundamental belief, held by many art therapists, that art is healing. Studying the fields of creativity and art history could help understand this apparent contradiction.

One way to combine the studies of creativity, the healing power of art, and art history is through the practice of psychobiography. The psychobiographer who studies the life of a prominent artist combines various psychological approaches with the literary records, art history, and visual evidence …

Implications For Using Transpersonal Art Therapy With African Americans, Robin Coley Wooling

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Very little art therapy literature on racial and cultural themes exists. The purpose of this study was to expand on the literature that explores the use of art therapy with African Americans. The goal of this study was to determine if transpersonal art therapy would be an appropriate modality for working with African Americans.

Interaction with art materials, especially among adults, seems to be universal. Adults are initially nervous about their artistic abilities, but once at ease, are able to communicate their thoughts and feelings using the art media. In this study, the workshop participants’ reactions to using art materials …

Is This A Mirror I See Before Me?: Adolescent Girls Use Imaginal Writing To Re-Vision Life Experience: A Dissertation, Cameron L. Marzelli

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This participant observer collective case study was an investigation of the ways in which an imaginal writing process might facilitate resilience in adolescent girls who had previously used writing to respond to challenging life experience.