Art Therapy Commons^™

Art Therapy With A Familial Caregiver Of An Individual With Dementia Of The Alzheimer’S Type, Alexandra M. Serino

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and causes problems with memory, behavior, and thinking. The symptoms of this progressive disease commonly develop slowly and worsen over time. Family members who are caring for individuals with Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (DAT) experience significant burden that affects their psychological well-being. This may result in an increase in stress/anxiety and a decreased mood. In this mixed methods case study, six individual in-home art therapy sessions were conducted with one 80 year old woman who was caring for her husband who had DAT, in order to gain preliminary understanding of …

Clinical Case Report: Art Therapy Treatment Of An Adolescent With Autism Spectrum Disorder In An Educational Setting, Alyssa Spjut

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Children and adolescents having a diagnosis that affects their development and social interactions, such as ASD, face many challenges in a school setting. These challenges can include socially appropriate interactions with their peers, disruptive behaviors, language and intellectual impairments, sensory integration problems, understanding emotional responses, and learning skills (Bellini, 2004; Brereton, Tonge & Einfeld, 2006). Specific art therapy interventions, processes, and materials can provide motivating and engaging opportunities for individuals with ASD to increase social and emotional skills and it addresses individuals’ psychological needs (Martin, 2009b). This clinical case report will describe the assessment and treatment of a 12-year-old male …

Bringing The Darkroom To Light: A Heuristic Study In Photographic Art Therapy Processes, Maria Papa

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The process of analogue photography can be complex and rewarding for the field of art therapy, though current photographic techniques and research utilized in art therapy focus mainly on the product and not the process. This qualitative heuristic study focuses on my own eight-­‐week experience of shooting photographs and developing prints in a darkroom. The aim was to understand potential benefits and challenges analogue photography could provide for art therapy practice through a connection with the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC). My reflections on my experience allowed me to extract the major steps of the analogue photography process and identify challenges …

A Self-Study On The Use Of Dreams In Self-Reflective Process To Foster Art Therapist Professional Identity In Graduate School, Ramsi M. Metzger

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This exploratory self-study utilized the tool of dream journaling along with visual and written reflections to record my art therapy and counseling graduate school experience in order to foster professional identity development. Visual reflections on dream journals were created weekly during an eight-week period. Qualitative data, including eight visual reflections and corresponding written haiku responses and artist statements, were analyzed in order to extract patterns and themes from my overall experience. Dream journaling combined with the reflection process was found to foster professional identity development through personal growth and insight.

The Efficacy Of Art Therapy-Based Processes And Techniques In Decreasing Symptoms Of Burnout And Compassion Fatigue In Pediatric Hospice And Palliative Caregivers: A Mixed-Methods Study, Aubrey Maggio

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine the efficacy of art therapybased processes and techniques in decreasing symptoms of burnout and compassion fatigue in pediatric hospice and palliative caregivers. Interventions consisted of two twohour art therapy workshops, one in November 2014 and the second in January 2015. Participants were additionally supplied materials to promote self-care between the two workshops. Quantitative and qualitative measures of burnout and compassion fatigue were conducted pre- and posttest using the ProQOL-5 and individual post-intervention interviews. Due to the small sample size, data was analyzed without statistics, but rather illustrated with graphs and tables. …

Battling Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Graduate Student’S Journey Through Art Therapy, Christina Lynn Lowry

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The purpose of this self-study was to explore the personal experience of being a patient in art therapy, and how effective that experience was in treating the patient’s psychological problems attributed to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

The total duration of the study was five months. The patient underwent a total of ten individual art therapy sessions in which three art pieces were created. One hour self-guided reflections were implemented following the close of each session in which visual journaling was used as a tool and ten visual reflections were created. Art materials and practices varied throughout the art making and …

Children’S Human Figure Drawings And Racial Identity: A Mixed Methods Study, Sonya B. Jimerson

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This study explored characteristics of children’s Human Figure Drawings (HFD) to determine whether any relationship existed between drawing characteristics and the artists’ identified race. Three hundred nine children’s HFDs obtained from the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) art therapy database were used in the study. The drawings were completed by 34 Black American males, 61 Black American females, 105 White American males, and 149 White American females, the children were between the ages of 7 and 11, and attended public schools in Southeastern Virginia. A checklist was developed through content analysis that contained 11 items associated with each group. The …

Unearthing Redemption: A Student’S Self Exploration With Survivors Of Trafficking, Carly Elise Dean

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

When entering the mental health professions, a student may find value in a process of self-exploration (Deaver, 2012; Deaver & McAuliffe, 2009; Harter, 2007; Hubbs & Brand, 2005; La Torre, 2005; Wadeson, 2003). In order to gain a greater awareness of one’s personal as well as professional identity development, the experience of cultural immersion may aid as the catalyst for unearthing a clearer understanding of one’s internal worldview. By employing the approach of authoethnography (Muncey, 2010) and following the heuristic study method developed by Moustakas (1990), I journeyed into an excavation of my own personal and professional identity development in …

Place-Identity: Understanding Sense Of Self Through Art-Making In Nature After A Geographic Transition, Monika Burkholder

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This heuristic self-study researched the impact of a geographic transition on my personal and professional identity by making art in nature with natural materials. A thorough review of the literature revealed a lack of research in making art in nature to study identity after a transition. The following research questions were studied: Does my principle of continuity change as I connect with nature in new places after a geographic transition? How is my self-concept impacted by my connections and disconnections with various places? Does art-making in nature affect my professional identity as an art therapist and my approach to clients? …

Law Enforcement Officer Stress Management Art Therapy Group Design, Abigail Williams

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Law enforcement officers are at increased risk for experiencing negative physical and psychological effects of stress. Art therapy can be an effective method for addressing the effects of stress. The goal of this paper will be to present the design for a 16-week stress management art therapy group for law enforcement officers. The purpose of this paper will be to provide art therapists with insight into understanding police culture and needs and how art therapy can address those needs. The design of this group includes an integrative approach to group art therapy treatment in order to maximize effectiveness and meet …

Consideration Of The Impact Of Therapist’S Gender In Art Therapy Treatment With An Adolescent Female Survivor Of Sexual Abuse: A Clinical Case Study, Michael J. Galarraga

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Providing art therapy to survivors of sexual abuse can help in safe processing of trauma, increase positive self-esteem, and address predominant symptoms of mental healthcare need. Case studies in art therapy clinical experiences provide insight to inform treatment approaches and progress. Essential to the therapeutic relationship, is the exploration of the most salient dynamics including the survivor’s behavioral, emotional, and physical symptoms as well as the characteristics of the therapeutic alliance. However, art therapists must understand that the processing of trauma cannot take place without creating a safe, working therapeutic relationship. This clinical case study explored the effects of working …

Art Therapy For Anxiety And Depression During Military-Induced Separation: A Case Study, Christa L. Turpin

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

The purpose of this case study was to gain a preliminary understanding of the effects of art therapy on anxious and depressive symptoms in a 32-year-old African American military wife experiencing military-induced separation from her active duty husband. The mixed methods study design included administration of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after six sessions of individual art therapy and a semi-structured interview conducted at the conclusion of the study to gain insight into the participant’s experience of art therapy. Results of the BDI-II revealed no change in overall score pre to post-intervention, but …

The Call To Artmaking: Claiming And Reclaiming The Artist Therapist, Josephine M. Stromseth

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

This heuristic qualitative study was completed with the intention of learning about myself as an Art Therapy student in a personal and professional perspective by way of incorporating the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) with artmaking and reflective practice. Using the Moustakas method, this study was organized into the following stages: Initial Engagement, Immersion, Incubation, Illumination, Explication, creative synthesis, and the validation of heuristic research. The data was collected over a 6-week period artmaking once per week, and using ETC assessments to track the variety of change between the experiences of creating in a singular component each week. The findings were …

Approaches And Considerations For Providing Medical Art Therapy: A Qualitative Analysis, Jillian Popp

EVMS School of Health Professions Master's Level Capstones, Projects and Papers

Medical illness and injury as well as, the resulting psychosocial stressors can greatly impact the psychological health of the patient and their family. It is important to provide mental health services as collaborative treatment in medical hospitals. Art therapy is a uniquely accessible mental health treatment for all ages and abilities. Previous research supports the benefits of art therapy for individuals suffering from various medical illnesses and injuries. Art therapy can alleviate depression, ease anxiety, provide tools for coping with symptoms, and help the individual overcome medical crisis or trauma. This study examined the experience of art therapists working with …

Piecing The Puzzle Together With The Use Of Physical Therapy, Mikayla Pruitt

Honors Projects

For my Honors Project I decided to create a set of exercise cards for children with autism. The front of each card had a picture symbolizing the exercise/activity, and on the back included directions, supplies and tips to complete the activity. The following is a selection of a few exercise cards from each of the four exercise sections, as well as the title card, table of contents cards, information cards, and source cards.

How Women Use Art And Art Therapy To Cope With Breast Cancer: A Systematic Exploration Of Published Literature, Diana C. Barnes

LMU Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring A Trainee's Response To Visiting Refugees In Jordan: A Bifocal Art Exploration, Daniela Marie Montañez

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This arts-based research investigated the personal responses of a trainee art therapist working with displaced refugees in Jordan. This inquiry is based on the belief that it is important for a new trainee to cultivate a broader appreciation of cross-cultural issues for both personal and professional applications. The art-based data, analyzed through Betensky's (1995) phenomenological approach, inspired a profound exploration of the refugee experience while simultaneously exploring the role and identity of the trainee. The author presented seven prominent themes that emerged from the refugee and trainee experiences: displacement, survival, connection, loss of control, safety, competence, and countertransference. Between both …

A Cross-Cultural Exploration Into Kinetic Family Drawings, Kathleen Deanna Baxter, Sharon Brooke Uy, Stella Mina Yun

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore cultural similarities and differences that could be found from analyzing the images of the Kinetic Family Drawing and their accompanying narratives. The current literature on the Kinetic Family Drawing as an assessment tool and the literature on the role of culture in psychotherapy were examined. The researchers have collected Kinetic Family Drawing images and narratives from groups of college students from the United States and groups of college students from two different areas in Mexico. Participants were asked to perform the Kinetic Family Drawing, title the drawing, write a brief narrative about …

Visual Voices Approved Consent Form, Collyn Baeder, Zoe Hull, Rebecca Masterjohn, Virginia Sedarski, Adrian Jung, Michaela A. Hoffman, Nicole O'Brien

Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment of the Perceived Identity of Aging Maine Residents

Approved project consent form for UNE student project Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents, designed to investigate the topics of perception, identity, and aging.

Between February and May 2015, over the course of twelve sessions, the UNE team met with six female residents of the Park Danforth senior living community in Portland to have conversations and create art about how the residents perceive themselves in contrast to how they feel perceived by important people in their lives, such as friends, family, and healthcare providers.

This form documents the scope of the project …

Visual Voices Weekly Session Scripts, Collyn Baeder, Zoe Hull, Rebecca Masterjohn, Virginia Sedarski, Adrian Jung, Michaela A. Hoffman, Nicole O'Brien

Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment of the Perceived Identity of Aging Maine Residents

Eleven weekly session scripts for UNE student project Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents. This project was designed to investigate the topics of perception, identity, and aging. Between February and May 2015, over the course of twelve sessions, the UNE team met with six female residents of the Park Danforth senior living community in Portland to have conversations and create art about how the residents perceive themselves in contrast to how they feel perceived by important people in their lives, such as friends, family, and healthcare providers.

Keeping The Peace: Playback Theatre With Adolescents, Timothy J. Reagan

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the experience of a Playback Theatre (Playback) program for adolescents addressing themes of bullying perpetration and victimization. The guiding question for the study was: What was the phenomenological experience for homeless youth participating in Keep the Peace Leadership Program, a Playback program at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY? The sample consisted of 11 youth residing at the Coachman Family Center in White Plains, NY, 11 Manhattanville students, and four adults from Big Apple Playback Theatre in NY. Participants completed the forms of bullying scale (FBS) so the researcher could measure bullying climates …

Rocky Mountain Alba Emoting Training For Creative Arts Therapists, Brant P. Wadsworth

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This dissertation research explored what experiences and influences Rocky Mountain Alba Emoting (RMAE) training generated for creative arts therapists in both their personal and professional lives. RMAE builds upon the effector patterns of Alba EmotingTM which uses innate physiological processes to induce, experience, and cease six genuine basic emotions. RMAE uses the process of learning these patterns as a means of enhancing emotional expression, awareness, and balance. With emotions and emotional regulation playing an increasing role in psychotherapy, a therapist’s emotional life and ability to work with emotions have become more important. RMAE shares some characteristics with the practices of …

Making Personal Public Service Announcements With Adopted Young Women From Foster Care: A Narrative Inquiry, Myriam Dominique Savage

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This narrative, arts-based inquiry explored the experiences of four adopted adolescent females (ages 16, 18) during and after making the Personal Public Service Announcement (PPSA), a 30-second, mock digital PSA, which allowed them to voice their expertise on lived experiences. I facilitated six sessions per participant, using narradrama (Dunne, 2009), a drama therapy method that contextualizes narrative therapy with action-based interventions. A digital, audio-visual application on an i-Pad was implemented, allowing participants to animate plaster self-masks, created from their faces into digital, recorded PPSAs. An invitational Witnessing Session provided supported closure during the PPSA screening for the participants who were …

Visual Voices Participant Recruitment Flyer, Collyn Baeder, Zoe Hull, Rebecca Masterjohn, Virginia Sedarski, Adrian Jung, Michaela A. Hoffman, Nicole O'Brien

Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment of the Perceived Identity of Aging Maine Residents

Participant recruitment flyer for UNE student project Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents. This project was designed to investigate the topics of perception, identity, and aging. Between February and May 2015, over the course of twelve sessions, the UNE team met with six female residents of the Park Danforth senior living community in Portland to have conversations and create art about how the residents perceive themselves in contrast to how they feel perceived by important people in their lives, such as friends, family, and healthcare providers.

Visual Voices Project Pre-Post Survey, Collyn Baeder, Zoe Hull, Rebecca Masterjohn, Virginia Sedarski, Adrian Jung, Michaela A. Hoffman, Nicole O'Brien

Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment of the Perceived Identity of Aging Maine Residents

Participant pre-/post-project survey for UNE student project Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents. This project was designed to investigate the topics of perception, identity, and aging. Between February and May 2015, over the course of twelve sessions, the UNE team met with six female residents of the Park Danforth senior living community in Portland to have conversations and create art about how the residents perceive themselves in contrast to how they feel perceived by important people in their lives, such as friends, family, and healthcare providers.

Grant Application: Visual Voices, An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents, Collyn Baeder, Zoe Hull, Rebecca Masterjohn, Virginia Sedarski, Adrian Jung, Michaela A. Hoffman, Nicole O'Brien

Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment of the Perceived Identity of Aging Maine Residents

IPEC Mini-grant application for funding of UNE student project Visual Voices: An Arts-Based Assessment Of The Perceived Identity Of Aging Maine Residents. This project was designed to investigate the topics of perception, identity, and aging. Between February and May 2015, over the course of twelve sessions, the UNE team met with six female residents of the Park Danforth senior living community in Portland to have conversations and create art about how the residents perceive themselves in contrast to how they feel perceived by important people in their lives, such as friends, family, and healthcare providers.

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

LMU 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 …

Integrating Restorative Justice Approaches In An Art Therapy Group, Jenna Walters

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore the integration of restorative justice approaches within the structure of group art therapy. The research approach was based on a mixed methods design that incorporated both a survey and a case study of a group. The open group structure posed some challenges; however, four of the adolescents agreed to participate in the research study. Each of the eight group art therapy sessions was structured to include an art directive, psychoeducation, and group discussion. Based on the analysis of the data, restorative justice approaches can be successfully integrated into group art therapy. Findings …

Art Therapy And Runaway Homeless Youth: An Exploration Of Trauma And The Survival Response Of "Flight", Leann K. Marschall

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the influencing factors of runaway behavior, trauma, and the survival response of “flight.” The participant, an 18-year-old male residing at a transitional living program, ran away at age 17 and experienced a significant trauma history. Throughout the course of treatment, artwork and clinical notes were used as data. Many themes surfaced in the analysis process, including controlled chaos, body fragmentation, sun symbols, female imagery, and lack of color. The act of running away emerged subtly, whereas, traumatic experiences, chronic in nature and beginning early in life, were acutely evident. While the study was specifically concerned …

Using Photography And Poetry In Group Therapy For People With Severe And Persistent Mental Illness: An Outcome Study, Sarah H. Eggers

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the experience of participation in a pilot program that integrated poetry and photography for a group of seven adults living with severe and persistent mental illness. Data was gathered in the form of written, visual and verbal responses generated through a semistructured, qualitative focus group that took the week after the end of the pilot program. The data was categorized and coded using a analytical procedure based on Photovoice, a participatory action research model that seeks to empower research participants by providing them with cameras to document and share issues of importance to their lives. Analysis of …