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Anchoring Roots And Spreading Branches: The Growth And Regulation Of Art Therapy In Singapore, Christine Phang

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

The development of art therapy in Singapore has advanced rapidly over the last two decades. Yet, to date, there has not been a comprehensive overview of art therapy in Singapore. Additionally, more research is needed to understand how the complex component of regulation can benefit the profession of art therapy. This study therefore set out to paint a picture of art therapy in Singapore, capture the art therapy community’s thoughts and opinions concerning regulation, and identify actionable ways to advance the profession. A mixed method design was employed which utilized a survey and interviews to gather quantitative, qualitative, and arts-informed …

Enhancing Self-Acceptance And Reducing Anxiety Through Tree Ring Self-Portraits In Art Therapy: A Mixed-Methods Study, Stacey Kamp

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed-methods dissertation examined the therapeutic potential of the Tree Ring Self-Portrait, a novel art therapy intervention designed to enhance self-acceptance and reduce anxiety through symbol-based, life-phase self-portraiture grounded in narrative meaning-making and image-based processing (White & Epston, 1990; Moon, 2010; Hinz, 2020). Adults who self-identified with anxiety-related concerns were recruited through community and clinical referral sources and completed a standardized three-session intervention involving reflective mapping of life phases, a watercolor-based concentric-ring self-portrait process, and a guided review of the completed artwork with semi-structured interviews. The final sample (n = 20; ages 22–74) included participants with varied engagement in psychotherapy …

Understanding The Intersection Between Alaska Native And Military Cultural Identities: Using Arts-Based Narrative Inquiry With Mixed Methods, Leslie M. Robertson

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) peoples have contributed significant efforts towards involvement in the military and have served in the Armed Forces at five times the national average. AI/AN peoples have served with distinction in every major conflict for over 200 years. There has been a pervasive and historical lack of recognition for their service and a lack of awareness of the intersection between Indigenous and military cultures (Ault, 2020; Bennett, 2009; Department of Veterans Affairs, 2020; Harris & Hirsch, 2020; Holm, 2010; Krouse, 2007; Marston, 1972; Nalewicki, 2021; NICOA, 2019; Viola, 2008; Wooda et al., 2021).

This study …

Intuition And Insight In Art Therapy, Samantha Mach

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

The main goal of this research is to explore the unconscious phenomena of Intuition and Insight in art therapy. I define Intuition as knowledge that has been there all along and Insight as an inner sense of knowing and a space of no-thought. It is my belief that these unconscious processes lay at the heart of art and art-making and may therefore strengthen the therapeutic process. In order to investigate this hypothesis, I turned to the phenomenological analysis of qualitative interviews and found that seven themes emerged from the data collected: Prologue, Untethered, Interrelatedness, Deliverance, Concede, Divulge, Art as Allied, …

Art-Based Autoethnographic Study Of A Senior Professional Woman Of Color's Journey, Raceal Mcwhorter

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This proposed dissertation study is a visual autoethnographic qualitative study of the recalled lived experiences of a senior woman of color's journey to become a spiritual art therapist professional during the 20th to 21st Century in the United States of America. This study interprets the memories of events in my lifetime, looking back through the lens of a spiritual mental health art therapist practitioner. The adverse effects of the legacy and enforcement of silence on women and black people. I hope that by describing my lived experiences and felt sense -- and illustrating my arduous journey to overcome societal racism, …

An Integrative Somatic Art Therapy Approach: Emdr & Body-Based Practices For Traumatic Stress, Alexis Sorbara

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This research project used a mixed method, within subject design to explore how trauma-informed somatic art therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy impacts symptoms of trauma and burnout. There is limited qualitative research on integrating art therapy with EMDR in a group setting. Art therapy can act as a container, or safe holding environment (Winnicott, 1971) for the limitations of EMDR therapy. This research addressed the implications of integrating art therapy and EMDR therapy as a trauma treatment for healthcare professionals. This research study followed the eight phases of EMDR treatment, using a combination of resourcing, a series …

The Course Of Covid: How Has The Pandemic Changed The Ways Therapists Use Art In Their Therapeutic Practice?, Deborah Sharpe

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

In 2020, the global pandemic fundamentally changed our everyday lives personally and professionally. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the art therapy profession: the challenges of shifting to telehealth, managing work/life balance, confronting new realities around notions of privacy and confidentiality, and adapting the materials used in sessions. The necessary innovations and adjustments also revealed the unexpected benefits the pandemic and online therapy platforms provided. The researcher was interested in exploring the challenges and benefits of telehealth, the changes to the practical and essential qualities of the art therapy session, the therapeutic relationship, …

In-Between Space: Latinas Sharing Their Stories Of Cultural Integration, Maria Elena Fuster

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores how an art-based narrative allows Latinas to explore their own experiences of cultural integration in a way that honors their lived experience. The women used art materials to help them explore their identities and, through this process, discovered new truths about themselves through their stories of living between, within, and outside of both cultures. The art acted as a catalyst to express feelings the women had never before questioned or recognized in themselves and, in doing so, allowed them to create meaning and discover parts of their identities they had never explored before. This further allowed the …

Clay Use As Mindfulness For Women In Early Substance Use Recovery, Cheryl Feldman

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are an epidemic in the United States comprising 4.4 million women, including high rates of recidivism, and often accompanied by comorbid mental health issues. Recognizing the need for effective tools to support women in recovery, this research aligns the key tenets of present focus and personal control within Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with various established mindfulness-based therapies, while using a Positive Psychology framework to conceptualize strategies to help enhance mindfulness in women in early recovery. Although engaging in clay work has been linked to mindfulness for its capacity to foster a state of presence and self-centering, scant …

Failure: A Heuristic Inquiry Of The Experience Of Failure Through A Nature Based Art Therapy Process, Lisa Manthe

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

The aim of this arts based study was to investigate the experience of failure during the dissertation process. Through a heuristic lens, its objective was to gain an understanding of the tacit experience of failure and the influence of a nature art based process on the understanding of failure. Failure is integral to the scientific method (Wang et al. 2019), enhancing understanding and teaching us valuable skills. Intentional engagement with our response to failure allows us to address and incorporate possibilities that are often unseen (Nelson et al., 2017). The art process illuminates tacit knowledge, unearthing creative solutions and untapped …