Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons^™

Threaded Belonging: Strengthening Cultural Identity Through Armenian Embroidery In The Diaspora, Krysten A. Lee

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

The current study examined the impact of an Armenian textile arts workshop on cultural identity among members of the Armenian diaspora in the Bay Area of California (n = 25). Grounded in relational-cultural theory, it explored how culturally grounded, community-based, traditional art practices may strengthen cultural identity and reduce cultural disconnection resulting from forced displacement following the Armenian Genocide of 1915. A mixed-methods, arts-based design was implemented where participants engaged in an embroidery workshop centered on traditional Armenian textile practices. Data was collected through pre- and post-intervention Inclusion of Other in the Self (IOS) scale (Aron, Aron, & Smollan, 1992) …

Art As Activism: Emotional Expression And Collective Empowerment Among Muslim Participants Creating Protest Posters, Menhal Sheikh

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Muslim Americans are among the most underserved populations in mental health care in the United States. In the wake of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, many Muslim Americans have experienced intensified psychological distress, including anxiety, grief, and a heightened sense of helplessness, while continuing to show up in the streets in protest. This mixed-methods study examined whether the collective process of protest poster-making leads to emotional expression among Muslim American participants. Eleven Muslim American participants across two groups in the San Francisco Bay Area completed a pre and post Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to measure changes in affect, …

Spiritual-Soul Care: Art Sacralization, Active Imagination, And Eco Therapy, Andrea N. Miller

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This thesis reasons that spiritual-soul care is, at times, an ethically necessary dimension of mental health care for many individuals yet remains underdeveloped within the field. In response, this research aims to articulate a foundational, non-dogmatic “baseline” language that is simple and accessible, while remaining nuanced enough to capture the depth and essence of spiritual-soul care. This study proposes a culturally flexible approach for individuals who identify outside of traditional religious frameworks. This multidimensional model includes three domains—the self, spirit-soul, and the transpersonal levels—each contributing to wellbeing through developmental themes.

Using a qualitative design, 9 participants engaged in contemplation, Jungian …

Loneliness And Social Isolation: Finding Connection Through Art, Elijah K. Wong

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study explored whether creativity might help alleviate feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic was an extraordinary event that significantly impacted people's emotional, physical, psychological, and social health globally. To gain insight into these impacts, the research focused on participants’ creative activities and their experiences of loneliness during and after the pandemic. The aim was to find possible links between making and viewing art and reducing feelings of loneliness and loneliness-related experiences. Ten participants were surveyed and asked about their artistry, their time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their sense of belonging to a community. This investigation …

Shadow Garments: Costume Creation For Integrating Alienated Parts Of The Self, Mega M. Galvin

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This study explores costume creation as a narrative-based intervention for integrating "shadow" parts, or aspects of the self that are repressed or alienated due to shame, trauma, or social pressure. Grounded in Jungian analytic psychology, narrative therapy, and expressive arts theory, the research addresses the limitations of traditional talk therapy in accessing somatic memory and proposes costume making as a pathway for externalization and re-authorship. Using a qualitative, participatory study inspired by Pat B. Allen’s Open Studio Process, four adult participants engaged in a three-session workshop to design, construct, and wear costumes representing their identified shadow aspects. Data was collected …

Restorative Environments And Therapeutic Artmaking: A Strengths-Based Art Gallery Workshop To Enhance Well-Being In Emerging Adults, Jeannine Case

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Emerging adults aged 18 to 29 face increased mental health risks yet encounter considerable barriers to traditional care, which highlights the need for accessible, preventive alternatives. This mixed-methods pilot study investigated whether an art gallery environment could serve as a supportive setting for a strengths-based, positive art therapy-informed wellness workshop aimed at promoting well-being for this population. Six participants between the ages of 20 and 27, all enrolled in post-secondary education, took part in this study. Five identified as female and one as male. Three participants (50%) identified as Hispanic/Latino, one as Asian, one as White, and one as Hispanic/Latino …