Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy


Book Description

Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy provides an arts-based approach to the theory and practice of expressive arts therapy. The book explores the various expressive arts therapy modalities both individually and in relationship to each other. The contributors emphasize the importance of the imagination and of aesthetic experience, arguing that these are central to psychological well-being, and challenging accepted views which place primary emphasis on the cognitive and emotional dimensions of mental health and development. Part One explores the theory which informs the practice of expressive arts therapy. Part Two relates this theory to the therapeutic application of the expressive arts (including music, art, movement, drama, poetry and voicework) in different contexts, ranging from play therapy with children to trauma work with Bosnian refugees and second-generation Holocaust survivors. Comprehensive in its coverage of the most fundamental aspects of expressive arts therapy, this book is a significant contribution to the field and a useful reference for all practitioners.




Principles and Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy


Book Description

This book lays the foundation for a fresh interpretation of art-making and the therapeutic process by re-examining the concept of poiesis. The authors clarify the methodology and theory of practice with a focus on intermodal therapy, crystallization theory and polyaesthetics, and give guidance on the didactics of acquiring practical skills.




Art in Action


Book Description

The field of expressive arts is closely tied to the work of therapeutic change. As well as being beneficial for the individual or small group, expressive arts therapy has the potential for a much wider impact, to inspire social action and bring about social change. The book's contributors explore the transformative power of the arts therapies in areas stricken by conflict, political unrest, poverty or natural disaster and discuss how and why expressive arts works. They look at the ways it can be used to engage community consciousness and improve social conditions whilst taking into account the issues that arise within different contexts and populations. Leading expressive arts therapy practitioners give inspiring accounts of their work, from using poetry as a tool in trauma intervention with Iraqi survivors of war and torture, to setting up storytelling workshops to aid the integration of Ethiopian Jewish immigrants in Israel. Offering visionary perspectives on the role of the arts in inspiring change at the community or social level, this is essential reading for students and practitioners of creative and expressive arts therapies, as well as psychotherapists, counsellors, artists and others working to effect social change.




Expressive Therapies Continuum


Book Description

Expressive Therapies Continuum is distinctive in its application as a foundational theory in the field of art therapy. This book demonstrates how the Expressive Therapies Continuum provides a framework for the organization of assessment information, the formulation of treatment goals, and the planning of art therapy interventions.




Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy


Book Description

Laying the philosophical foundations of expressive arts therapy, this book highlights the role and importance of poiesis, the art of 'making' as a response to the world, in the expressive arts therapies as well as our own lives. The concept of poiesis was originally developed and brought into the field by Stephen K. Levine. It is a perspective that restores the primacy of the arts for the arts therapies instead of reducing art-making and art-objects to psychological data. Bringing together different schools of thought in unexpected ways, this book shows how the principles underlying expressive arts therapy have relevance to ethics, politics and social change. It includes chapters on Taoism, improvisation in the arts, and the importance of creativity for understanding human existence. With personal narratives and poetry to help create natural points for the reader to stop and reflect, Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy is the perfect guide for those wanting to understand the role of the arts and art-making in life and in therapeutic change.




Family Art Therapy


Book Description

Family Art Therapy is designed to help the reader incorporate clinical art therapy intervention techniques into family therapy practice. Expressive modalities are often used in work with families, particularly visual art forms, and there is already considerable evidence and literature that point to a positive link between the two. This text is unique in that it draws together, for the first time in a single volume, an overview of the evolution of the theories and techniques from the major schools of classic family therapy, integrating them with practical clinical approaches from the field of art therapy.




Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy


Book Description

"Psychological trauma can be a life-changing experience that affects multiple facets of health and well-being. The nature of trauma is to impact the mind and body in unpredictable and multidimensional ways. It can be a highly subjective that is difficult or even impossible to explain with words. It also can impact the body in highly individualized ways and result in complex symptoms that affect memory, social engagement, and quality of life. While many people overcome trauma with resilience and without long term effects, many do not. Trauma's impact often requires approaches that address the sensory-based experiences many survivors report. The expressive arts therapy-the purposeful application of art, music, dance/movement, dramatic enactment, creative writing and imaginative play-are largely non-verbal ways of self-expression of feelings and perceptions. More importantly, they are action-oriented and tap implicit, embodied experiences of trauma that can defy expression through verbal therapy or logic. Based on current evidence-based and emerging brain-body practices, there are eight key reasons for including expressive arts in trauma intervention, covered in this book: (1) letting the senses tell the story; (2) self-soothing mind and body; (3) engaging the body; (4) enhancing nonverbal communication; (5) recovering self-efficacy; (6) rescripting the trauma story; (7) making meaning; and (8) restoring aliveness"--




Play and Art in Child Psychotherapy


Book Description

Ellen G. Levine draws on her extensive experience in clinical settings to present a series of case studies that demonstrate how art-making and imaginary play can provide a space for children to metabolize their experiences. Each study is followed by an arts-based research discussion of the themes that emerged in the clinical sessions and the basic principles that were followed in the work with the child or family. The model of expressive arts therapy is used to explore the questions that arise from the cases, which range from issues of war trauma, to anger, grief, and the impact of mental illness in the family. This comprehensive guide to the use of play and art in working with children and parents will be of interest to students and practitioners in the fields of expressive arts therapy and psychotherapy, in addition to anyone working with children in disciplines such as psychology, social work and psychiatry.




Jungian Art Therapy


Book Description

Jungian Art Therapy aims to provide a clear, introductory manual for art therapists on how to navigate Jung’s model of working with the psyche. This exciting new text circumambulates Jung’s map of the mind so as to reinforce the theoretical foundations of analytical psychology while simultaneously defining key concepts to help orient practitioners, students, and teachers alike. The book provides several methods, which illustrate how to work with the numerous images originating from the unconscious and glean understanding from them. Throughout the text readers will enjoy clinical vignettes to support each chapter and illuminate important lessons.




Integrating the Expressive Arts into Counseling Practice


Book Description

"Once in a while a book comes along that is both unique and invaluable.... By reading and studying this work, practitioners can enrich the lives of their clients and their own effectiveness. [It] translates theory into practice and transforms mainstream counseling approaches into extremely useful devices for modifying the way clients and counselors function in therapy." Samuel T. Gladding, PhD Department of Counseling, Wake Forest University (From the Foreword) While traditional "talk" therapies remain at the foundation of counseling, the use of expressive and creative arts in conjunction with these methods can often deepen the healing process as well as expedite diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Integrating the Expressive Arts into Counseling Practice is designed to provide readers with an understanding of the ways in which expressive arts counseling techniques can be productively integrated into the leading counseling modalities. Accessible to students and practitioners alike, it presents field-tested expressive arts interventions within the context of the most commonly taught theoretical orientations, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Gestalt Theory, Adlerian Theory, Choice Theory, Existential Theory, Feminist Theory, Person-Centered Theory, Narrative Therapy, and Integrative Theory. These chapters include the work of over 40 contributors, including expert practitioners and faculty, who offer detailed descriptions of their own successful expressive arts interventions. Key Features Presents over 50 expressive art interventions in an easy, step-by-step format Describes interventions within a framework of 10 commonly used treatment modalities Explains the connection between theory and intervention Includes art, writing, drama, music, movement, dance, puppetry, and sandplay activities. Discusses appropriate populations, settings, and diagnoses with which to use each intervention