Pub Date : 2021-04-03DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2021.1889626
R. Hetherington, Mimma Della Cagnoletta, Fabrizio Minghini
ABSTRACT Background and context This paper wishes to help heal the lack of trans people’s representation in art therapy research that coincides with the lack of art therapy literature theorising body tracing. Approach Supervisor, art psychotherapist and service user have come together to offer a research process that questions power dynamics and uses lived experience to explore an approach of body tracing that differs from body mapping and so contributes a further approach in this field for working with people whose identities question the status quo of power. Outcomes Specifically, we wish to demonstrate the relevance of body tracing as a tool for facilitating the gender transitioning process. We explore how it offers a lived experience in the here and now that promotes agency and an internal locus of control over what is to be modified and what is to be maintained. Conclusions It creates an embodied space for a new identity to be shaped. We examine how the contextualisation of creative process modalities (sensory experience, formal decision-making and symbolic meaning) within the resulting body-space aids the integration of states of self and bodily awareness and connectedness. Implications for research We hope to inspire further research in this field that can support an institutionalised adoption of body tracing within an art therapy setting for gender transitioning service users. Plain-language summary Art therapists have only written a little about working with trans people. The same is true of the technique of body tracing. This paper speaks about both of these areas. The service user has taken the role of lived experience author in order to work together with the art therapist and her supervisor, so that all three voices can talk on equal terms about their experiences in these areas and explore a way of using body tracing that they believe can empower people who are gender transitioning. A technique called body mapping already uses body tracing to help people who feel disadvantaged because of their identity (for example, their sexual orientation, the colour of their skin, religion, nationality etc.). Our research offers an additional approach with some distinct features. The lived experience author describes how the act of drawing around the body and then being able to modify this outline promoted a sense of control over his body, leading to a feeling of greater control over his life. This helped him reclaim ownership of his body at a time when other people were deciding the hormones he took and the options available. Our method integrates bottom-up and top-down processes to help a person feel more connected with their body. Working on the body tracing involves many physical sensations that vary for each of the four stages of the process. Memories and thoughts may also come to mind connected with lived experiences and fantasies. The physical feelings in the body can be filtered thanks to the images and colours in the representation of the
{"title":"Not female-to-male but shadow-to-human: an exploration of body tracing in terms of embodiment and identity definition during gender transitioning","authors":"R. Hetherington, Mimma Della Cagnoletta, Fabrizio Minghini","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2021.1889626","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2021.1889626","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background and context This paper wishes to help heal the lack of trans people’s representation in art therapy research that coincides with the lack of art therapy literature theorising body tracing. Approach Supervisor, art psychotherapist and service user have come together to offer a research process that questions power dynamics and uses lived experience to explore an approach of body tracing that differs from body mapping and so contributes a further approach in this field for working with people whose identities question the status quo of power. Outcomes Specifically, we wish to demonstrate the relevance of body tracing as a tool for facilitating the gender transitioning process. We explore how it offers a lived experience in the here and now that promotes agency and an internal locus of control over what is to be modified and what is to be maintained. Conclusions It creates an embodied space for a new identity to be shaped. We examine how the contextualisation of creative process modalities (sensory experience, formal decision-making and symbolic meaning) within the resulting body-space aids the integration of states of self and bodily awareness and connectedness. Implications for research We hope to inspire further research in this field that can support an institutionalised adoption of body tracing within an art therapy setting for gender transitioning service users. Plain-language summary Art therapists have only written a little about working with trans people. The same is true of the technique of body tracing. This paper speaks about both of these areas. The service user has taken the role of lived experience author in order to work together with the art therapist and her supervisor, so that all three voices can talk on equal terms about their experiences in these areas and explore a way of using body tracing that they believe can empower people who are gender transitioning. A technique called body mapping already uses body tracing to help people who feel disadvantaged because of their identity (for example, their sexual orientation, the colour of their skin, religion, nationality etc.). Our research offers an additional approach with some distinct features. The lived experience author describes how the act of drawing around the body and then being able to modify this outline promoted a sense of control over his body, leading to a feeling of greater control over his life. This helped him reclaim ownership of his body at a time when other people were deciding the hormones he took and the options available. Our method integrates bottom-up and top-down processes to help a person feel more connected with their body. Working on the body tracing involves many physical sensations that vary for each of the four stages of the process. Memories and thoughts may also come to mind connected with lived experiences and fantasies. The physical feelings in the body can be filtered thanks to the images and colours in the representation of the","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"55 - 64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2021.1889626","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42644453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-04-03DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2021.1912939
Neil Springham, Ioanna Xenophontes
By definition co-production actively invites diversity and participation, but some contexts lend themselves more easily to this approach than others. If art therapy is placed within the broader mental health treatment field, it must engage with a difficult history of power abuse, stigma and exclusion. We present an argument here that these issues at once make co-production methodology more challenging and more needed. However, in acknowledgement that power and exclusion have themselves so often been transacted through language and labels, we wish to clarify the terms we apply to the roles individuals may take in the co-production before proceeding to that argument. We broadly define co-production as people who use and provide art therapy services working together to develop theory in such a way that values both the consensus and differences between each perspective. We use the term service user to describe an individual’s action of seeking help from an art therapist or professional but without implying any lasting personal characteristic of that individual. Service user is currently one accepted term used in the UK, but it is not without limitations, particular in potentially implying a transactional or passive stance which is not intended by our use of it. We refer to lived experience researcher or lived experience practitioner to denote the role of a non-professional involved in co-production, and explicitly differentiate that capacity from the term service user. Other authors in this special issue have chosen their own terms as they saw fit. Co-production can be applied to both practice and research. In all cases, the methodology requires flexibility to ensure those contributing lived experience will share control and influence with professionals. To our reading, the matter of how lived experience is given form to be communicated amongst co-producers is a primary consideration in that flexibility. For example, approaches which assume all partners can use words to describe experience immediately disadvantages those whose verbal communication is challenged by developmental, cognitive or traumatic factors. Conversely, strategies which draw on a range of communication forms increase inclusion and thereby the potential effectiveness of projects. We suggest it is to this, arguably under-studied, area of co-production methodology that this special issue may make a particularly valuable contribution. We hope the examples presented will be of interest both within, and beyond art therapy in demonstrating how art can mediate co-production where people cannot find the words to otherwise be involved. We are grateful to be offered space in this editorial to explore co-production in greater depth. Our aim in doing so is pragmatic: to draw on both literature and our project experience to elucidate practice points for those considering co-production approaches. One feature of practice we share with other authors published here, was that our initial collaborati
{"title":"Democratising the discourse: co-production in art therapy practice, research and publication","authors":"Neil Springham, Ioanna Xenophontes","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2021.1912939","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2021.1912939","url":null,"abstract":"By definition co-production actively invites diversity and participation, but some contexts lend themselves more easily to this approach than others. If art therapy is placed within the broader mental health treatment field, it must engage with a difficult history of power abuse, stigma and exclusion. We present an argument here that these issues at once make co-production methodology more challenging and more needed. However, in acknowledgement that power and exclusion have themselves so often been transacted through language and labels, we wish to clarify the terms we apply to the roles individuals may take in the co-production before proceeding to that argument. We broadly define co-production as people who use and provide art therapy services working together to develop theory in such a way that values both the consensus and differences between each perspective. We use the term service user to describe an individual’s action of seeking help from an art therapist or professional but without implying any lasting personal characteristic of that individual. Service user is currently one accepted term used in the UK, but it is not without limitations, particular in potentially implying a transactional or passive stance which is not intended by our use of it. We refer to lived experience researcher or lived experience practitioner to denote the role of a non-professional involved in co-production, and explicitly differentiate that capacity from the term service user. Other authors in this special issue have chosen their own terms as they saw fit. Co-production can be applied to both practice and research. In all cases, the methodology requires flexibility to ensure those contributing lived experience will share control and influence with professionals. To our reading, the matter of how lived experience is given form to be communicated amongst co-producers is a primary consideration in that flexibility. For example, approaches which assume all partners can use words to describe experience immediately disadvantages those whose verbal communication is challenged by developmental, cognitive or traumatic factors. Conversely, strategies which draw on a range of communication forms increase inclusion and thereby the potential effectiveness of projects. We suggest it is to this, arguably under-studied, area of co-production methodology that this special issue may make a particularly valuable contribution. We hope the examples presented will be of interest both within, and beyond art therapy in demonstrating how art can mediate co-production where people cannot find the words to otherwise be involved. We are grateful to be offered space in this editorial to explore co-production in greater depth. Our aim in doing so is pragmatic: to draw on both literature and our project experience to elucidate practice points for those considering co-production approaches. One feature of practice we share with other authors published here, was that our initial collaborati","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"1 - 7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2021.1912939","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43726196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-04-03DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2021.1906288
N. Sigal, Rob
ABSTRACT Background This article explores art therapy and EMDR for the treatment of complex PTSD caused by childhood sexual abuse, from the point of view of both client and therapist. It was co-written with a former client who wishes to remain anonymous. Context The therapeutic work took place in an NHS community setting. The idea of writing together – emerged organically as therapy came to an end, with both client and therapist feeling they have learnt from the process and that sharing these ideas could be beneficial for other practitioners. Approach While psychodynamically informed, much of the intervention followed the main principles of a trauma-focused approach with an emphasis on embodied processes – both in art therapy and EMDR. Outcomes The client made a great deal of progress during therapy and both writers explore the changes and insights that were gained as part of the article, with a particular emphasis on using interoceptive skills to enhance emotional processing. Conclusions When working with clients who have complex PTSD it is important to be aware of trauma-informed approaches and the role of grounding, stabilisation, embodied experiences and trauma processing. At times, this might be essential in order to help clients manage high levels of emotional arousal in the room, learn to contain their distress and improve their symptoms. Implications for Research More research is required to establish ways in which trauma-informed thinking can be incorporated into art therapy, the link between visual and emotional processing, and whether art therapy can improve interoceptive ability. Plain-language summary This article contains the summary of three years of art therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). It was co-written with ‘Rob’ (pseudonym), a male client in his mid-thirties who has a history of childhood sexual abuse and who wishes to remain anonymous. In the paper, Rob provides his account of the intervention while I explain my process as a therapist. I had limited experience of complex trauma work before I met him, and in many ways the journey was transformative for both of us. In my writing, I briefly outline the theoretical basis of my thoughts and choices within our art therapy sessions. I reflect on the way my practice has expanded and changed, in order to incorporate an understanding of the way trauma affects the body and how we can work with the body in art therapy. As an EMDR therapist, I often combine EMDR and art therapy with clients who have complex trauma and believe that these two approaches can complement each other. Therapy with Rob was often difficult to contain and there were times where his risk – of self-harm, substance misuse and suicidal urges – had to be carefully considered and managed. The principles of trauma-informed interventions were crucial for our work together. This includes explaining the current research about trauma to the client, so that the client understands his/her experien
{"title":"Dual perspectives on art therapy and EMDR for the treatment of complex childhood trauma","authors":"N. Sigal, Rob","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2021.1906288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2021.1906288","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background This article explores art therapy and EMDR for the treatment of complex PTSD caused by childhood sexual abuse, from the point of view of both client and therapist. It was co-written with a former client who wishes to remain anonymous. Context The therapeutic work took place in an NHS community setting. The idea of writing together – emerged organically as therapy came to an end, with both client and therapist feeling they have learnt from the process and that sharing these ideas could be beneficial for other practitioners. Approach While psychodynamically informed, much of the intervention followed the main principles of a trauma-focused approach with an emphasis on embodied processes – both in art therapy and EMDR. Outcomes The client made a great deal of progress during therapy and both writers explore the changes and insights that were gained as part of the article, with a particular emphasis on using interoceptive skills to enhance emotional processing. Conclusions When working with clients who have complex PTSD it is important to be aware of trauma-informed approaches and the role of grounding, stabilisation, embodied experiences and trauma processing. At times, this might be essential in order to help clients manage high levels of emotional arousal in the room, learn to contain their distress and improve their symptoms. Implications for Research More research is required to establish ways in which trauma-informed thinking can be incorporated into art therapy, the link between visual and emotional processing, and whether art therapy can improve interoceptive ability. Plain-language summary This article contains the summary of three years of art therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). It was co-written with ‘Rob’ (pseudonym), a male client in his mid-thirties who has a history of childhood sexual abuse and who wishes to remain anonymous. In the paper, Rob provides his account of the intervention while I explain my process as a therapist. I had limited experience of complex trauma work before I met him, and in many ways the journey was transformative for both of us. In my writing, I briefly outline the theoretical basis of my thoughts and choices within our art therapy sessions. I reflect on the way my practice has expanded and changed, in order to incorporate an understanding of the way trauma affects the body and how we can work with the body in art therapy. As an EMDR therapist, I often combine EMDR and art therapy with clients who have complex trauma and believe that these two approaches can complement each other. Therapy with Rob was often difficult to contain and there were times where his risk – of self-harm, substance misuse and suicidal urges – had to be carefully considered and managed. The principles of trauma-informed interventions were crucial for our work together. This includes explaining the current research about trauma to the client, so that the client understands his/her experien","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"37 - 46"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2021.1906288","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47183639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-24DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2021.1893370
S. Holttum, T. Wright, Chris Wood
ABSTRACT Background There was insufficient understanding of how art therapists experience their work with people with psychosis-related diagnoses, and of their practice development. Aims To understand art therapists’ perceived practise and its development regarding psychosis. Methods Within a grounded theory framework, interviews and a focus group carried out in the years 2015–2017 elicited the experiences of 18 UK-based art therapists, working in a range of National Health Service (NHS) contexts, concerning art therapy in relation to psychosis and how they developed their current practice. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed to build theory. Results The grounded theory proposes how practice and its development intertwine. Training confers resilience but therapists learn greatly from their clients, enhancing their ability for alliance-building. Therapists’ early struggles also spur further training. Skills for trauma are helpful. Clients may become stuck or disengage, and/or develop through ongoing engagement with art and the art therapist, who supports their journey. The service and wider societal contexts impact the art therapist's work through their effect on clients and/or the art therapist's ability to attune to clients. Conclusions The findings concur with previous research regarding common therapeutic factors, especially the alliance, and on other therapists’ practice development. Implications for practice and research Understanding therapy processes should incorporate service and societal influences on therapist and client. Training needs to include understanding adversity and trauma, and working with trauma. Plain-language summary People who receive a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia are sometimes offered art therapy. However, we did not know enough about exactly what art therapists do. It was also important to understand how art therapists come to know what helps people in art therapy. Art therapy training has to cover many things, not only psychosis, so art therapists learn their skills in various ways. Through interviews and a focus group we talked to 18 UK-based art therapists working in different NHS contexts and digitally recorded the discussions. We made written records of what was said, and analysed these to create a theory of how art therapists work with people who have been given a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia across inpatient and outpatient settings. Our theory proposes that art therapists’ training makes them quite resilient. However, they learn vital things from their clients. This especially helps them to become better at building a helpful relationship with each client. Some art therapists also seek further training when they are newly qualified, especially if they run into difficulties when trying to help a client. Some art therapists find it helpful to have skills for supporting people who have experienced past trauma. Clients develop through art-making and talking with the art thera
{"title":"Art therapy with people diagnosed with psychosis: therapists’ experiences of their work and the journey to their current practice","authors":"S. Holttum, T. Wright, Chris Wood","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2021.1893370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2021.1893370","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background There was insufficient understanding of how art therapists experience their work with people with psychosis-related diagnoses, and of their practice development. Aims To understand art therapists’ perceived practise and its development regarding psychosis. Methods Within a grounded theory framework, interviews and a focus group carried out in the years 2015–2017 elicited the experiences of 18 UK-based art therapists, working in a range of National Health Service (NHS) contexts, concerning art therapy in relation to psychosis and how they developed their current practice. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed to build theory. Results The grounded theory proposes how practice and its development intertwine. Training confers resilience but therapists learn greatly from their clients, enhancing their ability for alliance-building. Therapists’ early struggles also spur further training. Skills for trauma are helpful. Clients may become stuck or disengage, and/or develop through ongoing engagement with art and the art therapist, who supports their journey. The service and wider societal contexts impact the art therapist's work through their effect on clients and/or the art therapist's ability to attune to clients. Conclusions The findings concur with previous research regarding common therapeutic factors, especially the alliance, and on other therapists’ practice development. Implications for practice and research Understanding therapy processes should incorporate service and societal influences on therapist and client. Training needs to include understanding adversity and trauma, and working with trauma. Plain-language summary People who receive a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia are sometimes offered art therapy. However, we did not know enough about exactly what art therapists do. It was also important to understand how art therapists come to know what helps people in art therapy. Art therapy training has to cover many things, not only psychosis, so art therapists learn their skills in various ways. Through interviews and a focus group we talked to 18 UK-based art therapists working in different NHS contexts and digitally recorded the discussions. We made written records of what was said, and analysed these to create a theory of how art therapists work with people who have been given a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia across inpatient and outpatient settings. Our theory proposes that art therapists’ training makes them quite resilient. However, they learn vital things from their clients. This especially helps them to become better at building a helpful relationship with each client. Some art therapists also seek further training when they are newly qualified, especially if they run into difficulties when trying to help a client. Some art therapists find it helpful to have skills for supporting people who have experienced past trauma. Clients develop through art-making and talking with the art thera","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"126 - 136"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2021.1893370","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46680731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-09DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2021.1894192
Edit Biro-Hannah
ABSTRACT Background The Covid-19 pandemic transformed the practices of many Art Therapists, and online work became commonplace. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicted elevated rates of stress and anxiety among other mental health issues to develop as a result of the pandemic. It is vital to intervene early to prevent potential long-term psychological effects. Context The article describes an online art therapy group for adult mental health service users in the community in a suburban area of a large city in England. The practice description includes six adult mental health service users who have participated in the online art therapy group and provided feedback. Approach The online art therapy group emerged from our universal experience of the pandemic and the need for social connection through art-making to mitigate the psychological effects. The approach to the work is underpinned by an understanding of Polyvagal and Trauma Theories, mentalisation in groups and mechanisms of group art therapy. Outcomes The service users feedback that they found the online art therapy group helpful for managing a variety of mental health difficulties. Conclusion The paper describes the art therapy approach along with some pros and cons of providing the service online. Implications for research The pandemic highlighted the importance of developing our knowledge of online art therapy practice and research. We need further collaborative work with service users as their input is paramount in the process of practice development. Plain-language summary The Covid-19 pandemic changed how Art Therapists provide their services, many offering online therapy. The pandemic affects people's mental health negatively. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts a higher level of stress and anxiety, among other mental health issues, to develop as a result of the pandemic. It is essential to provide services early that help prevent a long-term negative effect on people's mental health. In this article, I describe an online art therapy group for adult mental health service users in the community in a suburban area of a large city in England. The practice description includes six adult mental health service users who have participated in the online art therapy group and provided feedback. The online art therapy group emerged from our common experience of the pandemic and the need for social connection through art-making to lessen the negative effects. I draw on research to understand the impact of Covid-19 and how Polyvagal and Trauma Theories and mentalisation in art therapy group work can inform the approach to therapeutic work. The service users feedback that they found the online art therapy group helpful for managing a variety of mental health difficulties. The paper describes the art therapy approach along with some pros and cons of providing the service online. The pandemic showed how important it is to develop our knowledge of online art therapy practice and researc
{"title":"Community adult mental health: mitigating the impact of Covid-19 through online art therapy","authors":"Edit Biro-Hannah","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2021.1894192","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2021.1894192","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background The Covid-19 pandemic transformed the practices of many Art Therapists, and online work became commonplace. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicted elevated rates of stress and anxiety among other mental health issues to develop as a result of the pandemic. It is vital to intervene early to prevent potential long-term psychological effects. Context The article describes an online art therapy group for adult mental health service users in the community in a suburban area of a large city in England. The practice description includes six adult mental health service users who have participated in the online art therapy group and provided feedback. Approach The online art therapy group emerged from our universal experience of the pandemic and the need for social connection through art-making to mitigate the psychological effects. The approach to the work is underpinned by an understanding of Polyvagal and Trauma Theories, mentalisation in groups and mechanisms of group art therapy. Outcomes The service users feedback that they found the online art therapy group helpful for managing a variety of mental health difficulties. Conclusion The paper describes the art therapy approach along with some pros and cons of providing the service online. Implications for research The pandemic highlighted the importance of developing our knowledge of online art therapy practice and research. We need further collaborative work with service users as their input is paramount in the process of practice development. Plain-language summary The Covid-19 pandemic changed how Art Therapists provide their services, many offering online therapy. The pandemic affects people's mental health negatively. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts a higher level of stress and anxiety, among other mental health issues, to develop as a result of the pandemic. It is essential to provide services early that help prevent a long-term negative effect on people's mental health. In this article, I describe an online art therapy group for adult mental health service users in the community in a suburban area of a large city in England. The practice description includes six adult mental health service users who have participated in the online art therapy group and provided feedback. The online art therapy group emerged from our common experience of the pandemic and the need for social connection through art-making to lessen the negative effects. I draw on research to understand the impact of Covid-19 and how Polyvagal and Trauma Theories and mentalisation in art therapy group work can inform the approach to therapeutic work. The service users feedback that they found the online art therapy group helpful for managing a variety of mental health difficulties. The paper describes the art therapy approach along with some pros and cons of providing the service online. The pandemic showed how important it is to develop our knowledge of online art therapy practice and researc","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"96 - 103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2021.1894192","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48713201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-01DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2021.1889627
Loukia Chaidemenaki
ABSTRACT Background The prevalence of mental illness among people diagnosed with severe learning disabilities is well documented, however limitations in verbal, cognitive, emotional and social skills are often used as reasons to withhold referrals for psychotherapeutic interventions within this client group. Context This paper describes the one-year art-therapy informed psychotherapeutic work carried out with Ioanna, a 61-year-old lady with a dual-diagnosis that took place in a Residential Unit providing psychosocial support for people with severe psychiatric disorders and/or learning disabilities in Athens Greece during 2018. Approach Within the case-vignette the use of Plasticine as a therapeutic medium is presented. Concepts from psychodynamic and object-relations theory are also used as a framework for understanding the course of this therapeutic intervention. Outcomes The contribution of sensory materials appeared valuable in this psychotherapeutic intervention with an apparently ‘untreatable’ institutionalised service user, helping to build a trusting psychotherapeutic relationship, and enable Ioanna to regulate some of her challenging behaviours. Conclusions The use of Plasticine and play, and the development of a ‘together and apart’ game within a psychotherapeutic intervention, appeared to modify Ioanna's challenging behaviour, and improve her ability to relate and communicate with the therapist and her carers. Implications for research Research into the use of Plasticine as part of an art therapy programme for people with severe learning difficulties, would provide a useful addition to the knowledge in this area. A review of the current psychiatric services in Greece and of what constitutes ‘clinical progress’ also seems necessary. Plain-language summary This paper describes the one-year art-therapy informed psychotherapeutic work I undertook with Ioanna, a 61-year-old lady with a diagnosis of severe learning disabilities and mental illness. This took place in a Residential Unit providing psychosocial support for people with severe psychiatric disorders and/or learning disabilities in Athens Greece during 2018. At this time, I was also undergoing my art therapy training. The practice description in this paper describes the contribution of Plasticine as a sensory, therapeutic medium. Theories related to the relationship that a baby or child develops with its primary care giver are used as a framework for understanding the course of this therapeutic intervention. The relationship between learning disabilities and mental illness is well documented in clinical literature, however people with dual diagnosis or severe learning disabilities are often overlooked where referrals for psychotherapy are concerned, as it is believed that they cannot take part due to a perceived lack of communication skills. This paper describes how the use of Plasticine and playing a ‘together and apart' game appeared to contribute to Ioanna’s development of a trust
{"title":"Together and apart: using Plasticine as a sensory therapeutic intervention for a service user diagnosed with severe learning disabilities","authors":"Loukia Chaidemenaki","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2021.1889627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2021.1889627","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background The prevalence of mental illness among people diagnosed with severe learning disabilities is well documented, however limitations in verbal, cognitive, emotional and social skills are often used as reasons to withhold referrals for psychotherapeutic interventions within this client group. Context This paper describes the one-year art-therapy informed psychotherapeutic work carried out with Ioanna, a 61-year-old lady with a dual-diagnosis that took place in a Residential Unit providing psychosocial support for people with severe psychiatric disorders and/or learning disabilities in Athens Greece during 2018. Approach Within the case-vignette the use of Plasticine as a therapeutic medium is presented. Concepts from psychodynamic and object-relations theory are also used as a framework for understanding the course of this therapeutic intervention. Outcomes The contribution of sensory materials appeared valuable in this psychotherapeutic intervention with an apparently ‘untreatable’ institutionalised service user, helping to build a trusting psychotherapeutic relationship, and enable Ioanna to regulate some of her challenging behaviours. Conclusions The use of Plasticine and play, and the development of a ‘together and apart’ game within a psychotherapeutic intervention, appeared to modify Ioanna's challenging behaviour, and improve her ability to relate and communicate with the therapist and her carers. Implications for research Research into the use of Plasticine as part of an art therapy programme for people with severe learning difficulties, would provide a useful addition to the knowledge in this area. A review of the current psychiatric services in Greece and of what constitutes ‘clinical progress’ also seems necessary. Plain-language summary This paper describes the one-year art-therapy informed psychotherapeutic work I undertook with Ioanna, a 61-year-old lady with a diagnosis of severe learning disabilities and mental illness. This took place in a Residential Unit providing psychosocial support for people with severe psychiatric disorders and/or learning disabilities in Athens Greece during 2018. At this time, I was also undergoing my art therapy training. The practice description in this paper describes the contribution of Plasticine as a sensory, therapeutic medium. Theories related to the relationship that a baby or child develops with its primary care giver are used as a framework for understanding the course of this therapeutic intervention. The relationship between learning disabilities and mental illness is well documented in clinical literature, however people with dual diagnosis or severe learning disabilities are often overlooked where referrals for psychotherapy are concerned, as it is believed that they cannot take part due to a perceived lack of communication skills. This paper describes how the use of Plasticine and playing a ‘together and apart' game appeared to contribute to Ioanna’s development of a trust","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"170 - 175"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2021.1889627","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45038733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-04DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2020.1871388
N. Power, R. Dolby, D. Thorne
ABSTRACT Background A series of online practice development discussions were held during the Covid-19 pandemic by the Art Therapy and Learning Disability Professional Support Group of the British Association of Art Therapists (formerly known as the Special Interest Group). Aims (1) To capture the experiences of art therapists living through and working with this population during the global pandemic; (2) To describe the barriers and facilitators for online art therapy with people with a learning disability. Methods An anonymised, hand-written record was made during six 60-minute Zoom sessions. The data was transferred to an Excel database. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Results The resultant themes and thematic map are shared in this paper. The themes are: (A) The pandemic as leveller. (B) The joy and jeopardy of working online. (C) Art after the eclipse. (D) The function of the professional support group. (E) Insight and understanding to meet client diversity. Conclusions Stimulated by the national restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, art therapy practice changed at an unprecedented pace. Online art therapy for people with a learning disability may provide a viable alternative to face-to-face art therapy. The BAAT Professional Support Group provides an important peer-network for art therapists and could become a practice-based research hub. Implications Further research is needed to develop best-practice online art therapy; this must include experts by experience as co-researchers. Additional training will be needed for art therapists to practice safely and confidently online. Plain-language summary In 2020, the coronavirus made many people across the world sick, some people died. In the UK, our government asked us to stay at home to help to stop the virus spreading. Lots of things changed very suddenly – activities, hobbies and therapy were stopped. This meant that people with a learning disability were not able to keep coming to their art therapy sessions. Art therapists across the UK met on the internet, using a video-chat, to talk about what changes they had made in their clinical practice, whether they were able to keep therapy going during the pandemic and how they felt about the changes. We wanted to understand: (1) Art therapists' experiences during the pandemic. (2) What's helped and what's gotten in the way when art therapists have worked online with people with a learning disability. This piece of research uses a qualitative research procedure called 'thematic analysis' to make sense of different people's views. Thematic analysis is a systematic way of organising and interpreting large volumes of information, called 'data'. In this research, the data is people's words, which were written down live during the six video-chat meetings. Using thematic analysis helps us to find patterns in the data where people have a similar or different view. These patterns are called: 'themes'. The themes gave us a concise record of a b
{"title":"‘Reflecting or frozen?’ The impact of Covid-19 on art therapists working with people with a learning disability","authors":"N. Power, R. Dolby, D. Thorne","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2020.1871388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2020.1871388","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background A series of online practice development discussions were held during the Covid-19 pandemic by the Art Therapy and Learning Disability Professional Support Group of the British Association of Art Therapists (formerly known as the Special Interest Group). Aims (1) To capture the experiences of art therapists living through and working with this population during the global pandemic; (2) To describe the barriers and facilitators for online art therapy with people with a learning disability. Methods An anonymised, hand-written record was made during six 60-minute Zoom sessions. The data was transferred to an Excel database. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Results The resultant themes and thematic map are shared in this paper. The themes are: (A) The pandemic as leveller. (B) The joy and jeopardy of working online. (C) Art after the eclipse. (D) The function of the professional support group. (E) Insight and understanding to meet client diversity. Conclusions Stimulated by the national restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, art therapy practice changed at an unprecedented pace. Online art therapy for people with a learning disability may provide a viable alternative to face-to-face art therapy. The BAAT Professional Support Group provides an important peer-network for art therapists and could become a practice-based research hub. Implications Further research is needed to develop best-practice online art therapy; this must include experts by experience as co-researchers. Additional training will be needed for art therapists to practice safely and confidently online. Plain-language summary In 2020, the coronavirus made many people across the world sick, some people died. In the UK, our government asked us to stay at home to help to stop the virus spreading. Lots of things changed very suddenly – activities, hobbies and therapy were stopped. This meant that people with a learning disability were not able to keep coming to their art therapy sessions. Art therapists across the UK met on the internet, using a video-chat, to talk about what changes they had made in their clinical practice, whether they were able to keep therapy going during the pandemic and how they felt about the changes. We wanted to understand: (1) Art therapists' experiences during the pandemic. (2) What's helped and what's gotten in the way when art therapists have worked online with people with a learning disability. This piece of research uses a qualitative research procedure called 'thematic analysis' to make sense of different people's views. Thematic analysis is a systematic way of organising and interpreting large volumes of information, called 'data'. In this research, the data is people's words, which were written down live during the six video-chat meetings. Using thematic analysis helps us to find patterns in the data where people have a similar or different view. These patterns are called: 'themes'. The themes gave us a concise record of a b","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"84 - 95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2020.1871388","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44179011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-01DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2020.1871389
Kathryn Snyder
ABSTRACT Background There has been increasing attention to the use of teletherapy in art therapy with accessibility at the forefront of the argument for its use. Concerns have persisted around how to use art materials and media for therapeutic gain in a digital platform. The debate quickly needed to be reconsidered as the shutdown orders surrounding COVID-19 forced many of us to adopt online art therapy practice. Context My child, teen and family art therapy outpatient practice in the Northeast United States, quickly pivoted online in late March. This move entailed establishing a new framework for creating a ‘magic circle’ for emotional resonance to create positive change. Approach Adapting a new framework, we established routines and rituals for engaging even our youngest clients. Ethics and boundaries needed to be established in a new landscape of service delivery. Outcomes Adaptation enabled us to work with our clients. While many things worked, art making and responsiveness to client needs proved to be challenges, along with the limits of technology and other distractions. Conclusions We are now more adept, have developed shared art tools, and can assess how to build a working alliance for online art therapy practice. Implications for research Massive use of online art therapy affords us the opportunity to look at how it may operate in a virtual world. Research may parse out best practices, what doesn’t work, and for whom it might work best, and look at issues surrounding working alliance, therapist responsiveness and sensory processes in online art therapy. Plain-language summary The world-wide pandemic of 2020 forced therapists to provide services online. My art therapy practice was no exception. We immediately had to pivot our child-centered art therapy services to online platforms and adapt our approach. The ‘magic circle’ framework that we create through our physical space, presence and three modes of engagement during art therapy were translated into telehealth. This framework is explained with two case vignettes to suggest both challenges to online art therapy practice as well as the success of the new model. Implications for research are discussed.
{"title":"The digital art therapy frame: creating a ‘magic circle’ in teletherapy","authors":"Kathryn Snyder","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2020.1871389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2020.1871389","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background There has been increasing attention to the use of teletherapy in art therapy with accessibility at the forefront of the argument for its use. Concerns have persisted around how to use art materials and media for therapeutic gain in a digital platform. The debate quickly needed to be reconsidered as the shutdown orders surrounding COVID-19 forced many of us to adopt online art therapy practice. Context My child, teen and family art therapy outpatient practice in the Northeast United States, quickly pivoted online in late March. This move entailed establishing a new framework for creating a ‘magic circle’ for emotional resonance to create positive change. Approach Adapting a new framework, we established routines and rituals for engaging even our youngest clients. Ethics and boundaries needed to be established in a new landscape of service delivery. Outcomes Adaptation enabled us to work with our clients. While many things worked, art making and responsiveness to client needs proved to be challenges, along with the limits of technology and other distractions. Conclusions We are now more adept, have developed shared art tools, and can assess how to build a working alliance for online art therapy practice. Implications for research Massive use of online art therapy affords us the opportunity to look at how it may operate in a virtual world. Research may parse out best practices, what doesn’t work, and for whom it might work best, and look at issues surrounding working alliance, therapist responsiveness and sensory processes in online art therapy. Plain-language summary The world-wide pandemic of 2020 forced therapists to provide services online. My art therapy practice was no exception. We immediately had to pivot our child-centered art therapy services to online platforms and adapt our approach. The ‘magic circle’ framework that we create through our physical space, presence and three modes of engagement during art therapy were translated into telehealth. This framework is explained with two case vignettes to suggest both challenges to online art therapy practice as well as the success of the new model. Implications for research are discussed.","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"104 - 110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2020.1871389","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44460594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-21DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2020.1866046
Elizabeth G. Watson, Ali Coles, Helen Jury
ABSTRACT Background This article focuses on art psychotherapists’ experiences of using museum and gallery settings for group art psychotherapy. Aims It aims to explore the impact of museum settings for group art psychotherapy on the dynamics of power between therapists and service users, and between service users and the wider community. Methods Interview transcripts from five art psychotherapists working in museums were analysed using an interpretative phenomenological framework and arts-based methods. Results Service users may feel valued and socially included by participating in art psychotherapy in museums and using museum objects can help service users to feel empowered within the therapeutic process. Museums offer service users choices, which can engender a sense of autonomy. A museum environment where therapists and service users explore together, and diverse perspectives flourish, may facilitate a flattening of hierarchies. This levelling of the potential power differential is enhanced by a sense of informality and human relating in these settings. Conclusions : The findings suggest that a museum environment for art psychotherapy can influence service users’ experience of power and autonomy within the therapeutic relationship and within the wider social sphere. Implications for practice/policy/further research Art psychotherapists may consider using museums to foster social inclusion, autonomy and a more equal sharing of power with service users, whilst it is recommended that art psychotherapy training courses teach about non-traditional practice and settings, such as museums, and power dynamics. Plain-language summary Sometimes art psychotherapy groups are run in museums and galleries rather than in traditional settings such as hospitals or community clinics. This article describes a research project exploring how using museums (including galleries with collections) for art psychotherapy groups can affect the group members. It focusses on how these museum environments can affect the power relationships between therapists and service users, and between service users and the wider community. Five art psychotherapists were interviewed about their work in museum settings. The data from the interviews was analysed using a variety of methods, including art-based methods. The research found that museum-based art psychotherapy can affect power relationships between therapists and service users and the wider community in several ways. Service users may feel more valued by being in a museum than in a more usual therapy setting, and connecting with museum objects can help facilitate the therapy process. Museums provide people with choices about how they want to interact with the collections and to move through the spaces. Therapists and service users can explore alongside each other and a wide range of responses can be expressed and experienced, helping to encourage a sense of equal worth. Finally, a sense of informality in a museum setting and its
{"title":"‘A space that worked for them’: museum-based art psychotherapy, power dynamics, social inclusion and autonomy","authors":"Elizabeth G. Watson, Ali Coles, Helen Jury","doi":"10.1080/17454832.2020.1866046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2020.1866046","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background This article focuses on art psychotherapists’ experiences of using museum and gallery settings for group art psychotherapy. Aims It aims to explore the impact of museum settings for group art psychotherapy on the dynamics of power between therapists and service users, and between service users and the wider community. Methods Interview transcripts from five art psychotherapists working in museums were analysed using an interpretative phenomenological framework and arts-based methods. Results Service users may feel valued and socially included by participating in art psychotherapy in museums and using museum objects can help service users to feel empowered within the therapeutic process. Museums offer service users choices, which can engender a sense of autonomy. A museum environment where therapists and service users explore together, and diverse perspectives flourish, may facilitate a flattening of hierarchies. This levelling of the potential power differential is enhanced by a sense of informality and human relating in these settings. Conclusions : The findings suggest that a museum environment for art psychotherapy can influence service users’ experience of power and autonomy within the therapeutic relationship and within the wider social sphere. Implications for practice/policy/further research Art psychotherapists may consider using museums to foster social inclusion, autonomy and a more equal sharing of power with service users, whilst it is recommended that art psychotherapy training courses teach about non-traditional practice and settings, such as museums, and power dynamics. Plain-language summary Sometimes art psychotherapy groups are run in museums and galleries rather than in traditional settings such as hospitals or community clinics. This article describes a research project exploring how using museums (including galleries with collections) for art psychotherapy groups can affect the group members. It focusses on how these museum environments can affect the power relationships between therapists and service users, and between service users and the wider community. Five art psychotherapists were interviewed about their work in museum settings. The data from the interviews was analysed using a variety of methods, including art-based methods. The research found that museum-based art psychotherapy can affect power relationships between therapists and service users and the wider community in several ways. Service users may feel more valued by being in a museum than in a more usual therapy setting, and connecting with museum objects can help facilitate the therapy process. Museums provide people with choices about how they want to interact with the collections and to move through the spaces. Therapists and service users can explore alongside each other and a wide range of responses can be expressed and experienced, helping to encourage a sense of equal worth. Finally, a sense of informality in a museum setting and its","PeriodicalId":39969,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Art Therapy: Inscape","volume":"26 1","pages":"137 - 146"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17454832.2020.1866046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49136941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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