Arts in Psychotherapy最新文献

Art therapy (AT) shows promise in treating clients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially those who don't respond well to traditional treatments (more than 30 %). This case study aimed to explore the effects of Trauma-Focused Art Therapy (TFAT) on PTSD symptoms and establish its viability as a non-verbal therapy for trauma-related issues. A 10-week intervention and a 3-week follow-up phase were explored using a mixed method single case experimental design (SCED) aimed at integrated results. Bringing the two types of data together adds value and enables to understand the findings better. Quantitative data was collected with weekly questionnaires focused on severity of depression, resilience, self-esteem, mental health and self-expression and emotion regulation in art therapy. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was completed in week 1 and 10. Qualitative data was collected through interviews, the patient dossier, and artwork. The combined findings indicate a decrease in PTSD symptoms, reduced depression symptoms, enhanced emotional articulation, increased mental resilience, self-esteem, and positive mental health. The qualitative data support these results, and also add improved emotional connection, increased emotional acknowledgment, and enhanced self-compassion. Based on the combined results of this mixed method design we understand that the TFAT protocol led to a clinically significant reduction in PTSD symptoms and improved mental health, demonstrating effectiveness of AT for trauma in this case. This is the first study that tested the TFAT protocol in posttraumatic distress.

Early childhood assistants (ECA) often cope with job-related stressors and experience burnout. This study examined the implications for ECAs of a single session mindfulness-based art therapy (SSMBAT) intervention that combined mindfulness with drawing and photography in a group setting. In this qualitative study, a convenience sample of 16 ECA volunteers were recruited after they had taken part in the SSMBAT as part of an ECA training program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their experiences during the SSMBAT. The questions focused on mindfulness, understanding and practice, and its possible contribution to personal or professional life. The thematic analysis revealed that mindfulness practices in the workshop elicited an impact in the sensory, emotional, cognitive and metacognitive, and behavioral domains. Components of the workshop, such as mindfulness sitting and walking meditations, artmaking and group sharing were seen as contributing to professional and self-development, working with children, teamwork with peers, and communication with the children’s parents. The results underscore the theoretical as well as the practical value of SSMBAT. They contribute to the scant literature on the wellbeing of ECA and efforts to support them.

Those incarcerated often experience different types of loss. Because of where they are, such experiences often result in unresolved, unacknowledged, disenfranchised grief. Recognizing such vulnerability by those who are incarcerated is often difficult and, in some ways, dangerous. Not addressing such losses further exacerbates their chances of completing any respective programs established for success. Art therapy has been effective in alleviating such complications, including for those incarcerated inside correctional institutions. This article draws from the authors’ experiences of providing art therapy services in a statewide program for youthful offenders–those who are 14–22 years old but in the adult institutions–to mitigate obstacles for completing their General Education Degree—and will provide an overview of the various losses that incarcerated individuals experience, their potential grief responses, and the value of art therapy in addressing such grief. The case vignettes provided underscore how, as their expressions were made visible and subsequently seen, validated and acknowledged through art therapy, the incarcerated youth were able to begin the process of moving beyond their grief and attend to their goals, allowing them to succeed in their respective programs, which may include but are not limited to; re-entry focused, substance abuse, GED prep classes, college courses and technical trade programs.

Therapists across disciplines incorporate cooking as a central tool within their clinical practice. However, the concept of “cooking therapy” lacks a standardized operational definition, hindering the advancement of this field within psychotherapy. The main objective of this article is to examine cooking within the context of psychotherapy from the perspective of creative arts therapy (CAT). Through this lens, the authors aim to delineate the therapeutic factors inherent in the CATs and illustrate how these factors manifest in cooking activities within therapeutic settings. Therapists can use the proposed framework to establish consistency in cooking therapy protocols. This standardization will facilitate the development of comparable research exploring the effects and effectiveness of cooking therapy across populations. Moreover, therapists can gain insight into the therapeutic mechanisms, deepening their understanding of cooking’s potential contributions to the therapeutic process and its applications, analogous to various artistic modalities used in CATs.

This article is based on an arts-based participatory action research study conducted as an integral part of the Standing Tall continuing education program. Focusing on arts therapists within the Israeli education system, the research investigated their perceptions of the state of creative arts therapies in the system, their experiences, and their suggestions for enhancing their work environment. Finally, it explored co-researchers’ perceptions of the meaningfulness of their involvement in the program and participatory research initiative. The 20 arts therapists-co-researchers who participated in this program conducted interviews with 142 colleagues to learn about their job experiences and then analyzed these interviews. The lead researchers thematically analyzed the written and artistic materials collected during the program. The research findings showed the participants, both co-researchers, and interviewees, perceived the integration of arts therapy into the educational system as significant and potentially beneficial. The co-researchers aspired to play an active role in enhancing this integration while acknowledging the challenges involved. They saw the program as a meaningful opportunity for arts-based self-exploration. The findings suggest that while decision-makers play a crucial role in shaping the working conditions of arts therapists, the therapists themselves can catalyze change in the educational system and perhaps in other public systems as well.

Higher education students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are actively engaged with coursework, and their emotional maturity may be underdeveloped. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate whether interactive art-making can provide a potential space for STEM undergraduates to experience play and freely explore themselves. We introduced the mutual squiggle and story-making method (MSSM), an art-based method wherein a practitioner collaborates with a participant to create art, followed by semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts from seven STEM undergraduates revealed four themes: personal joy and fulfillment, interaction as a pivotal aspect of play, acknowledging appropriate compromises, and a non-play experience. Our findings suggest that the potential space created by MSSM can help STEM students navigate play through picture-making and storytelling experiences. Practitioners who conduct art-making with clients should be aware that they are being observed by participants and exhibit playful attitudes. This study sheds light on lowering the barrier to seeking help among STEM students. Further studies involving different academic disciplines as target groups are required. Policymakers should be aware of the importance of positive emotions aroused in play for STEM undergraduates to seek psychological support.

Survivors of intimate partner violence commonly experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated negative emotions. Pennebaker’s Expressive Writing Therapy (EWT) was applied in an online virtual setting to survivors of intimate partner violence. The study aimed to assess the program’s feasibility and acceptability, and to examine its effects on participants’ traumatic affects, self-esteem, and cognitive emotion regulation (CER). We employed a one-group pre- and post-test design, measuring outcomes at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at a four-week follow-up. The implementation of EWT proved feasible; however, we encountered some cultural challenges, possibly influenced by the current sociocultural environment in South Korea. Notably, there was a significant reduction in negative CER, especially in self-blame and catastrophizing.