The Creative Process Of Art Therapy

Original Thesis Statement: Incorporating art-based activities and techniques effectively develops coping skills, self expression, open communication, and begins the healing process for children who have experienced trauma.

Art therapy is still in a prototype study that in which allows some of the technicalities to be processed through the system and it allows the technicalities to be removed if needed. According to Gajic and Spiric “The most frequent type of common theme of combat stress presented battle and witnessing” (757) with all the military procedures put in place to help our veterans it is presented as a coping mechanism for the veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is hundred percent common for military personnel when coming back from a traumatic war , like for instance Iraq and Afghanistan due to the fact of these area’s are hostile.

Art therapy is said to use “three levels of intervention.” These levels include engaging in the clients senses through the physical manipulation of art materials, using the client’s art as a “symbolic container of their traumatic memories, and “cognitive reflection” guided by the art therapist. The therapist helps to “guide” where the client’s focus lays in terms of their traumatic memories; the goal of the therapist is to help the client integrate elements of their experience, other than the extremely negative, into their

The American Counseling Association’s fact sheets provides various symptoms for children and adolescents that are experiencing trauma. According to the American Counseling Association’s Traumatology Interest Network and facilitator, Karin Jordan (2015) children exhibit different trauma related symptoms at different periods in their lives (ACA et al., 2015). While I am providing therapy as a new LCPC, my client may not explicitly say that they have undergone some sort of trauma, but may unknowingly talk about their symptoms. It will then be my responsibility to consult a colleague, or in this case, the ACA to better serve my client’s needs. I will study the specified age group symptoms, while comparing the symptoms of my client and continue with the diagnosis of trauma (ACA et al., 2015).

Session Objective: Address the member’s efforts to overpower thoughts and feelings pertaining to the trauma. As well, address indicator behaviors that include avoiding, conversations about the trauma or related topics, activities, places, or people that bring up trauma memories. The creative arts activity is find what specific symptom is most distressing for the specific group member and to draw out how they have managed when this symptom arises.

According to the test I took, the top 3 careers I would be great at based on my personality was Art Therapist, Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teacher, postsecondary, also Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses.

In addition, ART has an inherent advantage in that it is a short term but intense form of psychotherapy. In a military culture that puts a high value on self-reliance, it is unlikely that veterans would be receptive to long term psychotherapy because they would likely view their participation in a long-term therapy as a sign of weakness. They are much more likely to be receptive to an intense, short-term therapy because they would view it as a quick fix to a simple

. • Trauma narration, in which children describe their personal traumatic experiences, is an important component of the treatment

This study utilized three art therapist who have worked with clients who have experienced cumulative traumas. Within this framework they understand the importance and effectiveness of TF-CBT to address various symptoms and introduce pyschoeducation, trauma narrative, and relaxation techniques. Additionally, all three art therapist identified the importance of using humanistic and client-centered approaches. The art therapist identified having the clients assist in forming their personal goals. There were major themes derived from the three art therapist to ensure effective treatment outcomes. Unconditional positive regard, consistency, and an authentic connection with the client were all identified as vital aspects in ensure a positive

A meta-analysis estimated that 23% of veterans of recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders defines posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the following diagnostic criteria: exposure to a traumatic event, re-experiencing traumatic material, hyperarousal, negative cognitions, and mood. Again, creative art therapies differ from other therapies by their experiential and nonverbal character. The characteristics for art therapy is the methodical use of art by means of drawing, painting, collage, and sculpting to shape and express feelings, thoughts, and memories. Art therapy is distinguished from other forms of treatment by active performing and experiencing with art materials, by the visual and concrete character of the process as well as by the result of art making. In clinical practice, art therapy is mostly applied in combination with trauma-focused psychotherapy such as EMDR, TF-CGT, Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy, and Narrative Exposure Therapy. By using Art therapy for PTSD, it enables the processing of traumatic experiences by accessing and integrating traumatic memories, and by communicating and documenting images of traumatic memories and through states that therapeutic art interventions provide the possibility to distance oneself from their emotion. In the Article The Effectiveness of Art Therapy in the Treatment of Traumatized Adults: A Systematic Review on Art Therapy and Trauma article by Karin Alice Schouten, Gerrit J. de Niet, Jeroen W. Knipscheer, Rolf J. Kleber, Giel J. M. Hutschemaekers was to identify and evaluate research on art therapy with traumatized adults. As a result of the systematic review, six controlled, comparative studies on art therapy for trauma in adult patients were found. In half of the included studies, a significant decrease in psychological trauma

CATs can be utilized with children experiencing trauma (Foa et al., 2009). The therapeutic use of creativity helps the child or individual work from the inside out by acknowledging their feelings and experiences. Creative therapies create a safe place for emotions to be expressed and provide a way of working through unacceptable feelings (Le Count,

Stories and illustrative examples of art-based interventions provided evidence-based approaches using art therapy to heal the children of trauma. There are connections between what the art revealed and how it opened up a line of communication for the child and adult. Art benefited the child by providing a medium to express and communicate the traumatic experiences. It also helped a child seek self-development, reduce physical stress, and improve methods of dealing with traumatic memories. Art therapy also benefited the teacher by providing meaningful approaches to address the child, ask questions, build a trusting relationship, and develop further healing approaches.

This model provides flexibility to a semi-structured concept to encourage creativity among counseling professionals. As a future Marriage and Family Therapist, I have a strong connection with using theories encompassing the family dynamics and culture. As a proponent of Play Therapy interventions, I enjoy teaching clients emotion regulation and relaxation techniques through creative activities in the best interest of the client. Furthermore, conjoining parent-child sessions not only provides growth of the child but unites the family and increases skill building for all individuals attending sessions. Conversely, unlike other trauma models, TF-CBT provides clients with multiple phases of cognitive coping and processing to explore and correct negative distortions through building confidence and skills. Teaching the child and parent’s relaxation breathing, effective emotion expression, and cognitive coping skills prepare the family for modules deemed difficult because sharing the traumatic experience involves painful emotions. Consequently, processing the child’s trauma nearing the end of treatment allows the counselor and family to build a strong therapeutic relationship in multiple sessions prior to the trauma narrative and processing the traumatic experience. This trauma model provides hope for traumatized individuals to take back the

Years ago, coloring was for children. Although occasionally an adult who was babysitting would color with the child, that adult wouldn 't normally pick up a coloring book on their own. Recently, a new trend in coloring books for adults has changed the way adults relieve stress. Coloring books for adults has reached an all-time high with many books on bestseller lists. While this may be a fun hobby for some, others find serious stress relief from coloring inside these books.

However, art therapy is typically the most in psychiatric wards, either individually or in groups. It is currently emerging is family art therapy, and used a lot in the education system, focusing on children who are learning disabled, mentally challenged, emotionally disturbed, socially disadvantaged. According to the AATA, art therapy is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, forensic, wellness, private practice and community settings. Within these settings, art therapy can be applied to an extremely diverse client population in individual, couples, family, and group therapy formats. Art therapy is an effective treatment for people experiencing developmental, medical, educational, and social or psychological impairment. Other individuals who benefit from art therapy include those who have survived trauma resulting from combat, abuse, and natural disaster, along with individuals who have adverse physical health conditions such as cancer, traumatic brain injury, and other health disability, and finally individuals with autism, dementia, depression, and other disorders. Art therapy helps people resolve conflicts, improve interpersonal skills, manage maladaptive behaviors, reduce negative stress, and achieve personal insight. (AATA, 2013) No matter how it is used, all good art therapy leads to both education and growth. It can be beneficial