http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/66

We “lose contact with the potential wisdom of our own functioning and lose confidence in ourselves”

Kirschenbaum, H. and Henderson, V. L.  (Eds)  (1997 p176)  The Carl Rogers Reader.  London:  Constable.

As clients unravel the meaning of their art work they realise and recognise their own resources.

image from art therapy session

Freud proposed the evocative metaphor of the psyche as like an iceberg: only the upper 10% of it is visible (i.e conscious) the rest is submerged and unseen.

Freud. S (1923/1994) The Ego and the ID

Rollo May (1994p13) The Courage to Create

•         “The organism, in its normal state, moves toward its own fulfilment, toward self-regulation and an independence from external control.”  (Rogers, 1980:119)

· Art Therapists work in a variety of environments including hospitals, palliative care, prisons, schools, disability services, mental health services etc.

Art Therapy can be an excellent medium for all age groups and cultural backgrounds as verbal communication is not central to this form of therapy.

An Art Therapist is qualified to ensure that therapeutic boundaries are upheld at all times during an art therapy session: ensuring that Ethical issues such as confidentially are adhered to. Art Therapy training like psychotherapy training involves a huge theoretical education ranging from symbolisim and archetypes to personality development, the effects of trauma, multi culturalism etc.

The art therapist is trained in the humanistic principles of ‘Do no Harm’  ‘a client centred’ practice; ensuring that the art therapist is aware of the effects on the client of how their expressions and disclosures are received and responded to. The art Therapist is also legally obliged to be supervised by a trained Supervisor who monitors they are practicing ethically and safely. The art therapist also legally has to be insured.

 A major aspect of art therapy is the safety and trust (the therapeutic alliance) that exists between the art therapist and the client. The therapist brings their training and empathy from their own history of personal therapy (a mandatory component of training) and ideally none of their own personal baggage (hence Supervision acts as an objective watchdog).

The client also realises as the art therapist and client relationship grows that they have an important witness and ally in their personal journey and an hour a week of their own time that is attended by a completely attentive and present art therapist.

•          Qualifications: Post graduate- 2/3 years; U.K trained, Crawford, Cork and Queen’s Belfast.

•          Registration- ensures ethical and legal compliance. Registration is reviewed every 2 years and CPD Continued professional development

 (continual training and updating of skills) is mandatory. At present there is no registration system for art therapists  in the South of Ireland.

•          Supervision (i.e. Therapy about their therapy practice). – All therapists are obliged to undergo Supervision and they should discuss this with every client.

•          Insurance: legally have to be insured (an art therapist won’t get insurance if not fully trained).

•          Memberships; IACAT-The Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists www.iacat.ie.

And BAAT -The British Association of Art Therapists

· Art Therapy is a form of Psychotherapy where the client uses art as a medium to express and communicate with a qualified Art Therapist.

· The overall aim of Art Therapy is to effect change and growth on a personal level through the use of art materials in a safe, confidential and facilitating environment.

· No previous experience with art is required. The Art Therapist does not interpret the art work, only the creator knows what the art work means. This empowers the client to disclose only what feels safe for them.

 · The art work becomes the central focus of the client and the art therapist in an art therapy session. This may seem less ‘daunting’ for the client than a traditional form of psychotherapy where the client sits facing the therapist.

· The art work itself can become a container: a tangible and powerful expression of emotion that can be ripped up/ locked away/ treasured and reviewed over time.

· Art Therapy can be directed, using specific projects such as; a journaling group, working with  imagery from dream work, creatively working with bereavement and loss etc.

 “The process of art therapy is based on the recognition that man’s most fundamental thoughts and feelings, derived from the unconscious, reach expression in images rather than words”. (Naumberg 1958: 511).

Naumberg, Margaret (1958) Art Therapy: Its scope and function. In E.F. Hammer (ed) Clinical applications of projective Drawings. Springfield, Ill: C.C Thomas.

My experience to date as a trainee art therapist have been in three areas;

A counselling centre with a variety of age groups from young teenagers to adults.

A cancer support centre with those bereaved, in treatment or survivors of Cancer ages ranging from 6 years to 86 years!

A hospice working with non curative clients in a day centre with those well enough to come and go and on the ward with those receiving treatment, mostly in the elderly age bracket.

I’m presently working with boys  aged eight to twelve years in a primary school.