Personal experiences and cultural factors can shape art therapists' art making preferences and aversions. By reflecting on the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), the author explores the impact of these realizations on her clinical practice with a case example. Implications for practice include the importance of understanding oneself as an…

The Traveling Loom is an example of community-based art therapy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was designed to foster connections in a city that experienced social, cultural, political, religious, and socioeconomic challenges. The community-based format of The Traveling Loom provided space for interaction amongst community members, thereby helping…

The aim of the present research was to develop a competence-based curriculum for art therapy with older people. Following a literature research and a structured review of art therapy curricula from Germany and Europe, a competence-based catalog of basic learning objectives was compiled by an interdisciplinary steering group. This was subsequently…

This study examined the impact of digital versus traditional mandala coloring on death anxiety levels among 69 adults over the age of 50. Participants were randomly assigned to a digital coloring, traditional coloring, or non-art activity (completing a word search) and levels of death anxiety were compared following a death anxiety induction. We…

Prior research suggests that creating art can reduce mental health symptoms, such as anxiety. It has also been proposed that creating art within the geometric shape of a circle may confer additional therapeutic benefits. However, it remains unclear whether creating art within a circle or creating art with no restrictions reduces anxiety in both…

Contemporary US and European approaches to ecosystems and mental health have left many feeling disempowered in the face of the climate crisis. This article advocates for holistic approaches to supporting natural complex systems with contemplation and care. It explores how environmental metaphors and nature-based art therapy can foster human-nature…

The Florida State University (FSU)/Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) Art Therapy in Prisons Program is contractually required to conduct an annual art exhibition of the participants' work. Originally to be held inside the institutions, it evolved into a single art exhibition at an annual state-wide conference for prison educators. This…

Non-confrontative interventions for those with sexual offenses are grounded in reflexivity, rooted in empathy, and established in a secure therapeutic alliance to address complex treatment needs. This case study describes "The Journey," a strength-based art therapy approach. Upon reflection, four concepts emerged: seeking change, being…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a single session mindfulness-based art therapy doodle intervention may support and improve: (a) mindfulness, (b) mindful creativity, and (c) positive and negative emotional states. A general community sample of 71 adult participants engaged in the mindful doodling virtual two-hour workshops. Based on…

A single session art therapy intervention for Korean-Ukrainians who sought refuge in South Korea integrated Psychological First Aid (PFA) protocols in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The program incorporated the World Health Organization recommended tasks of "look, listen, and link" in a thoughtfully executed two-hour…

In order to provide clinical utility for research of how art therapists perceive clients' inner change, the authors created a structured observational framework. This note-taking and assessment consist of five themes and sub-themes: Therapeutic Alliance, Creating, Affect-Awareness, Self-Awareness, and Ego-Strength. The framework was designed to be…

Ar(t)chive, a retroactivist technique for queer worldmaking in art therapy, invites sexual, gender, and relationship diverse (SGRD) clients to engage with queer forms from history and construct a continuum of shared lived experiences across differences to challenge misinformation and discrimination, foster resilience, and build community. Phases…

Witnessing the devastating impacts of climate change and species loss has left many of us grappling with inexpressible grief for our more-than-human world. The importance of creating therapeutic environments to facilitate ecological grieving is greater than ever. This article examines the potential benefits of art therapy in this context. These…

The symbol of the house has not been explored in contemporary art therapy. This case study describes how a 49-year-old woman constructed what she described as the picture-perfect home made in 18 art therapy sessions over a six-week period during a residential stay. The client's structure had two notable components--a facade and an interior--one…

Art therapy is an emerging allied health profession in Singapore, although attitudes toward the role of the service remain unclear. This study surveyed 80 healthcare professionals from two tertiary care hospitals, exploring three areas: (a) perceptions of art therapy, (b) the referral process, and (c) suggestions to increase art therapy…