When facilitating group art therapy for young adult male inmates in prison, response art helped an art therapist to build therapeutic bonds and maintain self-care. Both artmaking in-session and post-session enabled the art therapist to traverse relational distance, nurture trust, and create social bonds in the group. By reflecting on her response…

This article presents qualitative research that further defines community art therapy and provides practice approaches of art therapy practitioners who work in community contexts. The researcher collected data through interviews with 32 art therapy practitioners working in community programs in 36 countries. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and…

This program evaluation investigated the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program's (MATG-P) effectiveness for children's mental health outcomes and interpersonal impacts. MATG-P provided eight weekly child therapy groups, two conjoint parent-child meetings, and ongoing meetings with teachers. Participants included 83 5- to 12-year-old children,…

Women hospitalized on an antepartum unit can benefit from an open studio art therapy group. A case description follows six women over five group sessions. Several common experiences that occurred throughout the sessions included isolation/boredom, uncertainty, lack of control, and family. Art therapy in a group setting allowed the women to express…

An Australian-Malaysian cross-cultural, group art therapy and focus group study located in Terengganu, Malaysia, explored the lived experience of women with responsibilities for raising their children alone, following divorce. This qualitative study had 2 aims: (a) to understand the women's lived experiences, and (b) to determine their experience…

Community art therapy studios promote individual and communal transformation outside of traditional health settings. In this qualitative study, 3 art therapists observed 6 sessions of a community art therapy studio by making art and writing observations. Synthesis of their findings indicated the importance of tending to healthy relationships.…

This case study describes art therapy with a client diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Throughout 26 group art therapy sessions, significant emotional and behavioral changes unfolded along three distinct phases of the process. These stages included: identifying losses, reconciling difficult relationships, and articulating her dreams…

This article describes a collaborative educational program for psychiatry residents who co-lead art therapy groups with a licensed art therapist in an adult outpatient clinic. Since the program's inception 10 years ago, 60 residents have completed the training, which includes art making with patients in group sessions. Residents have participated…

This brief report discusses an art therapy group for parents and caregivers of pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant patients at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Acknowledging the nuances of the caregiving experience, The Next Chapter uses altered bookmaking as a supportive intervention for parents and caregivers during inpatient…

This exploratory study examined associations between the therapist-client bond and outcomes in individual and group art therapy in the Israeli school system. Children (n = 77; aged 7-13) and art therapists (n = 50) reported on the therapist-client bond at three time points. At the onset and conclusion of art therapy, children also reported on…

This preexperimental comparison group study (N = 19) examined group art therapy as a means for increasing communication and socialization, and enhancing quality of life for people (51-93 years old) with acquired brain injury. Participants self-selected a 10-week program according to interest that was either an art therapy group (n = 11) or the…

In this article I describe an art-based procedure with a gradual sequence of drawing tasks that guides an art therapy client through graphic stages from point, to line, to plane. The client begins by making random dots, connecting them one to another with an unbroken line that reaches all the dots, perceiving abstract or figurative imagery in the…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy for teaching social skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program we tested was structured to provide a therapeutic setting for children to discuss difficulties they experience in their social interactions, and give them…

This paper describes a community art therapy group for people living with chronic pain. Nine adults were offered 12 weekly group art therapy sessions that included art therapy activities such as guided imagery focusing on body scans followed by art responses and artistic expressions of the pain experience. This pilot group art therapy program is…

Punk culture is based on an ideology that emphasizes questioning conformity and creating a space for individuality within community. It has inspired fans to create their own music and art as part of their quest for authenticity. Art therapy informed by punk culture can be a way to create a culture of connection while also building resiliency and…