This article presents a therapeutic framework to examine the continuum of creative destruction to transformation through altered book making. The rebuilding of a printed book parallels desired changes that bring individuals to art therapy, including concepts related to reframing, reforming, and reclaiming. The relationship between creative…

This viewpoint highlights the author's personal lived experiences of having her family home damaged during the catastrophic events of the 2022 Queensland floods in Australia. Art therapy Open studio practices facilitated within disaster management emphasize supporting recovery, building resilience, and offering emotional safety and containment.…

This study explored tattoos in relation to art therapy by examining motivations for obtaining them and their connection to healing. Participants consisted of 239 college students (122 with tattoos, 117 without) who completed a mixed-methods survey. Results indicated differences for age, gender, and level of education between those who have tattoos…

A within-subjects experimental design examined differences in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessment of prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation with two virtual reality (VR) drawing conditions (rote tracing and creative self-expression) with and without a fragrance stimulus. Participants were healthy adults and included 18 women, 6…

Virtual reality (VR) therapies have been used in health and mental health care settings. The applicability of VR expressive tools has not yet been examined adequately in the creative arts therapies. This pilot qualitative study reports on 17 participants' experiences with VR art-making tools to determine its relevance to art therapy practice and…

To help art therapists work effectively with the realities of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), this special report brings together art therapists who have experience working in pandemics (Ebola, SARS), attending to health professionals, and building creative virtual communities. Art therapists can support recommended public health…

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…

We evaluated changes in positive and negative affect of grieving children in response to art making compared to another noncreative, non-expressive, but engaging visuospatial task and assessed whether art making was equally or differentially effective in individual versus collaborative settings. We randomly assigned grieving children to one of…

The reach of art therapy in assisting a hospice patient in confronting existential issues at the end of life is illustrated in this article with a case that took place over the course of 22 semiweekly sessions. Painting with an art therapist allowed the patient to shift from a state of anxiety and existential dread to a more accepting, fluid…

In this personal reflection, an art therapist explores existential themes and the role of art in creating meaning and a sense of identity as she works with an artist-client at the end of his life. The author is reminded of the importance of being an artist in addition to being an art therapist.

This study sought to investigate the use of art therapy to assist a young person with mental illness making a transition from long-term inpatient care to a psychosocial residential rehabilitation setting. An art-based phenomenological case study method was used to investigate a lived experience of this transition. The participant attended 11 art…

The premise of this paper is that computer-generated art is a valid therapeutic modality for empowering clients and fostering the therapeutic alliance. The author presents traditional art making methods (drawing, painting, photography, collage, and sculpture) combined or enhanced with photopaint programs and 3D computer modeling and animation…

Reports on medical evaluation processes and art-based assessments used in identifying psychosocial health of children in orphanages in Kiev, Ukraine. Because American health professionals, including an art therapist/psychologist, had actually come to treat orphans, they were invited to state shelters never before open to foreigners. Includes…

Describes the experiences in providing clinical services to more than 120 victims and their families following the Oklahoma City bombing. Discusses the organization and employment of treatment/intervention teams, unique dimensions of this traumatic event, techniques of art therapy utilized in the stabilization and treatment of survivors, and other…

Describes an art therapy method which purports to create an environment for healing and education by using small figurines. The technique allows participants to share imagery, metaphor, and symbolism. Uses three case examples (a child, women with eating disorders, and art therapy students) to illustrate this method in practice. (RJM)