This paper explores findings from the fields of neuropsychology and art therapy as they relate to treating patients with dementia. It explains the biological, physical, and psychological manifestations of dementia, and current treatment modalities. Art therapy has been shown to be beneficial to patients with dementia. Unfortunately, it is the rare…

Discusses the studio as a therapeutic community of images where the therapist functions as keeper of the space. It is not the physical suitability that determines the suitability of the space; rather, distractions and imperfections in the space may more accurately mirror the state of psyche and so induce the passionate engagement that calls forth…

Therapeutic recreation is a means of empowering individuals with disabilities through arts or sports. The field has developed differently in the United States and the United Kingdom; the former emphasizes professionalization and the latter the right to adult education. (SK)

Records the responses of various members of the American Art Therapy Association to questions of the future direction of art therapy. The history of art as a communal experience in which all members of society participate is being lost, and the emphasis on therapy is minimizing the importance of artmaking. (JPS)

Tuberculosis is reappearing with increasing prevalence and presenting new treatment challenges. Art therapy, which partly originated in a tuberculosis sanatoria, again serves to assist patients in coping with their illness and confinement. Case examples illustrate aspects of the disease and related emotions and highlight the potential for such an…

Describes how art therapy can benefit patients hospitalized due to severe burns, who suffer psychological as well as physical trauma. Outlines the psychological phases, identifies how burn patients typically experience their healing process, and discusses how art therapy can assist the patient at each stage of the recovery process. (JPS)

Describes the history and development of the Art Studio, a studio-based art therapy program in Cleveland, Ohio, and discusses specific patient needs that are uniquely addressed by the Art Studio model. The Art Studio was developed for use by medically ill and physically disabled persons, and is the result of a unique cooperative relationship…

Society calls upon art therapists to meet the needs of troubled community members. This article describes one art therapist?s experience of "giving back" to the community by volunteering to provide art therapy at a therapeutic camp for children whose lives have been touched by HIV/AIDS. Some of the medical, social, and psychological issues…

The space in which art is made has long been considered a potent force that impacts the form and content of an artist's expression. The studio constitutes the initial and perhaps most impressionable experience of the art therapy process. The therapist must adapt the space to suit clients' needs taking a proactive stance to requisition resources…

The "scribble technique," described by Florence Cane's book, "The Artist in Each of Us" (1983), has historically been employed by art therapists as a technique to reduce inhibitions and liberate spontaneous imagery from the unconscious. Reviews the technique and presents examples produced by adult patients in an acute inpatient…

Research compared Storytelling for Empowerment Program participants' pre and posttest responses on drug use. High contact participants had the most marked changes with a decrease in their alcohol and marijuana use. All participants in the last year of the program, regardless of contact hours, decreased their alcohol use and increased in their…

The Open Studio as a way of working evolved in an effort to maximize the effectiveness of the artmaking project as a means to increase and deepen consciousness. This method differentiates art from psychotherapy and calls into question the validity of marrying the two experiences. (JPS)

Identifies common imagery created by psychiatric inpatients through the amusement park technique; demonstrates how the artwork serves to identify the psychodynamic concerns of the mentally ill substance abuser. Connections are examined relating patients choice of image, psychiatric diagnosis, and drug of choice. This technique offers promise for…

Although art therapy has traditionally focused on the use of art expression in psychotherapy, the practice of medical art therapy has begun to grow rapidly. This paper provides a brief overview of the emerging specialty of medical art therapy and its importance as a counseling tool with people suffering from serious health problems. The paper…

Expressive therapists (in art, music, and dance) possess the techniques necessary for working with older adults who need assistance in making productive use of their leisure time. Therapeutic expressive activities for long-term care residents promote creativity, self-expression, communication, and understanding of oneself. The purpose of the…