To examine the complex layers of those who are multi-racial/ethnic/cultured, the mixed-identity of the first author -- an art therapy doctoral student -- is first deconstructed, followed by the delineation of systemic and historical contexts. This viewpoint further examines how the therapists' multiple identity[ies] informs and intersects with…

This quantitative study investigated whether a "mandala set" consisting of 143 mandalas drawn by art therapy graduate students depicts archetypal patterns and stages as defined by Kellogg's "Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of the Mandala" and if these patterns explain events in their professional development. Eight…

The Compassionate Arts Psychotherapy (CAP) program integrates self-compassion and arts psychotherapy practices, which are informed by a compassionate arts media (CAM) continuum. A mixed methods pilot program evaluation with a pretest-posttest single group design, followed by an open-ended survey, was conducted. Participants included 18 graduate…

A particular political and social mindset toward mental health support has impacted how and why people seek counseling and therapy in Ukraine. Although a relatively small and developing field, art therapy is beginning to provide a means for assisting cultural and identity development for young adult Ukrainians during a time of civil and political…

Multicultural competence is essential to contemporary art therapy practice. Current education standards require that culturally sound theories and practices be taught along with self-awareness, but there is little research on the effects of such training in art therapy. The current study examined data from the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge,…

This article describes a study of art therapy and music education students at a Midwestern university in the United States, who participated in single-semester service-learning assignments prior to their clinical internship or student teaching experience. Undergraduate music teacher-candidates taught music to homeschool students; art therapy…

This article describes a qualitative study of the development of professional identity in art therapists who also prepare as counselors. Graduates from one university's two distinct master's degree programs were interviewed: (a) art therapy (n = 9) and (b) art therapy combined with counseling (n = 11). Most participants regardless of their degree…

Students who enter a creative arts therapy program without prior exposure to a patient population experience a complex developmental journey towards creating their own identities as art therapists. In this study, 21 graduate students were asked to draw how they saw their patients and how their patients saw them. The directive was repeated 3 times…