Studies the potential value of using art therapy as an intervention with refugees. The refugee experiences of two Bosnian women in Perth, Western Australia, were explored. Results of the study indicate that art therapy provides an effective tool for refugees to begin exploring some of the experiences associated with war, oppression, exile, and…

An interview with Helen B. Landgarten, a pioneer in art psychotherapy, addresses how she came to work in this field, her training, her experience with Jungian therapy, current approaches to training art therapists, her own painting, and the role of the American Art Therapy Association today. (DB)

Discusses ideas from literature on self-esteem that relate to both art-making process and overall treatment goals targeted in art therapy setting. Stresses art component of art therapy throughout since it is believed that isomorphic relationship exists between specific features of self-esteem and art component. (Author/NB)

Presents details about formation of American Art Therapy Association in excerpt from forthcoming publication "A History of Art Therapy in the United States." Discusses events which led up to organization's founding, primary organizers, and controversies surrounding development of professional standards for art therapists. (Author/NB)

Relation of an art therapist's personal story concerning her struggle to overcome endometriosis, and how her artwork has played a vital role in coping with the disease. Illustrated with a chronology of artwork produced during a bout with the illness. (JPS)

Examines the need for art therapists to explore computer applications for art therapy. Emphasis is placed on the need for the art therapist to have knowledge of computer hardware and software properties to effectively match them with client needs. Examples of computer art highlight the potential of art processes and directives for therapeutic use.…

Cancer patients who have completed medical treatment are often left with unresolved psychological issues. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York offers a group art therapy program for cancer patients to help them regain their self-confidence and readjust their self-identity. The response of 70 participants has been positive and has…

Lists criteria that define a profession and discusses how the American Art Therapy Association meets these criteria. Discusses the role of the client-artist relationship, beauty as a motivator of art, art as a gift, as well as art and healing. Concludes that art therapy is an idea that has been made a profession by the people who practice it.…

Outlines the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS), a measurement system for applying numbers to global variables in two-dimensional art. Developed for use with the single-picture assessment, researchers can apply many of the 14 scales of the FEATS to other types of drawings. Discusses how art therapists who are studying other assessments can…

There are few who would disagree with the importance of stories and personal narratives in art therapy. Most art therapists seek to elicit them from their clients. They see it as their responsibility to honor each individual story, help integrate it where it is disconnected, and guide clients to illustrate these narratives in a manner that allows…

Recent developments in neuroscience provide important information for therapists working with maltreated children. Severe maltreatment and lack of significant attachment figures in the crucial early years lead to adverse brain development (De Bellis, 2001). It appears evident that traumatic memories are stored in the right hemisphere, making…

Experiential metaphor has been used in marriage and family therapy for many years. One example of metaphor application involves the use of ropes and felt board to identify and explore relationships in families. In this case, the mother of a son who was socially isolated is treated by a marriage and family therapy intern, using ropes and felt board…

With a new generation of American combat veterans returning from Iraq, the nation has an obligation to do everything possible to improve care for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although art therapy has been understudied in this context, it shows promise as a means of treating hard-to-treat symptoms of combat-related PTSD, such as avoidance…

Del Giacco Art Therapy is a cognitive art therapy process that focuses on stimulating the mental sensory systems and working to stabilize the nervous system and create new neural connections in the brain. This system was created by Maureen Del Giacco, Phd. after recovering from her own traumatic brain injury and is based on extensive research of…

Background: The aims were to identify referral characteristics and outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities referred to a psychodynamic psychotherapy service. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case notes review of anonymized data relating to 100 sequential patient episodes. Results: A total of 81 people out of 100 with a range of…