This article is a reprint of the viewpoint which originally appeared in 2004 (volume 21(3), 163-167). It is a memoir of a horrific experience, expressed through drawings. The author takes the readers with him on his very personal frightening journey of quintuple bypass surgery. He not only tells the readers, he shows them how making art became a…

The Bird's Nest Drawing (Kaiser, 1996) is an art-based assessment that was developed to assess attachment security. In the past 10 years, several studies have further tested this art therapy directive with various populations. This paper briefly reviews attachment theory, delineates the significant findings from five of the studies, and provides…

In the art educational therapy (AET) method introduced in this article, school coursework is integrated into art therapy with the aim of facilitating such learning and enhancing the emotional well-being of children with learning difficulties who have experienced stress or trauma. A grounded theory research study based on the cases of 5 middle…

This brief report describes a cooperative classroom art therapy intervention in a public elementary school that provided conflict resolution education, social learning, and group cohesion among sixth-grade students. The organizing framework of a "circle justice" group explored the roles of fictional characters in conflict, including…

Art therapy is often thought of as an adjunct to counseling; however, because of its unique ability to bypass defenses, in some situations, art therapy may be a treatment of choice to allow clients to discover and express feelings that are often difficult to express verbally. Using art as therapy does not require that the therapist or the client…

This paper examines the cultivation of artistic sensibility and its impact on the art therapy process and product in a community mental health center. Artistic sensibility embodies the sense of self as an artist through the integration of artistic and aesthetic attributes of self and other. The formation of a gallery to exhibit patient art was…

In this article, the author examines the use of transitional objects in a case study of a 12-year-old boy, documenting the role of art therapy in helping the boy cope with the trauma of his parents' recent separation and divorce. Transitional objects emerged spontaneously as the boy integrated the transition that the divorce of his parents…

In this writing related to neuro-plasticity, we are shown that changes in the brain can occur with repeated use of sensory stimuli, with both visual and motor interventions. Keeping these important scientific contributions in mind, I will briefly summarize why the choice of the arts-based DAT method of psychotherapy over traditional verbally based…

This viewpoint discusses the history of Jessica Park, a professional artist who is an adult with autism. The narrative was constructed from historical descriptive research conducted by the author using published accounts and interviews with the artist, her mother, and two childhood companions. Examples of artwork produced in elementary through…

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has been at the forefront of integrating art therapy in schools since 1979, helping children with emotional/behavioral disabilities become more receptive to academic involvement while maximizing their social and emotional potential. This article describes the history, development, current configuration,…

The author discusses Randy Vick's analysis of studio-based programs in the United States and Europe for artists with disabilities. The disability studio, advocates the writer, is generally a grassroots, ad-hoc creation, staffed by self-taught practitioners who operate seemingly unaware that the operation of studio programs for artists with…

This article describes the methodology, data analysis, and results for a pilot study investigating perceived self-efficacy of cognitive performance among Latino American elderly. The sample included 24 Latino American elderly. A 12-week quasi-experimental design was utilized. Participants were provided with weekly 2-hr art education sessions…

The Centre for the Arts in Human Development in Montreal has provided art, drama, music, and dance/movement therapies to adults with developmental disabilities for over 10 years with the goals of developing and enhancing self-esteem, social skills, and communication abilities. This report describes the development and purpose of the center,…

The art therapist's ability to foster the creative process in service of relationship can be a foundation for infusing a social change paradigm into existing practice. For clients affected by discrimination and stigma, art therapy can promote empathy and understanding of the societal forces involved. In this qualitative study, 46 people…

In this commentary, the author discusses the Open Studio Project, which he cofounded in 1995. The community studio, as perceived by the founders, is a place where anything can be expressed as a moment on life's continuum. Believing that meaning in art is renewed in the process of art itself, the project is not conceived at art therapy: there are…