Using a qualitative, narrative based, and art based approach, this study explored the experiences of Asian domestic violence survivors living in an Asian-based domestic violence transitional shelter, and how their cultural identity as an Asian immigrant woman played a role in their experiences. The participants were two out of six women living at the domestic violence shelter provided by the Asian Pacific Women’s Center. Three overarching themes were formed after the analysis of all the emergent categories: The women experienced isolation that were influenced from their marginalized cultural values, the shelter was viewed as a foundation for growth, and the art was useful as a means for communication.

This qualitative research study examines the use of art therapy as a treatment modality with transgender individuals, as well as provides a brief background into transgender identity, in order to recognize considerations for enhanced care of this population. A semi-structured interview approach was applied with art therapists who have utilized art therapy with transgender clients. This study focuses on areas of identity development, aspects of trauma and transphobia and their effects, treatment approaches, and cultural components to working with transgender individuals. Through this research, a recognition of transgender identity as its own cultural entity was found to be important in providing increased awareness and visibility of transgender treatment concerns.

This research explores the connection and interaction between literature describing addiction theory and clinical art therapy practice. Literature spanning a wide variety of theoretical understandings of addiction and recovery was reviewed, as well as literature published on the use of art therapy with the substance abuse population. Using the review of the substance abuse literature as a base, key theoretical concepts were identified and formatted into a table that came to serve as a data coding system. Applying case study methodology, this coding system was then utilized as an analysis tool for the art therapy process and artwork of four clients in residential substance abuse treatment. Analysis of the data resulted in the emergence of five prominent themes amongst those listed in the coding system: 1) Intolerance of negative emotion 2) Problematic family dynamics 3) Traumatic experiences 4) Schemas and restructured cognitions and 5) Cultural issues. These findings were then examined in the context of the art therapy literature on substance abuse. The meanings derived from these findings make a case for greater integration between substance abuse literature and art therapy literature, illustrating the utility of clear and organized incorporation of theoretical ideas about addiction into art therapy with substance abuse clients.

This research aimed to illuminate the connections between art therapy and neuroscience by using qualitative research methods. Two art therapists and a psychologist with neuroscience backgrounds were interviewed. Analyzing artwork made by the researcher and results of the interviews allowed for themes to emerge: connection, perspective, desire for understanding and being trapped in time. The researcher’s further inquiry into these emergent themes allowed for the idea of the creative spirit to present itself as a basic human need which has existed since the beginning of time. Using this newfound perspective the researcher has embraced the importance of creating an art therapy model that focuses on a holistic approach to life-long wellness which uses creative expression as a means for understanding, connection, and healing.

This research seeks to utilize an art experiential to explore the potential of art and art making as a means to stimulate empathy towards refugee populations. Researchers attempt to show how art can evoke empathy and inspire social action by communicating the experiences of marginalized communities, specifically Syrian refugees. This research follows a qualitative approach utilizing appropriate quantitative methodologies for data analysis. The research design includes experiential art based focus groups, implementation of guided relational viewing (Potash & Ho, 2011), surveys, response art, and verbal discussion. The data analysis observes for common themes among the three parts of the experiential, and assesses for graphic empathy (Potash & Ho, 2011) and empathic imagination (Kapitan, 2012). Our inquiry explores how participants from two groups, undergraduate studio art majors and first year art therapy graduate students, understand and relate with the experience of Syrian refugee children through art viewing and making. Researchers’ examine how these processes may act as a way to stimulate empathy and act as a catalyst for social action. After analyzing the participants’ response art and their discussions about the art viewing and making process, researchers identified four major themes distinguishing the two groups, and three major themes the groups had in common. Researchers’ examination of pre- and post-surveys on attitudes and behaviors towards refugees indicated changes that informed the conclusions of this research. Researchers conclude with a discussion of the results and how the results inform answers to the research questions and future implications.

This research is a qualitative art-based case study exploring the facilitation of resilience through the observation of a resiliency-building art therapy group with adolescents. The researcher was the subject and utilized both direct and participant observation of a ten-week resilience-based art therapy group to gain a better understanding of how an art therapy group in a school setting is run. Reflective art making that mirrored the art directives given in the group were incorporated by the researcher to gain a deeper and more personal understanding of the resilience building process. The literature review covers a broad range of resilience and a variety of methods for observing therapy. The weekly art directives were based on the resilience literature and designed to develop personal strengths, self-discovery, communication, self-reliance, problem solving, flexibility, and future planning. Themes identified within the analysis include: flexibility, structure, anxiety, cohesive relationships, and creativity. The researcher found that flexibility in the co-facilitators and structure in the art therapy program are key elements in a successful group. Through this study the researcher identified the usefulness of direct and participant observation of therapy for developing clinical skills and highly recommends both be included in therapeutic training programs.

BAAAMM was born in April 2016, when a group of six creative researcher-artists came together to investigate cultural identity through art making. Through searching, reaching, and wrestling, the group developed creative experiential processes by which to discover and communicate cultural identity through art and language. Over a few weeks, the creative researcher-artists generated a body of work expressing their unique cultural identities and felt responses to one another. This diverse collaborative wants to share their work to stimulate others to enter the realm of creativity, vulnerability, and receptivity to understand themselves better. BAAAMM is an exploratory cultural happening exhibiting individual and collective creative findings. BAAAMM is a collaborative endeavor to understand, communicate, and connect oneself to others. BAAAMM is a multicultural work of progress. This Jagazine (journal and magazine) chronicles the seven phases of BAAAMM's research. It provides brief biographies of the creative researcher-artist and captures our extended findings, additional art and written work inspired by the investigation. This Jagazine is part of our original research project in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Art at Loyola Marymount University within the Department of Martial and Family Therapy. This jagazine will be presented at the American Art Therapy Association Annual Conference on November 9, 2017. Warning! This dynamic research is not for the faint of heart. It tests boundaries, schema, nerves, and feelings. Those who passionately search for opportunities to express themselves artistically and verbally, disagree, negotiate, be called out, humble, connected to others, and be heard may find that this cultural identity research framework stimulates growth and gratification.

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