This paper is an account of the discoveries made during a heuristic study in which the researcher sought clarification of the personal meaning of caring for others as an art therapist in contrast with the experience of caring for oneself. After reviewing the potential dangers of burnout and compassion fatigue and examining various self-care strategies the researcher explored the personal meaning of this topic utilizing heuristic methodology. The process of collecting data consisted of a daily art-making task with varied media covering a two-week period. The researcher was able to highlight the importance of incorporating regular use of self-care into a daily routine to counterbalance the stressors, both personal and those associated with the art therapy profession.

This study explores the use of Helen Landgarten’s family art assessment in helping to inform therapists’ work with families. The study endeavors to evaluate a pilot project in which director of the Helen B. Landgarten Art Therapy Clinic, Dr. Paige Asawa, MFT, ATR-BC, implemented the Landgarten family art assessment at a local clinic with five families and involved family track clinicians through observation and discussion to inform their clinical treatment of families. Through program evaluation using a survey and an art-based research procedure, the study investigates family track clinicians’ experiences, recommendations, and opinions of the family art assessment. Ten family track clinicians participated in program evaluation in this study. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of participants’ survey answers and art responses served to solidify whether these clinicians found the family art assessment project beneficial to their clinical work with families. A synthesis of the literature, survey analysis, and art analysis reveals the value of having art therapists conduct family art assessments as an informative consultation for clinicians assessing and treating families. Study results may contribute to more formal inclusion of the family art assessment in assessment procedures at this local clinic. These results hold valuable implications for redefining the role of the art therapist as assessment expert, using art therapy to promote collaboration among mental health professionals, and ultimately improving the quality of clinical family care.

This paper explores the psychological concept of identity and how popular culture may be used as a theme in art therapy for exploring and repairing life story. The literature review defines identity from varying perspectives with emphasis on awareness of parallels between popular culture and the client’s personal story. These parallels may offer art therapists a framework of images and memories useful specifically to exploring identity development with clients. The case study places client’s identity into the context of popular culture unique to the experiences of the client at varying life stages.

This study sought to examine art’s ability to illuminate the biopsychosocial-cultural- spiritual impact of chronic medical disease. Chronic disease participants were self- selected and consisted of clinical supervisors, staff, and psychotherapy interns at a community-based mental health clinic in Los Angeles. Quantitative questionnaire data and art-based response data, both imagery and word descriptions, were examined. Data analysis combined with the synthesized literature revealed the complex biopsychosocial- cultural-spiritual interactions and interdependencies with chronic disease management. Findings supported art-based data’s potential to complement quantitative questionnaire data by providing additional insights into a holistic lived experience. Art and word analysis revealed themes and identified factors such as shame, uncertainty, and isolation, which affect health-related quality of life and treatment compliance. This research demonstrated arts-based data’s potential as a holistic healing, revealing, and diagnostic tool and exposes the need for further research into the benefits of integrating art therapy and including art-based data in the treatment and assessment of chronic disease. Keywords: chronic, persistent, medical disease, illness, syndrome, condition, disability, art as therapy, art therapy, creative arts therapy, art expression, arts-based research, clinical art psychotherapy, holistic questionnaire, art directive, art, adherence, compliance, biopsychosocial, biological, psychological, social, socio-environmental, cultural, spiritual, diabetes, asthma, cancer, medical model, medical art therapy, evidenced-based practice, complementary and alternative therapy, hospital, inpatient, outpatient.

This research examines identity formation and the various issues of acculturation of Latino adolescents. The first part of the research includes a review of the literature on various aspects of identity formation such as developing a cultural/ethnic identity and issues of acculturation such as contextual stressors and maladaptive coping. The literature review also looks at the relationship between acculturation and its effects of Latino adolescent identity formation; specifically noting the positive role biculturalism serves within that relationship. The second part of the research includes the application of a research modality, using questions derived from the literature review to examine the above mentioned issues within a focus group of Latino adolescents ages 12-17. Data, which included discussions, comments, and art work, was collected over the course of three sessions. In each session art was the primary means utilized by the adolescents to explore issues of their identity. The data was analyzed and the findings reflected the process of the adolescents’ bicultural identity formation. One significant finding was the individuality and variety, as seen in the art works, of these adolescents definition of their bicultural identity. Also, another significant finding was how these adolescents’ strong positive ties to their parents’ culture, country of origin, and immigration story seemed to provide them with a strong sense of ethnic identity. This in turn seemed to serve as buffer against the stressors of acculturation, as evidenced by these adolescents’ reports through group discussions and as evidenced in the art work.

This research is a qualitative case study of a client in art therapy treatment with a history addiction and complex trauma symptoms. The study explores the clients artwork and themes emerge in the analysis process that include splitting, diminutive figures, preoccupation with death, abuse and violence. The study explores the client’s dissociative thinking and self-injurious behaviors, within the context of cultural stigmas attached to being labeled an addict. The findings suggest that art therapy treatment can address the client’s addiction while providing a space to explore early childhood and adolescent traumatic experiences.

This paper researches the techniques of mindfulness meditation, guided imagery, and artistic exploration as strategies for self-care among therapists. Literature indicates self-care is an important and essential practice for mental health practitioners to best serve their clients. Literature on the pro-active strategies of mindfulness meditation and guided imagery include benefits and techniques in implementing self-care. The research study involves a case study utilizing a systematic process to research the effects of a daily meditation and guided imagery practice for the therapist during at two week period. Data was gathered and analyzed from journal and art responses. The data revealed immediate and long-standing positive changes tophysiological states, emotions, cognitive states and outlook through the implementation of all the strategies. All techniques prompted feelings of calmness and relaxation, while guided imagery techniques promoted changes in outlook and utilized problem solving. The art products served to map the experience and revealed themes of containment and release throughout all techniques, indicating the strategies success in cultivating emotional regulation through cultivating present moment attention. Thus, the research demonstrates the unique contribution these diverse approaches play in supporting the practitioner in successful and necessary practices of self-care.

This study explores the experience that Art Therapy alums have had in regards to spirituality and healing within a multicultural framework and the implications of art. Narrative based questionnaires with creative art responses were used to gain information about their experiences of spirituality, healing, culture, and art. The data obtained was analyzed using phenomenologically-informed methodology: organized into tables and analyzed vertically and horizontally (Creswell, 1998), the creative art responses scored using FEATS (Gantt, 2009) analysis. From the analysis, clusters of meaning, similarities, and unique experiences emerged and were categorized into 21 emergent categories: Centering, Growth, Connection, Meditation, Prayer, Art as spiritual and healing, Spirituality as inner wisdom, Nature and spirituality, Spirituality as God within, Spirituality as different from religion, Change in religious status over time, Spirituality as changing over time, Spirituality as community, Spirituality as healing, Integration, Prominence of color, Amount of space used, Blend of abstract and concrete images, Inclusion of nature, Choice of Media, and Art responses connected to spiritually associated words. Three overarching themes emerged as relevant to understanding the significance of spirituality and healing within a multicultural framework and the implications of art: Spirituality as highly personalized form of integration, Spirituality as offering a sense of both personal and universal connection, and Art making as a spiritual, healing practice. This study found that all the participants had a rich experience with spirituality and healing, and that this concept of the personal spiritual for each of them did in fact situate itself inside a more multicultural construct. The findings indicate the importance and relevance for spirituality to be included as part of the dialogue in healing and therapy, and more broadly, in culture. Further, it was found that not only was art making implicated within the spiritual and healing process, it was, in fact, a main tool of the spiritual practice.

This heuristic research examines the personal and therapeutic importance of exploring ones cultural interpretations of death and dying. The research began at a Día de los Muertos celebration in Los Angeles, CA and my observations of that event were used as an inspiration to create meaningful art. Through analysis and examination of the artwork I addressed my individual and clinical struggles regarding death. The knowledge I gained exploring my own questions concerning death and dying can be used to avoid encumbrances to my provision of effective therapy in the future.

This reflective case study exams the use of art as a way of giving voice to a recently immigrated adolescent regarding identity formation. This paper reviews the existing literature regarding adolescent identity development, including the difficult tasks that face minority adolescents. Art therapy literature is also reviewed considering the ways in which art therapy assists minority adolescents’ working through challenges in developing a sense of self. This paper presents the data gathered which consisted of the researcher’s personal materials such as art and journals from the adolescent period, and the reflective art that was made in response to the observation and exploration of the materials from the adolescent period. The results of study reveal obstacles in identity formation as a minority adolescent, and how the process of art making visualized these challenges. This reflective case study illuminates how art can provide a voice to immigrant adolescents during the identity formation period as a mechanism to communicate with self and others.