Date of Award

Spring 5-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

EVMS School of Health Professions

Program/Concentration

Art Therapy and Counseling

Committee Director

Mary Roberts

Committee Member

Cheryl Shiflett

Committee Member

Kate Cronje

Abstract

Literature has indicated that there has been a growing interest in the career motivations and development of the professional therapist and counselor, including personality, family background, gender, cultural background, spirituality, and values. Individuals who pursue a career in a helping profession commonly express an interest in understanding and helping others with minimal awareness of the origin of that helping desire. This self-study was designed to explore my experiences of father-absence through a one-canvas process painting as a means to building self-awareness and my professional art therapist identity. Art-based research and heuristic inquiry allowed me to investigate my experiences of father-absence through direct-participation. As a novice therapist, I experienced gaining many clinical and nonclinical insights during the process, and art making and reflective writing were helpful with self-reflection and self-exploration. A seven-week one-canvas process painting integrated self-reflective practices and exploring meditations on father absence following Moustakas’ six phases of heuristic research. The analysis of the themes and subthemes from the exploration process provided implications for treatment of father-absence and development of my artist therapist identity.

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DOI

10.25777/1tk8-gs83

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