Date of Award

Spring 5-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

EVMS School of Health Professions

Program/Concentration

Art Therapy & Counseling

Committee Director

Tim Sanderson

Committee Member

Josie Abbenante

Committee Member

Sarah Deaver

Abstract

Many factors contribute to one’s decision when choosing a career. Literature has stated that personal traits and demographics, chance encounters with influential people, and significant life events play important roles in the choice to enter a career in the helping professions. This study creates a descriptive summary of the life experiences that motivate an individual to choose art therapy as a career.

Using face-to-face interviews, the researcher gathered information regarding career choice from six art therapists each of whom had five or more years of experience. Although the art therapists disclosed personal experiences, unique to their lives, similar topics emerged from their responses. The interviews were listened to and a note and quote method of analysis was conducted in order to find the common themes that influenced the choice to become an art therapist. The themes identified were (a) childhood attraction and involvement in art and art making, (b) traumatic event(s), (c) lack of emotional processing in family of origin, (d) previous profession or job, (e) influential people (including academic classes, literature, and articles), (f) a role in relationships as either the confidante and/or peacemaker, (g) spirituality, and (h) personal therapeutic benefit of art making. The results can be useful for graduate art therapy programs and career counselors.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/28jn-r179

Download

Included in

Art Therapy Commons

Share

COinS