Date of Award

Spring 5-2015

Document Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

EVMS School of Health Professions

Program/Concentration

Art Therapy and Counseling

Committee Director

Cheryl Shiflett

Committee Member

Sarah Deaver

Committee Member

Lisa Hinz

Abstract

This heuristic qualitative study was completed with the intention of learning about myself as an Art Therapy student in a personal and professional perspective by way of incorporating the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) with artmaking and reflective practice. Using the Moustakas method, this study was organized into the following stages: Initial Engagement, Immersion, Incubation, Illumination, Explication, creative synthesis, and the validation of heuristic research. The data was collected over a 6-week period artmaking once per week, and using ETC assessments to track the variety of change between the experiences of creating in a singular component each week. The findings were compared to another assessment showing the directives and art materials used with my clients at my student internship as a way to regulate the effects of the study on my clients and vice versa. Following the incubation phase, my research team analyzed the data. The data was taken and organized into themes and further reflection was used to synthesize the data in order to answer the research questions posed at the beginning of the study: 1) Are there benefits for an art therapy student to using the Expressive Therapies Continuum as a method of reflective practice? and 2) How can exploration of thematic content in artwork and patterns of using art processes and materials in form as art therapy student’s artist-therapist identity? The short answer to these questions is yes.

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