Laying Down Roots: How Group Dynamics Relate to the Needs and Goals of Elder Adults in Art Therapy

The intention of this research is to explore how the reflective process of creating post session art can illuminate participant group dynamics in relation to the needs and goals of elder adults in art therapy. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, ten pieces of post session art were created in response to group dynamics that were witnessed during elder adult group art therapy sessions. After a pause, a phenomenological description and a reflective poem was created for each piece of post session art. By retrospectively reflecting on the post session art and poems three themes were distilled. Containment, a sense of community, and connection to nature emerged through a thematic analysis using the post session art and reflective poems. A discussion on the lived experience of using post session artwork for student art therapists is also offered. This research demonstrates the positive relationships that are grown in elder adult care homes and how important these connections are to the needs of elder adults in our communities.