Silver Hands: Art Therapy Activities with Survivors of Domestic Violence

by Heidi Pedersen

This thesis examines the value of a drop in art therapy group for residents at an emergency shelter. Specifically, this thesis examines the role of intentional strength building art therapy directives with recent trauma survivors.

2015Heidi PedersenJuly 15, 2016drop-in, group art therapy, domestic violence, directives, emergency shelter, psychotherapy, storytelling, children, first person, action research, female

A Sculptural Journey of Ecological Identity and Art Therapy

by Seamus Gray

I have moved increasingly into the realm of additive sculpture. If ecology is the relationship between organisms and also their relationship with the environment they live in, then ecological art reflects, expresses and honours our connection with the world and all of that which is in our experience.

2015Seamus GrayJuly 15, 2016sculpture, ecology, environment, art materials, creativity

Rebel Agents of Transformation: Altered art in Alternative Education Programs

by Aislinn Cornett

This thesis explores the question: what is the value and function of creating altered art objects in an alternative education program with at-risk adolescents?

2015Aislinn CornettJuly 15, 2016altered art, alternative education, high school, adolescent, hermeneutic, phenomenology, arts-based research, at-risk youth, group art therapy, poetry, identity, child development, social constructionism

Jack's Playroom: A True Story about Art Therapy with a Young Boy Coping with the Death of his Father

by Noel Dupuis

This children's book was inspired by one boy’s experience with art therapy while coping with grief.

2015Noel DupuisJuly 15, 2016book, children, storytelling, writing, grief and loss, death and dying, caregivers, parenting

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Story of the Witch Behind the Wallpaper

by Sandra Hewitt-Parsons

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Story of the Witch Behind the Wallpaper is an art show which builds on dream analysis to explore latent themes that relate to childhood dreams and other personal experiences as an eight year old girl and a survivor of a traumatic stroke.

2015Sandra Hewitt-ParsonsJuly 15, 2016art show, dream work, survivor, stroke, psychotherapy, Jungian, Freudian, meaning making, heuristic, children

GroWings: A Poetry & Art Therapy Self-Exploration

by Angelica Atkins

This self-study was an arts-based exploration of identity through spontaneous art making and poetry writing in the context of the final year of training group at an art therapy institute.

2015Angelica AtkinsJuly 15, 2016arts-based research, identity, poetry, writing, training group, spoken word, retrospective, culture, spirituality, self-harm, trauma, body image

Deep Roots and New Beginnings: Exploring the Reconstruction of Identity through Photographic Life Narratives with Immigrant Women

by Sylvia Calatayud Catano

The intention of this thesis is to examine the lived experience of immigrant women on their path towards a new cultural identity in the context of using art therapy, participatory photography and personal narratives.

2015Sylvia Calatayud CatanoJuly 15, 2016immigration, culture, identity, photography, narrative therapy, arts-based research, phenomenology, female

Creating Health: The Value of an Art Group in a Psychiatric Inpatient Unit

by Katy Vinson

Participating in an Art Group is an opportunity for people receiving psychiatric services to actively create health in their lives. The intention of this paper is to: document a PowerPoint presentation, demonstrate the heath created by the Art Group, provide information on the approaches used in the Art Group and to encourage and promote the continuation of the Art Group.

2015Katy VinsonJuly 15, 2016group art therapy, psychiatric care, psychiatry, in-service education, self-confidence, self-expression, skill-building, healthcare system

Art for Cultural Expression and Connection: A Therapeutic Art Group with International Students

by Laura Andrew

The intention of this research study was to explore the value of a therapeutic art group for international high school students.

2015Laura AndrewJuly 15, 2016international students, high school, adolescent, culture, language, group art therapy, art as therapy, identity, immigration

Art in the Face of Death: Art Therapy With a Family

by Lindsay Joy Hamilton

This thesis explores the nature of practicing art therapy with a family facing the terminal illness of one of the members; and seeks to discover where in lies the meaning and value of making and sharing art during the intense moments of losing as loved one.

2015Lindsay Joy HamiltonJuly 15, 2016death and dying, terminal illness, grief and loss, family, child development, meaning making, a/r/tography, poetry, writing, thematic analysis, existentialism, relational

Pieces Found and Placed: A Mindfulness Approach to Art Therapy With a Group For Female Survivors of Childhood Trauma

by Cindy Fawcett

This research study highlights the intersection of mindfulness and art psychotherapy and its influence on trauma recovery work with a group for female survivors of childhood trauma in later stages of recovery.

2014Cindy FawcettJuly 14, 2016mindfulness, survivor, child development, trauma, children, group art therapy, psychotherapy, action research, body awareness, pain management, female

Art Therapy Activities For Artists With Different-Abilities

by Kate Leppard

By illuminating ten activities that have been inspired or spontaneously created by adults with developmental disabilities in art therapy sessions, this book demonstrates the benefits of using a humanistic approach to art therapy.

2015Kate LeppardJuly 14, 2016writing, disability, ability, directives, group art therapy, identity, belonging, cognition, differently-abled, adults, developmental disability

Exploring Light in Shadow: An Ecological Art Therapy Approach Using Cyanotype Photography

by Geri Nolan Hilfiker

This thesis will explore the question of how does cyanotype photography integrate into an eco art therapy practice.

2014Geri Nolan HilfikerJuly 14, 2016photography, ecology, eco art therapy, cyanotype, self-discovery, self-awareness, self-expression, environment, grounded theory, art materials

Art Therapy and Early Intervention in a Hospice Day Program Setting

by Jessica A. Fukushima

This thesis paper is designed to look at how art therapy came to be integrated into a hospice day program and to demonstrate the value of art therapy to this unique population through capturing of their experiences and accounts and what is the lived experience of knowing that you have a life-threatening to investigate illness.

2014Jessica A. FukushimaJuly 14, 2016hospice, healthcare system, death and dying, terminal illness, life-threatening illness, group art therapy

The Apex of a Lemniscate

by Kristin Dillenbeck

This thesis illustrates the benefits of using a developmental approach to art therapy in conjunction with neurology by presenting a single case phenomenological case study of a teen girl with brain trauma.

2014Kristin DillenbeckJuly 14, 2016developmental theory, neurology, brain injury, children, epilepsy, seizure, body awareness, identity, self-mastery, female

Rising Revolution: Exploring the Value of a Feminist Approach to Art Therapy

by Theresa Swan

This thesis is a response to the question: What is the value and significance of integrating art therapy and a feminist approach in working with women who have experienced violence?

2013Theresa SwanJuly 13, 2016feminist, violence, domestic violence, heuristic, arts-based research, thematic analysis, writing, journal writing, oppression, first person, culture, female

Reflection Cards as an Opening Circle Activity

by Dianne B. Shannon

This research explores the use of reflection cards that the researcher created to help support the therapeutic goals of the special education program for adults who have developmental disabilities and who attended weekly group art therapy sessions.