Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
5-12-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
A. Renee Staton
Michele Kielty
Melinda Fox
Amanda Evans
Abstract
Creativity is present in many aspects of counseling practice. While clinical decisions are often assisted by the ability to think creatively, clinicians may not identify the potential benefit further exploration of creative pursuits within the counseling room could provide. The following paper seeks to explore the benefits of arts in counseling as well as the barriers that keep clinicians and clients from feeling comfortable brings arts into sessions. Arts may assist clients dealing with trauma and grief and can provide support for training clinicians and those in training. Clients and clinicians both may keep themselves from connect with artistic activities due limited experience as well as concerns over their ability to produce art. This paper reviews possible solutions to address these barriers, such as increased education and as well as facilitation of experience. Review of past negative experiences as well as emphasis placed on the process of creation over the production of a piece of art could serve to alleviate possible concerns. This paper additionally reviews the benefit that an experiential workshop for training clinicians as a way to address barriers and increase comfortability with art use. Though limited, cursory data from a workshop offered to training clinicians supports the thought that experiential opportunities may increase comfortability in using arts based activities with clients.
Recommended Citation
Sehenuk, Brittany, "Integrating creative arts in counseling: Review and recommendations" (2022). Educational Specialist, 2020-current. 40.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/edspec202029/40
