2410 research outputs found
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Aesthetic Attunement to Client Resistance: The Art Therapist\u27s Hand
Get PDFThe topic of client resistance in therapy has garnered significant attention over time across various theoretical orientations. However, within art therapy, there remains a notable gap in the comprehensive consideration of client resistance and the effectiveness of art therapy interventions in addressing this phenomenon. This capstone thesis aims to identify that gap by conducting a brief literature review concerning (a) the multifaceted underpinnings of client resistance, (b) the psychological functions of client resistance in therapy, and (c) competencies specific to art therapy training that are beneficial in addressing client resistance. The following review uses information from the existing literature to fill the research gap to understand how to approach client resistance
Exploring the Intersections Between Dance/Movement Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: A Literature Review
Get PDFDance/movement therapy (DMT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are body-based approaches that facilitate the integration of the emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of an individual. This literature review explores the intersections between DMT and EMDR and discusses potential ways these two methods may be integrated to support the therapeutic process. Research shows that developing body awareness, self-regulation skills, resourcing, and using movement are common principles and practices with DMT and EMDR. Both modalities are also found to help with decreasing symptoms related to anxiety, depression, and grief. Although limited, common neural networks are activated through the sensory experiences involved in both approaches. There is evidence that incorporating DMT interventions can support with developing a strong therapeutic relationship and an increased sense of safety for individuals engaging in EMDR. Enhancing the therapeutic alliance through DMT also has the potential to support the facilitation of bilateral stimulation. Furthermore, DMT can provide different forms of bilateral stimulation and introduce a creative and expressive element into the EMDR process through movement exploration and the use of props. There is a need for more research on this topic, as literature specifically addressing the combined application of DMT and EMDR was not found. Despite this limitation, the intersections between DMT and EMDR research suggest that integrating these two approaches could further aid individuals in exploring and processing distressing memories and emotions during EMDR treatment, thus providing a more effective therapeutic experience
Navigating Cultural Transitions: A Drama Therapy Exploration of Culture Shock Among International Students from South Asia and East Asia
Get PDFSouth Asia and East Asia drive the recent surge in US global student enrollment, exceeding one million, collectively representing 60.141% of international students, with China and India contributing 53% alone. These figures underscore the need for focused research into the experiences of South Asian and East Asian international students in the United States, an area currently lacking comprehensive study. This thesis examines culture shock among South Asian and East Asian students at a university in the Northeast, exploring relevant theories, role of media portrayals, and drama therapy interventions. It investigates the effects of culture shock, such as strain, loss, rejection, and role confusion, and considers factors like language proficiency and social support networks that affect its severity and duration.
A drama therapy workshop focusing on cultural issues was held for six South Asian and East Asian international graduate students hailing from Taiwan, India, and China. This thesis examined the impact of drama therapy on cultural adaptation and psychological distress alleviation, utilizing methods such as the Spectrogram, Role Theory, Six-Piece Story, and Sculpting with the participants. The thesis offers insight into international student experiences through written and artistic observations, and practical implications for universities in supporting diverse student populations
Dance/Movement Therapy as a Potential Supplementary Treatment for Vasovagal Syncope: A Literature Review
Get PDFDance movement therapy has been utilized as an evidenced-based modality in treating numerous medical diagnoses. Despite its established efficacy in diverse medical contexts, little research exists on its application for vasovagal syncope, a condition often intertwined with mental health challenges. Although vasovagal syncope is situated in the body and frequently comorbid with mental health struggles that impact physiological symptoms, treatment options remain solely in the medical model. This literature review seeks to address this lack of research and adequate treatment options by highlighting the body/mind connection and advocating for dance/movement therapy as a potential supplementary treatment for vasovagal syncope. The author used personal experience with this diagnosis as well as Lesley @ll search and Google Scholar to gather research. The research explored is summarized through a description of the diagnosis, the physical and psychological impact, current treatment options, the use of dance/movement therapy with other medical and psychological diagnoses, and polyvagal-informed dance/movement therapy. The therapeutic qualities that emerged from the literature as important to treatment are therapeutic presence, embodied awareness, interoception, resilience, coping, empowerment, self-efficacy, and identity. It was concluded that dance movement therapy has the unique potential to support the body and mind of those struggling with vasovagal syncope supplementary to medical care. However, further research is needed to test this hypothesis
Understanding Masculinity: Exploring the Personal and Professional Lives of Male Middle School Directors of Private, All-boys’ Middle Schools
Get PDFThere is a gap in research about the gender identity and gender experience of men leading all boys\u27 middle-schools. In addition, there has been little work done exploring the link between the inner lives of male school leaders, their level of burnout or satisfaction, and the impacts on their school leadership. The purpose of this study was to explore how male middle school directors of all-boys’ middle schools make sense of, engage with, and are impacted by their masculinity. The study employed narrative research with a social constructivist and post structural feminist lens. Four participants completed digital participatory journals, written document analysis of school communications, and semi structured interviews. One participant was selected as a critical case for site visits and nonparticipant observation. Study findings suggested that participants’ gender development was characterized by limiting patriarchal beliefs in early life, destabilizing gender experiences, new ways of knowing and being, and ranges of continued engagement with gender identity. Through their inner, interpersonal, and institutional work focused on identity and meaning-making, the male leaders of the study have healed their childhood wounds, applied their discoveries to their leadership practice, and modeled a liberating existence for the men and boys in their care. The leaders, however, did not demonstrate or report consistent, effective strategies to maintain life balance or support their health and stress response. In addition, their masculine identity revealed an insufficient range of awareness and commitments toward issues of gender equity and feminism in their work. Key recommendations include the effective deployment of personal sustainability and wellness practices considerate of male worldviews and the need for continued education for male leaders in gender allyship and gender equitable leadership practices. Areas for further study may include broadening the scope of gender exploration inside boys’ middle schools to include the feminine standpoint or a wider range of masculinities and sexualities. Further research could specifically address the inconsistency of self-care practices and the correlation to masculine beliefs and expression by male leaders in single-sex schools
Neuroqueering Art Therapy: Bringing Neurodivergent Gender Diversity into the Creative Arts Therapy Room: A Literature Review
Get PDFRecent research across disciplines has established the significance of the overlap between neurodivergence and gender diversity, a truth long espoused by the community. Acting on this research, some mental health disciplines have begun addressing neurodivergent transgender and gender diverse people as a unified population in their research, but the field of art therapy has not yet followed suit. Theoretical frameworks of intersectionality, queer theory, and disability justice highlight the importance of centering the unique experiences and needs of neurodivergent gender diversity. Using these frameworks, this literature review synthesizes community knowledge with art therapy research on both neurodivergence and gender diversity, identifying current and historical issues as well as common themes that lay a foundation for empowerment-oriented clinical work with neurodivergent gender diverse people. Themes identified in literature on gender diversity include a history of misgendering, pathologization, and erasure, as well as present strengths of platforming gender diverse voices, work on issues with embodiment, and the benefits of community. Themes identified in literature on neurodivergence include issues of erasure, misdirected focus on behavior, and ableist perspectives, as well as the benefits of a creative and non-verbal context, the wide sensory potential of art materials and processes, the provision of a supportive structure, and the opportunity to develop skills for managing executive functioning. Conclusions based on these findings highlight the benefits of community engagement, the importance of considering access needs, and the impacts of oppression, illuminating critical knowledge and tools for future clinical work and research with this intersectional population
Exploring Teacher Agency and Student Engagement: A Case Study of an Urban High School in the United States
Get PDFUsing a mixed-methods case study design, this study explored teacher agency, student engagement, and the relationship between these two complex constructs at a Northeastern urban high school, “City High School” (CHS). Teacher agency refers to the level of control or power teachers have in their classrooms and in a school system as well as to feelings of belonging, of being supported, and of competency. Fredricks et al. (2004) suggest student engagement is an intricate construct that includes behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. A social constructivist and critical theory lens informed the research. Three guiding research questions focused on teacher agency and student engagement at CHS: (1) What do teacher agency and student engagement look like at CHS? (2) What are teachers’ perceptions of teacher agency and student engagement at CHS? (3) What is the relationship between teacher agency and student engagement at CHS? The case study probed for an in-depth view into student-teacher relationships and described practices and teachers\u27 perceptions of student engagement and teacher agency to gain a deeper understanding of how the school functions. Data collected and analyzed included document review, field notes, surveys, observations, and interviews. Analysis began with understanding what each data tool revealed about CHS, then examined data for broader patterns and themes. The resulting themes, layered with the literature, suggest systemic inconsistency threatens student engagement and teacher agency, positive relationships are the powerhouse, and teacher agency and student engagement lay the foundation for what Freire (1970) calls praxis, a combination of reflection and action. Recommendations for practice include whole school, whole child approaches while promoting teacher agency, student engagement, and positive relationships. Neither teacher agency nor student engagement operate independently but are part of the broader educational system. By supporting teacher agency and student engagement, school systems have an opportunity to promote democratic, critical, engaged, and culturally relevant pedagogies. This may allow teachers to become more empowered, reflective practitioners who are better equipped to teach and learn alongside active, engaged students
Environmental Education for Sustainability
Get PDFThe climate is in crisis. Many conservation organizations identify in their mission statements the priority of motivating constituents to engage with conservation action. This priority is typically implemented by educators who design and deliver educational activities and materials. This study, designed to develop a professional pathway for environmental educators to develop programs designed to motivate adult audiences toward engagement with conservation action, addressed the question: How can environmental educators more effectively promote conservation behavior change in adult learning audiences? Three guiding research questions were: 1) To what extent are environmental educators familiar with and utilizing theoretical frameworks and research-based tools and approaches for the design and delivery of educational programs? 2) How can Adult Learning Theory best practices be used in training adult educators to incorporate these best practices into their own teaching? 3) In what ways and to what degree did course experiences influence how participants develop and facilitate learning and engagement in their adult students toward increased individual conservation concern and action? This Action Research project used mixed methodology and co-inquiry. Quantitative data examined what study participants learned pre and post treatment. Qualitative data collected through discussions indicated how study participants were planning and piloting new teaching approaches. Case studies tracked the progress of a sample set of participants as well as the researcher. These are the key findings. When trained and supported, educators can change their practices and deliver programs designed to be more effective at moving people to action by incorporating Adult Learning Theory best practices and Conservation Psychology concepts, tools, and approaches. A training modelled on adult learning theory best practices can be effective in providing educators with the resources and motivation to develop and pilot changes in their teaching practices. Professional cohorts are a supportive learning environment for educators. Conservation organizations can build staff capacity to update program designs and teaching approaches to implement their “move people to action” mission priority. While much published Conservation Psychology research focuses on the audiences, this research uniquely focuses on the educators who are poised to teach adult audiences who voluntarily and enthusiastically attend popular natural history programs
Expressive Arts Therapy and Oncology Care Teams
Get PDFThis literature review offers an overview of the mental health of oncology care team members, medical professionals as well as oncology floor hospital staff, and the therapeutic benefits of expressive therapies on that specific population. Working on an oncology floor means interacting with patients and their loved ones at a time of utmost suffering, uncertainty, and possible death. This environment presents risks of burnout, compassion fatigue, and a sense of isolation for the medical and non-medical professionals working with cancer patients. The results of qualitative, quantitative, and art-based studies conducted pre-and post-Covid-19 pandemic show multi-faceted and multi-layered positive impacts of expressive-arts-therapy interventions on the care team and staff members and on that milieu overall. Based on the conclusions of the studies selected for this review, the author presents three types of expressive arts interventions with mindful self-care, grief and loss processing, and vicarious resilience as goals. The author recorded their thesis research and writing process through mixed-media art-journaling after each work session
Exploring the Literature on Art Therapy Interventions in Mitigating the Negative Effects of Loneliness in College Students
Get PDFExperiences of loneliness and social isolation among college students pose a concern for emerging adults’ mental and physical health, as well as greater impacts on university systems across the country. While social isolation and loneliness are subjective experiences, there are a range of factors rooted in developmental psychology and sociocultural theory that influence the rising rates and acuity of loneliness. Attachment theorists posit that secure attachment early in life can impact how individuals make lasting interpersonal connections long after their childhood. Secure and insecure attachment styles combined with the dramatic transition to college for a young adult are influencing factors of the loneliness experience. A review of the literature found that art therapy can mitigate the negative effects of loneliness such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Interventions that involved connecting with peers in group therapy settings and challenging social cognitions also mitigated the negative effects of loneliness in reported studies. These findings offer support for implementing art therapy to foster social connection and mitigate stress and anxiety related to loneliness in college counseling settings