The Expressive Body In Life Art And Therapy

Drawing on her extensive experience in expressive arts therapy, Daria Halprin presents a unique approach to healing through movement and art. She describes the body as the container of one's entire life experience and movement as a language that expresses and reveals our deepest struggles and creative potentials. Interweaving artistic and psychological processes, she offers a philosophy and methodology that invites the reader to consider the transformational capacity of the arts. In this essential resource for anyone interested in the integration of psychotherapy and the arts, Halprin also presents case studies and a selection of exercises that she has evolved over her career and practised at the Tamalpa Institute for over twenty-five years.

"Psychological trauma can be a life-changing experience that affects multiple facets of health and well-being. The nature of trauma is to impact the mind and body in unpredictable and multidimensional ways. It can be a highly subjective that is difficult or even impossible to explain with words. It also can impact the body in highly individualized ways and result in complex symptoms that affect memory, social engagement, and quality of life. While many people overcome trauma with resilience and without long term effects, many do not. Trauma's impact often requires approaches that address the sensory-based experiences many survivors report. The expressive arts therapy-the purposeful application of art, music, dance/movement, dramatic enactment, creative writing and imaginative play-are largely non-verbal ways of self-expression of feelings and perceptions. More importantly, they are action-oriented and tap implicit, embodied experiences of trauma that can defy expression through verbal therapy or logic. Based on current evidence-based and emerging brain-body practices, there are eight key reasons for including expressive arts in trauma intervention, covered in this book: (1) letting the senses tell the story; (2) self-soothing mind and body; (3) engaging the body; (4) enhancing nonverbal communication; (5) recovering self-efficacy; (6) rescripting the trauma story; (7) making meaning; and (8) restoring aliveness"--

This resource comprises a collection of accessible, flexible, tried-and-tested activities for use with people in a range of care and therapy settings, to help them explore their knowledge of themselves and to make sense of their experiences. Among the issues addressed by the activities are exploring physical changes, emotional trauma, interpersonal problems and spiritual dilemmas. Designed with simple and inexpensive art tools in mind for individual and group activities of varying difficulty, it also includes real-life anecdotes that bring the techniques to life. This new edition contains extra activities and resources to promote the continuing wellness of patients and clients outside of therapy settings. This new edition of the Expressive Arts Activity Book is full of fun, easy, creative ideas for workers in hospitals, clinics, schools, hospices, spiritual and religious settings, and in private practice.

Laying the philosophical foundations of expressive arts therapy, this book highlights the role and importance of poiesis, the art of 'making' as a response to the world, in the expressive arts therapies as well as our own lives. The concept of poiesis was originally developed and brought into the field by Stephen K. Levine. It is a perspective that restores the primacy of the arts for the arts therapies instead of reducing art-making and art-objects to psychological data. Bringing together different schools of thought in unexpected ways, this book shows how the principles underlying expressive arts therapy have relevance to ethics, politics and social change. It includes chapters on Taoism, improvisation in the arts, and the importance of creativity for understanding human existence. With personal narratives and poetry to help create natural points for the reader to stop and reflect, Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy is the perfect guide for those wanting to understand the role of the arts and art-making in life and in therapeutic change.

"Expressive arts therapy-the purposeful application and integration of art, music, dance/movement, dramatic enactment, creative writing and imaginative play-is an action-oriented and sensory-based form of psychotherapy. This timely volume helps mental health clinicians incorporate different expressive modalities into practice with children, adults, and groups. Expert contributors present in-depth descriptions of their respective therapies, including art, music, dance/movement, drama, poetry, play, sandtray, and integrative approaches. In addition to reviewing the theoretical and empirical bases of each modality, chapters detail the process of assessment and intervention with people experiencing specific clinical problems and life challenges. A wealth of concrete examples and case vignettes are featured throughout to bring key concepts to life. Giving particular attention to strategies for integrating expressive work with other forms of psychotherapy and counseling, this is an eminently practical resource for clinicians of any orientation"--

Demonstrating the benefits of creative expression for patients living with acute or chronic illness, this volume provides a complete, practical introduction to medical art therapy. It presents evidence-based strategies for helping people of all ages--from young children to older adults--cope with physical and cognitive symptoms, reduce stress, and improve their quality of life. The book includes detailed case material and 110 illustrations. It describes ways to work with individuals and groups with specific health conditions and challenges, as well as their family members. Contributors are experienced art therapists who combine essential knowledge with in-depth clinical guidance. This e-book edition features 87 full-color illustrations. (Illustrations will appear in black and white on black-and-white e-readers).

Responding to the increased interest in the integration of expressive arts and ecotherapy, this book presents a nature based approach to expressive arts work. It provides an overview of the two fields, emphasizing how they can enrich and learn from each other, and highlights attitudes and practices in expressive arts that are particularly relevant to working with nature. This includes cultivating an aesthetic response to the earth, the relationship between beauty and sustainability, and lessons about art and nature from indigenous cultures. Four suggested structures for a nature based expressive arts activity - including writing, body, and ritual centered - are provided in the appendices.