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Annotated Bibliography

Winnicott, D. (1986) Home is where we start from. England: London

In this collection of essays we learn of Winnicott’s key teachings, presented to a lay audience.  He explains attachment theory, the ‘good enough environment’, the contribution of the Mother to society, adolescence and the relationship between the individual and their facilitating family group.  He explores concepts of health versus illness through his lens as a psychoanalyst in addition to to his medical background.  It is extremely helpful to see how foundation concepts of personality, the very make up of human emotional development can be applied to such a variety of cultural topics such as monarchy, the Pill and mathematics.  He brings clarity to these issues and offers me a model for applying depth of insight about the subconscious and the effect of early childhood environment on later life.  By uncovering gaps or repression in the individual’s psyche the psychotherapist can facilitate milestones of developmental progress, albeit at a later stage of maturation.

Yalom, I. (2002)  The Gift of Therapy.  US: HarperCollins

This is a handbook of 85 tips and instructions built upon 35 years of clinical practice and teaching.  He paints a picture of a therapist in a way that inspires me to rise to the challenge of training and the ongoing character growth that is so crucial to this profession.  He promotes curiosity, humility and transparency, and breaks away the the image of the therapist as an all-knowing provider of interpretations, or a blank canvas to absorb transference.  He gives a practical guide for mining the here-and-now aspects of the therapeutic encounter to further the process of therapy.  He describes tools  for incorporating the therapist’s own feelings into the mix as well as how to explore dream material, how to take a history and how to look at their present; how their daily life is organised and peopled.  He writes with deep pride on the privilege of helping others find meaning, health and joy.

Skynner, Cleese (1983)  Families and how to Survive Them  London: Vermilion

This was a a whistle-stop tour through all the major themes of child development, identity, attraction, relationships and family dynamics written as a conversation between Robin Skynner, a psychotherapist and John Cleese his former patient.  They discuss the continuum that exists with optimally healthy families at one end; dysfunctional families with inter-generational problems at the other; and the “normal” families in the middle in which we see an expected mix of ‘screened off’ feelings alongside coping mechanisms, defenses and social norms to smooth the way.  Skynner draws on Freudian ideas as well as later work by more recent therapists and analysts who looked at how families work as a system.  Each part affects all other parts of the system.  By considering inter-relationships through the eyes of a typical family we can learn about letting go of inherited mistakes and move forward to optimal family life.

Van Der Kolk, B. The Body Keeps the Score, United Stares: Penguin

This book is about how trauma impacts a person causing long term suffering to victims, their families and future generations.  Using scientific methods such as brain scans and clinically sound investigations, Van Der Kolk looks at how the mind and body are transformed by traumatic events; how neural networks are formed as coping mechanisms and may later morph into unwanted behaviours.  This is followed by a paradigm of treatment that seeks to give individual patients ownership of their narrative, their bodies and a route to self awareness and healing.  Yoga, EMDR, neurofeedback and theater are offered as examples of pathways to recovery and I believe that art therapy is another good candidate for an embodied type of therapy, one that does not rely on talking alone.  This book answered questions about my own pattern of mild symptoms and has opened up the whole field of mind/body connection in relation to trauma and healing.

Axline, V.M. (1964) Dibs In Search of Self.  London: Penguin

Virginia M. Axline has written the true story of Dibs, her client; a talented and sensitive child who was trapped in isolation due to the lack of emotional connection in his life.  Through psychotherapy - play therapy to be precise - he regained his sense of self and was eventually able to thrive, utilise his gifted nature and contribute to society.  It is an eloquent case study obliquely laying out the principles of play and art therapy.  The therapist built the safe environment in which the child could open up and slowly verbalise his deeply felt emotions.  reparation with his parents blossoms.  It is notable that the therapist made it safe for Dibs to express negativity.  This teaches us to think about hostility as a sign sometimes of adequate ego strength for the feelings to be articulated.  In that sense, aggression is a sign of health!  This book is a beautiful testimony to the power of psychotherapy to transform lives.  

Malchiodi, C. (2011) Trauma Informed Art Therapy and Sexual Abuse in Children. In: Goodyear-Brown, P. (ed.) Handbook of Child Sexual Abuse: Identification, Assessment and Treatment.  United states: John Wiley & Sons

This chapter deals with how art therapy helps children who have suffered sexual abuse to articulate their sometimes unutterable experiences in a manner that the therapist can understand while within what is tolerable for the child.  Trauma informed art therapy involves using art materials to address hyper-arousal and to teach relaxation, referencing the specific neuro circuit that is activated by hands on activities of a soothing nature.  The sensory and tactile qualities of art materials need to be taken into consideration, how they are central to trauma recovery, but equally how they may trigger memories of distressful events.  The somatic approach, using colour and shape enables children to locate the place in the body where trauma is held so they can learn to diminish distress.  The author comments on the relevance of culturally sensitive materials and projects.  This has been a rich article for me, linking my reading on trauma, with art therapy for a client group I may want to work with in the future.  

Cane, F. (1951) The Artist in Each Of Us. United States: Art Therapy Publications

This book bridges art and therapy.  It aims to give the reader a means to achieving a richer art and a more integrated life.  It looks at how movement, feeling and thought work together.  I was intrigued to read detailed technical instructions for accessing subconscious material which can be used to reach higher levels of artistic expression and also personal healing.  The case studies record the progress of her students and how transcendence was coaxed up through fantasy, play, rhythmic movements, chanting and other indirect means until it could be released for union with the conscious.  I tried out some of these techniques and was surprised to discover not only the catharsis, but also the unexpected outcomes of artwork spontaneously arising from my own psychological material.  It shows me how the perceptive teacher can awaken in her students their own creativity and direct them to find solutions for subtle or complex inner dilemmas.

Dalley, T. (ed.) (1984) Art as Therapy. An Introduction to the use of art as a therapeutic technique. London: Routledge

This book is an introduction to the theories that underpin art therapy and is broad in it’s range of contributing authors.  We get an outline of the role of art within a therapeutic framework, the manifestation of art as play, as a language of symbols and development.  The historical links between art education and art therapy are explored; the differences and what they have in common; and a possibility for merging the two fields. Each chapter on a specific client group offers insights for working with these vulnerable people in a way that will give direct therapeutic benefit. 

I found the chapter on art therapy in prisons to be particularly enlightening.  The author was clear about the actual constraints of working in that environment, what the pitfalls might be and she presented practical guidance on overcoming them.  She promotes a vision for how arts can transform the most ant-social of prisoners into creative, productive people; this raises pertinent questions for the current justice system.

Price, J. (1988) Motherhood, What it Does to Your Mind  London: Pandora Press

A fascinating book delving into the psychology of mothering written by a female psychiatrist and psychotherapist.  It ties up the concepts of attachment theory with the realities of modern relationships and societal expectations.  It is presented through the lens of a Woman, a woman who lived through her own mother-daughter dynamic, pregnancy, giving birth, breast feeding and the like.  She looks at how our culture and family story play out in our own lives whether consciously or unconsciously.  By normalising much of the natural difficulties of mothering, this book can offer solace in trying times.  

I am a mother of four boys and pregnant with my fifth child, so I am justified to claim that his book ought to become mainstream knowledge.  It is through lived experiences that we can most genuinely form opinions and then reach out to help others in a professional capacity.

Case, C. Dalley, T. (1992) The Handbook of Art Therapy  London: Routledge

This handbook is a bird’s eye view of the profession.  It covers the theories of psychoanalysis and how it intersects with art as well as a detailed look at the practical aspects of employment as an art therapist in jargon-free language.  This gives a beginner art therapist a survival guide for those inevitable first forays into work.  I gained a grasp on the complexities surrounding room set-up or lack of appropriate dedicated space.  A how-to guide on various forms of note taking making use of the same example session throughout the different formats was extremely helpful.  There is clear preparation for supervision, referrals, working in an institution, operating as part of a team versus being isolated and potentially being misunderstood.  Reading this was an important step towards becoming a competent practitioner. 

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Critical Analysis

The Body Keeps the Score. Bessel Van Der Kolk, p 242-245

Bessel Van Der Kolk begins the section on Art, Music and Dance by acknowledging the effective work of expressive therapies in the context of trying to understand just how helpful talking therapy is for dealing with severe trauma.  From a neuroscience point of view, little is known about their mechanism, and discovering which specific aspects of traumatic stress these expressive therapies address presents an enormous financial and logistical challenge.    Van Der Kolk recognises the usefulness of expressive therapies to bypass the speechlessness that comes with terror.  He broadens the scope of this passage by relating the discussion to treatments that are used around the world in many different cultures.  It is unfortunate that he does not write more about the vast range of interventions that experts have developed for clients with different issues and specific cultural sensitivities.  There is much to explore on this matter, and I hope to give it due attention later in my studies.  

Van Der Kolk cites an example of a thorough study involving three groups of participants.  The first disclosed a traumatic event through dance and movement, then wrote about it; the second group danced but did not write about it; and the third group simply did routine exercise.  The results were tracked and only the first group had objective evidence to mark their improvements, although all three groups of participants reported feeling happier and healthier.  The conclusion of the study was that it appears that health requires translating experiences into language.  

The author considers studies that address the reduction of PTSD symptoms following writing interventions and notes their lack of convincing results.  It is reassuring to read that he discusses this with Pennebaker, the man behind the study stated above.  Pennebaker responds by reminding him that these studies were mostly conducted in group settings with an expectation to share stories among the group members.  Van Der Kolk asserts his opinion that the point of writing is to write to yourself.  

I would add that art can also form a concrete document that you communicate to yourself.  The maker can confront his story and the art forms a bridge between avoiding the pain and knowing the pain.  In addition, art therapy done with a therapist offers opportunities for a verbal component, which can be transformative.  

The next section deals with the limits of language; some causes and effects.  He quotes Paul Fussel who explains that the English language does not lack descriptive words or phrases for terrible events, but listeners do not want to hear them.  “We have made unspeakable mean indescribable: it really means nasty”.  Van Der Kolk opens this point up to look at other reasons that talking about traumatic events, not just war, is often so difficult.  People can be rejected for exposing negative stories or become alienated for seeming to be stuck in the past.  I would add that so often it is not safe for a victim to make a disclosure when there are family members who are complicit, in denial, or simply not able to respond appropriately.  Talking of bereavements may trigger the reactions of the other mourners.  Here he counters this deadlock with a recommendation for survivor groups, a safe place where stories can be told, and recovery is possible.  

His next point is advocating for victims of trauma to seek professional therapists trained to cope with hearing harrowing sagas.  He is humble enough to tell us of a time he was overwhelmed by a veteran’s disclosure, giving credence to the requirement that therapists have their own therapy.  He pays particular attention to the self-care that is so crucial to enabling us to care for our clients.  He uses the phrase “remain emotionally available” to denote the task of the therapist to meet the client with a deeply human encounter to match the courage and vulnerability it took to share a personal story.  This dispels a myth, an outdated model of therapy where the therapist is seen to be a blank canvas, listening objectively, neutrally.  

Still on the topic of the limits of language, Van Der Kolk discusses what happens when trauma victims become too distressed to articulate their narrative, such as in a courtroom.  The setting is not so relevant to art therapy, but the neuroscience behind it is very applicable.  If the language area of the brain shuts down, the person will sound chaotic, fragmented or perhaps evasive and incoherent.  The real problem is that the brain of the trauma victim is so affected by the trauma that remembering the events triggers an experience like a re-run of the actual event!  The reaction we see may be a coping mechanism that was vital to survival in the first instance.  All of this is explained in detail in the rest of the book.  Consequently, therapists have learned to “pendulate”, meaning approaching the facts gently and then retreating so that the client is not overwhelmed.  

My contribution to this point is that in many ways art therapy is a method of pendulating.  The therapist provides art materials and the client is free to make abstract representations of feelings as an oblique way of getting near to the story.  Alternatively, drawings executed in metaphorical terms need not be translated in the initial stages of therapy. For example, a picture of a stormy sea holds meaning for the victim, while the therapist still does not know any details, only that there was torment. Children can be invited to draw animals or toys experiencing the abuse they themselves lived through.  Again, this keeps the horror at arms’ length while still providing a means of communication for the hurt child.  Finally, a client can draw their history, fold it up and not share it with the therapist until such time as the necessary resilience and self-regulation are in place for sharing with another person.  

These two pages from the book The Body Keeps the Score have analysed the dual nature of talking about trauma.  On the one hand it brings healing, yet it can also hurt, and no one wants to make somebody suffer unnecessarily.  The field of expressive therapy is rich with techniques that honour the sensitivity needed for such difficult work.  I would have liked to see more from him on this route to treatment. 

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Illustration

Blog Post 10

I was pleased to find an article that ties up a few of the themes of this blog.  Taking a keen look at the illustrations of various editions of Peter and Wendy (Barrie, 1911) Chris Routh examines Wendy’s role portrayed by different illustrators over the past century (Routh, 2001).  This is a scholarly article that illuminated for me the depth of insight one can reap when one knows how to really look at a drawing.  There was a range of very different versions of Wendy’s character amounting to an analysis of society, expectation, femininity and roles within this story.  Significantly, the article emphasises her role as mother throughout the narrative, which closely echoes my first blog post.  By examining the concepts through the lens of Illustration, this article is marked as having real interest to the art therapy student.  It opened up for me two ways of thinking: firstly that a sensitive reading of the book will show Barrie’s intention in writing of feminine roles.  Secondly, that illustration or drawing can contain nuanced messages that the illustrator wishes to convey.  

It is fascinating that the two elements that define Wendy’s role as a woman are her needlework skills and her proficiency as a storyteller, and Routh links both of these to depictions of Mrs Darling early in the book.  Again, it is the juxtaposition of handiwork and narrative that seem to proclaim this piece as most relevant to our field.  

To complement this, I read Magic Pencil (2002), the book that was published to accompany an art exhibition of original illustrations for children’s story books.  There was an overlap between contributors to the book and the illustrators whose work is studied in the article.  The lengthy essay covers many of the themes we are trained to consider, such as metaphor, materiality, the subconscious, imagination, texture and narrative.  I found this to be most serendipitous, and I consider myself lucky to have discovered such congruity of concepts in texts I could access and peruse at my leisure.  

Bibliography:

Routh, C. (2001) “Man for the Sword and for the Needle She”: Illustrations of Wendy’s Role in J.M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy. Children’s Literature in Education, Vol 32, 1.

Magic Pencil (2002). United Kingdom: The British Council / The British Library

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Method and Methodology

Blog Post 9

In this blog post I will list each of the methods I employed to reflect on my studies and my practice, followed by the rationale behind each of those choices.

1. My experience of mothering.

Direct experiential learning of children’s needs, their development, my ability to adapt and meet those needs and observing the results of my interactions with my four sons is a rich mine for reflection.  The mother-child bond is fundamental to future stability and health of the child.  I am lucky to be investing in these humans in the most ideal way.  The learning will inform the capacity to be a nurturer in the position of therapist.

2. Art making with my children.

I can get my feet wet with experiences of of using art as an intervention in a child’s life.  I have seen the efficacy of some approaches and the failure of others.  Having four children with very different temperaments shows me that people don’t all respond in the same way to the same activities; and that context is SO important.  In some ways, my own child is an ideal client since trust and the existence of a long term relationship are already in place.  

3. Reading journal articles and books.

I have learned a lot from reading books.  I began with the seminal texts as this is deemed essential in art therapy training.  I selected ones that educate me, and form a theoretical and practical groundwork.  Additionally, I read books that fall under the categories of my chosen areas of interest, such as Yalom on existential psychotherapy; Van Der Kolk on trauma informed approaches, Berger on seeing Art and other avenues I am currently exploring.  I aim to consolidate my knowledge and become proficient as a practitioner before extending the field of research.  Journal articles have shown me the current trends and innovations.  They show what is currently being debated.  For example, Mentalization is a new mode of therapy yet I read an article that critiqued it in a respectful way.  I now have to use my own judgement to decide how to integrate the information.

4. My own Art making. 

I have identified three of my own modes of engaging with art.

1. Response art.  Experiential learning of creating a visual language for thoughts and feelings.  I try to express non-verbal moods, memories and responses.

2. Exploratory art.  Experiential learning of the technique of using art making to solve internal problems.  Choosing it as a means of coping with the unknowns, engaging with the art material to delve into the uncertainty, letting it guide me and being open to the insight that arises.

3. Tool art.  Experiential learning of using creative practices to achieve set goals in my life.  For example, the mind map was a tool for decreasing chaos.  There usually involves some pondering as to how best to execute the project, and this leads to a meditation that uncovers the beliefs or feelings about the subject.  

5. Media.

I refer to the broad scope of material available as music, interviews, Ted talks, radio shows, performances etc.  There are so many opportunities to learn from personal accounts of meaningful lives, healing, shared humanity, and the diversity of lived experience.  We confront the existential, normal humanness but also we confront the ‘Other’, otherness if you like.  We face what is removed from our sphere of life whether in nationality, class, age or character.  This is an important part of preparation for meeting a diverse range of clients.  I can reflect on my different reactions to ‘Other’, how I might embrace some and resist some.  I need to get to know my helpful and unhelpful lenses.  

6.  Appreciating Art.

I look for art that speaks to me.  Books, galleries and exhibitions and online platforms are rich in art work and I set myself the task of seeking artwork I relate to and understand.  I am drawn to crafts that involve repetitive tasks, or are attached to folklore and indigenous culture.  I also appreciate innovative use of materials.  I try to expand how I perceive an artwork and as we learn about context, intersectionality, subjectivity etc I am trying to incorporate that into my receptivity to art.  I believe it is important to honestly differentiate between art that we connect to and art that we don’t connect to.  

7. Personal Therapy.

There is a strong rationale for trainee therapists to go for personal therapy; it is easy to answer the question: “Why is this a method of learning?”  The therapist herself is the primary tool of the trade, and in that sense she requires investment, care and ongoing support.  She needs to have courageously held up the mirror to herself in order to guide her clients to do the same.  It is crucial she has self-awareness in order to deal effectively with transference and counter-transference.  She has to have learned to care for herself and manage her triggers so that she can stay emotionally available for her clients.

8. Lectures and Workshops.

The formal teaching that takes place in university lectures shapes our journey to becoming competent art therapists.  The practitioners come from various parts of the profession and are teaching us the theory and how to put it into context.  We are learning from the “Experts by Experience”. 

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Play

Blog post 8

I enjoyed listening to Michael Rosen talking on Radio 4 (Woman’s Hour, 2019) about his new book on playfulness, so I went to BBC Sounds to hear it again and took notes.  He says play touches all of us, we can all experience the spark of life get reignited when we have a playful encounter with other people.  He also spoke about internally experienced fun such as interacting with machines and the furniture of life in innovative ways.  He talked of daydreaming, imagination and of not being passive in a world designed by “wonderful world of science”.

I am hearing a voice in my head telling me to read Winnicott, Playing and Reality.  I am also aware of a little bit of resistance to doing so.  I am curious about that, as the majority of what I have read of Winnicott in his essays has resonated deeply.  I am sure I will get to it soon, as soon as this module is over!

There is a book called Playful Parenting (Cohen, 2001) that I read some years ago.  Written by a play therapist, the premise is that when parents understand the psychological, emotional or developmental issues their child is undergoing, all they need are some playful games to help the child work through the difficulty.  It’s about having fun while doing important parenting.  And he gives strategies from play therapy so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.  This book was very helpful in that it was informative and supportive, and we implemented some of the techniques in our home.  For example, consciously introducing upcoming events to the toddler by role playing with teddies.  However, you do need to be a bit courageous to get into the mode.

I think I have just located the source of the resistance to reading Playing and Reality!  A book on play and attachment theory is likely to trigger a connection with another in the same genre.  

Playfulness is a basis for building healthy mental states.  It is also a signal that there IS a healthy state of mind; flexibility, willingness to take risks, curiosity etc. Conversely, playing can be a route out of an unhealthy state.  So if a child is afraid of failure and is behaving uptight, playing at being really clumsy can defuse that anxiety.  Or if kids are distant from a parent, then the parent can make a game of it; Catch Me If You Can, pillow fights etc where the dynamics of the relationship problems can be acted out in a non-triggering way. 

Some thoughts on imagination:

Imagination sparks our progress in life.  We start with imagining a new reality, or the best version of ourselves and we can work forwards from there.  The song “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman expresses the power of imagination and how it is a force for good in the world.  I find it so moving.  Imagination really is the channel for our most creative, ambitious and productive selves.  What a world it would be if we acted upon our dreams!

In a blog post about Play, I must link to the other type of play, a performance.  I am currently in rehearsals for a comedy to be performed in the community at the end of January. It is a playful satire wherein character stereotypes are maximised so as to be funny, but also true to life.  It is in this capacity to touch on reality, albeit from an unexpected angle that drama can capture our interest and relate to us on different levels.  We may see parts of ourselves mirrored and we can ponder our behaviour or our cultural heritage, or even our blind spots in a safe and comfortable way.  Consider this: I auditioned for a character that is very spiritual, and also has imaginary friends.  My friend looked across the room at me and mouthed: “you don’t have to act, Rivky; It’s just you all over!”  More than the fun of the performance on the night, is the fun of the regular rehearsals.  As we grow to inhabit the characters we expand the script and have fun exploring what it means for Rivky to become Emunah.  This is pure playfulness and we all get to enjoy the journey.

I presume there is a lot to say about group dynamics, but this blog post is not the place for that topic.  There is a lot to learn in the field of drama as therapy yet I will have to leave that for another degree entirely!   

Bibliography:

Cohen, J.L. (2001) Playful Parenting. United States: Random House

Woman’s Hour, (2019)  Parenting, the importance of Play. BBC Radio 4, 16th October 

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Mothering

Blog Post 7

I find mothering a life-long, ongoing, identity-shifting experience.  Some of the phases are marked by different art making styles.  Intricate beading and embroidery can only happen at times when I have significant stretches of time without the kids around me.  When the kids are home, I can do simple crafts alongside them, often facilitating their art activities without producing my own pieces at all.

Since my last baby was born, I have done very little artwork.  I built a strong relationship with him, we are very attuned to each other and I would say we have a secure attachment style.  I used drawing to help him get over his fear of fireworks.  I have tried doing my art alongside him, giving him his own set of crayons and paper.  It didn’t work, he had to be on my paper, using the colour I had chosen.  

When he started pre-school we had to go through a phase of transition.  It was a time for learning new parameters, and experiencing individuation.  At this point I set him up with his own craft materials alongside me, and he got it! He engaged with the project, got into the zone and left me to do my work.  This clearly shows his development and the natural process of maturation in a good enough environment taking place.  

Mothering affects my art making.  I have used parent-child dilemmas as prompts for art work wherein I can achieve clarity or closure through the process of making. For example, ‘Rage to Calm’ was a transformational piece for me. 

 ‘Burdens’ was another episode of externalising my problem, and gaining the insight that proved to be the solution.  What was notable here was that my son sat by my side and collaborated with me on the process.  I could mother him by modelling the entire journey from frustration, to a decision to do something productive, to drawing and verbalising the issue, to gaining insight and finally packing it away and announcing that I was emotionally available to spend time with him.  

If one of my older sons are distressed, I will offer paper and chalks for them to document what is going on.  This can sometimes take the form of drawing out the scenario that triggered the anger, or else it will be an embodied display of the emotions.  This has led to us having more emotionally attuned conversations.  I store their work in individual portfolios so that it is safe and confidential.  

Recently I have tried a few drawing games, such as Taking a line for a Walk, or The Squiggle Game and I find it playful and bonding.  Often it shows that a small amount of quality time invests the child with the resources he needs for finding solutions to his own life challenges.  Not all the time we spend together is particularly joyful, yet by being there for them when they need me, I am showing them how to care for themselves, or how to reach out within their own network to nurture themselves and others.  

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Mind Map

Blog Post 6

Today I mapped out the areas I am interested in so I can organise the various strands of my research.

As an exercise it was calming as it released the anxiety that was building up.  It created the balance I am seeking between being selective and reading broadly.  Drawing up those areas I have chosen is an act of selection, it designates them as important to me, and it excludes others, at least for now.  What could have been a chaotic scramble through eclectic worlds of art, therapy, psychoanalysis, theories and interventions is now a proscribed journey into a group of topics that will inform one another.  I give myself permission to explore a topic, move to another, then another, in no particular order, safe in the knowledge that this growing body of learning which is to shape my practice, will be developing over time.  I included a colour code as another way of managing the overload.  PEOPLE includes authors and practitioners who I want to learn from.  MEDIA is a way of taking note of channels of information that will be helpful.  Here too, I was selective, choosing ones that will be helpful in developing a practice that fits into mainstream, industry approved work.

It reminds me of an Accomplishment Chart I once devised for myself and have used from time to time.  THE PROBLEM: being constantly busy, yet besieged by the nagging feeling that nothing important got done.  I knew I was doing enriching things, yet life didn’t feel rich.  RESPONSE:  I simply painted onto a card words for the parts of my life that I wanted to nurture, and every time I did something in that category I marked a blob of paint on that space.  Each week had it’s own colour so that I could see the range of things I had done in one week, even if for a short time each.

This helped me because I had visual evidence of non-material pursuits that enriched my life, for example, time with friends, or taking a moment to enjoy nature.  Being a visual person, this practice was a way of integrating these experiences into my psyche.

Additionally, it gave me permission to enjoy one thing at a time, and removed thoughts of “should I not be doing something else right now?” for example, “I am enjoying gardening, I don’t need to feel guilty that I STILL have not sorted the family photos”. 

The record built up over a couple of months and became a celebration of the richness of my life.  It wasn’t an instant solution as ongoing problems rarely get solved overnight.  It was a slow solution with long lasting effects.  

Perhaps I can use this mind map in a similar manner.  It will be an organisational tool, but also a record of paths explored and alleys ignored.

I decided to make a collage of this particular mind map.  With no written words, I had to find symbols and collage materials to express the various ideas.  I didn’t anticipate what a meditation it would prove to be.  I had to reflect on my own understanding and associations for the terms/ideas/authors I wanted to represent, then rummage through my scrap box for a relevant translation.  At times it went the other way; I rummaged through the button bag and opened myself up to see if any items created the right resonance to go on one of the branches of my diagram.  It led to a greater clarity about the meanings of my chosen areas of interest.

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Unpicking an Article

Blog Post 5

Artist Peter Tzanev of the Department of Art Psychology and Art Education, National Academy of Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria has written about his own work in a paper entitled ‘Ectoplastic Art Therapy as a Genre of Contemporary Art’.  This blog post deals with my response to this article.  Writing this critique helps me to define what type of art therapist I don’t want to be, and by looking at pitfalls to avoid,  I can come closer to becoming the art therapist I want to be. I will explain what I think are the idealogical problems with his approach and also where ethical and procedural issues seem to be occuring.

1. The author places art therapy idealogically with pseudo-science and the occult.  He quotes Bramble (2015, p 134) “art therapy as developing at the same time as the downfall of the modernist culture of the soul”.  He tracks the rise and fall of the occult, references Modernism and his own term ‘Psychological society’.  Then he states that art therapy developed in the 1940′s alongside all these other cultural developments.  They may have been concurrent, but that does not show direct cause.  

2. The author tries to make a point by putting two texts side by side for comparison, using the fact that one was published in the same year as the other was begun to lend credence to his narrative.  That fact is incidental, it proves nothing.  Schrenck-Notzing’s book Phenomena of Materialisation was based on his work with mediums and ectoplasm:  “white immaterial emanation that surrounds a person in a deep state of trance...moved in an autonomous animate manner, responding to touch...” (Sommer, 2012).  This article writes of “disturbing images of mediums with ectoplasm”.  He puts this next to Carl Jung’s “The Red Book” - a collection of Jung’s personal writings and drawings chronicling the exploration of his own unconscious.  With the Red Book Jung discovered higher development of the personality.

3. Tzanev then discloses that the photos in Phenomena of Materialisation were fraudulent! “Schrenck-Notzing admitted that mediums deceptively smuggled pins into the seance room and replicated the ectoplasm using a comb, gauze and a handkerchief.” (Tzanev, 2019)  .This should have prompted Tzanev to discard the book as it was clearly a false piece of work.  They have no connection with the dreams and hallucinogenic drawings of Jung’s actual inner life.  

4. Now I turn to the question of the authors’ qualification to do work with people and call it art therapy.  I do not see any evidence of a relevant qualification to work with vulnerable clients.   It is legitimate to do creative or artistic work with people and call it therapeutic.  It is legitimate to frame that as contemporary art, as his article title suggests.  However, it is not legitimate to tell people one is doing Art Therapy with them unless one is fully qualified and working within a professional framework.  All students are mindful of this, and once qualified, we must continue to comply with the governing body of our profession.  

5. In an article about effective art therapy, I would expect to encounter something of the voice of the participant, even a minor reference or an implied presence of a client group.  Here, there is a vacuum, we don’t get a sense of any real human engagement.  

6. In making art to describe “states of being” for consumers to to consume or experience in a gallery, it is removed from art therapy, as art therapy is located in the experience of the making, usually in the context of a trusting therapeutic relationship. 

7. He does not describe any successful outcomes of his therapy with children and adults presenting with PTSD, MDE and ASD, he just says that it was successful.  We do not know what his measures of success are.  A therapist should be able to describe how it was good for wellbeing, or if it reduced symptoms, or achieved any stated goal.  The furthest he goes is to say that his technique leads to unexpected and effective psychotherapeutic insights. 

8. The artist then describes another intervention, that of using photographs of the mentally ill and projecting them onto ceilings and walls of public places.  I question the ethics of such an exhibition.  Putting aside copyright issues, ethics has to take into consideration broader schemes of thought than that which might be covered by regulation.  This was discussed in our lecture on ethics.  Using an image of a mentally disturbed person as an artifact is unfair, it makes an object out someone who has already suffered.  Dignity, respect and sensitivity all seem to be washed away in the name of Art.  

9.  He writes of the reaction to his exhibition: “Absolutely all reactions were directly provoked by the way the images had affected the viewers.”  What else is a reaction?  

10. “The discussions with the audience were entirely devoted to issues related to psychology, mental illness and art therapy”.  An open ended discussion may have ensued, but what theories of personal development or group dynamic was it built upon?  What did it set out to achieve?  How did he assess its efficacy?  It may have been a cultural experience, but it was not art therapy.  

11. There is one interesting explanation for the way that art making impacts self awareness and identity.  I liked it, yet it is ruined by a notion that his technique “investigates the complex self-therapeutic situation in which a psychotherapist falls into the role of artist and an artist into the role of psychotherapist in the hyper-psychological medium of art therapy.  During the long process of art therapy, our body acts as a psychologization ‘machine’.”  He is overthinking what it means to be alive.  

In contrast to this, is Neil Springham’s article (Springham, 2008) on the importance of taking responsibility for interventions with vulnerable people.  An artist cannot afford to fall into the role of a psychotherapist.  

CONCLUSION

The artist Peter Tzanev has dubious ideas about the art therapy, and has questionable authority to be working under the title Art Therapist.  

Therapy has to have an element of ordinary human care and he makes no mention of care, connection or trust.  He quotes Soussloff, 1997, the “artist is not just unlike others but absolutely different because of the concept of art”.  Art therapists will disagree.  Art, mark-making is accessible to most humans, shared globally by people across time, space and culture.  It unites us all, in a sense.  And yet, art therapists have a duty of care.  They need appropriate training and the structures of a profession to guide their involvement with vulnerable people.  His effort to assert his ectoplastic art therapy as contemporary art is unconvincing.  Perhaps he should stick to performative art as he seems to gain much fulfillment from that.

Bibliography:

Springham, N (2008). Through the eyes of the law: What is it about art that can harm people?  International Journal of Art Therapy, 13:2, 65-73

Tzanev, P. (2019) Ectoplastic Art Therapy as a Genre of Contemporary Art. Arts (2019), 8, 134; doi:10.3390/arts8040134

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Past and Present

Blog Post 4

Central to the experience of watching Marina Abramovich perform “The artist is present” was seeing her former partner Ulay pay her a visit.  He sits across from her, she looks up, raises her eyebrows, smiles, takes a breath.  He shakes his head and exhales a few times.  As they sit and gaze, the emotions well up for both of them.  Her feelings whether of pain, loss and longing, or of relief, joy and exhilaration - likely a mixture of these and more - seem to build, and she cries.  She reaches out to him, he takes her hands; they laugh and cry and hold the gaze.  To me, this encounter says  “I can’t believe it’s come to this - a wordless meeting in a public space.  We could have been sharing our lives fully together”.  It encapsulated “What If?”

I cried watching this emotional meeting, it was like reading a pivotal chapter in the book of their lives. I have cried at similar moments in stories of people’s lives and their relationships.  After one such experience, I carried the pain around for a few days until I asked myself, “Why is this hurting me?  What is my own What If?”  I located my own miniature grief and wrote about in in my personal journal.  Part of the work was to realise that we all have a What If? What If I had married someone else?  What if I had grown up in Spain? For some it might be What If I had known my parents?  I believe it is a universal feeling. I am not unique to have these thoughts.  It is part of our ability to have imagination, and wonder about how our lives could have played out in another version of reality.  

I did some artwork exploring the theme of “What If?” First a drawing, then a collage.

The other important inner work I did was to “lift the screen”.  Robin Skynner (Skynner, Cleese, 1983) explains how we use a lot of energy to keep the screen down to hide unwanted emotions.  Also, denying a part of our personality unbalances the whole system.  So I gathered the courage to acknowledge the pain and ask myself, “what about that part of your life causes you to feel sad?”.  I began to strengthen my belief that it’s not a betrayal of my current life to think in terms of “What about that memory enriches me?”  It leads to productive thoughts such as “What part of my personality am I neglecting now?  How can I access and feed all the parts of Rivky so that she can be an integrated, whole human being?” In fact, not being in touch with yourself can lead to surprisingly dramatic consequences.  Esther Perel in her Ted Talk on infidelity (Perel, 2015) Rethinking infidelity, a talk for anyone who has ever loved,  posits that affairs often happen because something outside the marriage is feeding a part of the person that is neglected within the marriage.  Finding unexpressed parts of ourselves and having ideas about channeling them can bring health to an individual, plus stability to a couple.  To me, this is hugely important and I am very much indebted to Esther Perel for her teachings.  

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The Artist is Present

Blog Post 3

We watched some excerpts of an art installation/performance in which the artist Marina Abramovich sat in a gallery in a state of readiness for interaction with members of the public.  The particular interaction she invited was of simple presence, to gaze at one another; to be there for one another.  She had prepared physically and mentally for the months of stillness and aloneness she expected.  Surprisingly, many people came in to be a part of this performance.  They were watched and photographed and allowed to sit on a chair facing the artist in the centre of a large room, where observers could watch from some distance.  As each individual sat down, Marina slowly lifted her gaze towards that person and held it there.  Of course people’s internal reactions were hugely diverse, and mostly hidden, yet we could see a sample of of the range of emotions felt.  Some were amused, and a smile gradually emerged.  In others, the experience of being held in a gaze made them break down in tears.  All other forms of communication were restricted and it seemed that connecting to another human being in that pure way was moving.  In some photos there is a look of exhilaration, even through the tears.  In others, it feels as though they are stripped of all facades and are in touch with their own pain and loneliness.  Marina Abramovich doesn’t flinch at all.  She remains steady in her posture and gaze.

This is performance art on a few levels.  Firstly, each viewer watches a live performance consisting of the Artist with a random member of the public.  No rehearsals, no props, no lines.  Just a moment of non-verbal, non-material connection, with unpredictable outcomes.  Secondly, the person who takes a seat moves from observer to active participant.  They experience for themselves the letting go of externalities and engaging in the art of being present.  Marina transposes herself from art object to performer, the catalyst for all the human emotions the person facing her will feel.  In her Ted Talk she explains that she brings herself, no objects, and that she is not an object. She is a human, capable of connection and intimacy. 

In good therapy there should be the capacity for the holding of a gaze.  What is this about and why is it important? 

Beneath all the activities and techniques in therapy, we must not forget “ordinary human care” as Val Huet mentioned in her lecture in early November.  The therapist is there to give a simple message of “I am here for you and I care about your wellbeing.”  That message can be conveyed by a simple unthreatening gaze, a look that says “ I hold you in my mind - I have the space to think about your needs”.  It can also say “ I give you ME - not my qualifications or my autobiography, just my authentic self”.  

Marina Abramovich succeeded in conveying this to her co-performers, and they responded with an outpouring of emotion.  But why? What is behind this?

Winnicott builds up a model of emotional development of human beings, called attachment theory. When a mother makes herself available to her baby, she lays down the foundation for mental and emotional health upon which he can build a personality, an identity.  With her gaze she tunes in to her baby, getting to know its needs and moods.  With her gaze she communicates to her baby that she is available for him to make use of and will adapt herself according to his needs. With her gaze, her baby gets to know that he is held, physically in her arms, but also mentally in her mind.

When a therapist can give a client the feeling of being held “safe in my arms”, the client is able to re-experience basic maternal love.  Quality therapy can progress from there. 

Marina Abramovich sat motionless, yet encompassed the needs of her participants, simply by implying “You can have ME for time that you are sitting opposite me.  I will hold you in my mind”.  I think this concept of the gaze helps to understand the power of the encounter with the artist.  

This was all relevant to me in my own therapy.  My therapist was comfortable with the gaze.  She could look at me at length in a gentle way that communicated “I am here for you unconditionally”.  I felt that she was telling me that just sitting holding me in mind, holding the space was important for the work we would soon undertake.  It made me feel secure, loved even.  It played a significant part in establishing my relationship with her.

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Nest Bowl

Blog Post 2

28 October 2019

I have a big family celebration coming up.  A life-cycle event.  There will be many people coming to my house, and I will be the hostess throughout an extended weekend.  I am processing my thoughts and feelings, tuning in to my fears and anxieties; and also to my resources and healthy responses.  A movement is stirred up, an action, then a symbol forms in my mind.  I hold onto the image and it’s meaning.  I make a decision to replicate it in clay.

7 November 2019

Now the event is over, I have time to elaborate.  I know that some guests bring with them a negative vibe.  I want my home to be protected from this negativity so that my self, husband and children can be safe.  I want to build an emotional barrier around us.  I envision a circular container around us.  I want that container to preserve all that is good, and to receive good in the form of positivity, blessings, gifts, and enjoyment of this special time, at the same time as keeping out the unwanted elements.  

This vision of a circular container begins to look like a nest in my mind’s eye.  I have a sensation of moving my hand in a circular motion to demarcate a space within which we can reside peacefully.  The picture then forms into an image of a brown clay bowl.  

I am in the bowl.  And equally, I am the bowl.  I am the barrier that won’t allow harsh words to enter the inner sanctum of my home.  So I hold that symbol in my mind as the days unfurled.  I maintained a healthy joyous stance throughout; safe in my nest I could communicate with everyone and weather the slight mishaps.  Cocooned in my comfort zone, I could be present, in-the-moment, and feel the joy and privilege o the event.  

Back in the ceramics workshop I took a ball of terracotta clay and pressed it into a thumb bowl, in roughly the form I had envisioned.  I drew the bowl, and also that feeling of movement that had inspired the idea of the Nest Bowl.  

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Peter Pan

Blog Post 1

I read Peter Pan (Barrie, 1911)  to my children and was surprised to discover that “the mother” is a central theme throughout the whole story.  First, Mrs Darling is an important character, then the focus shifts to Wendy and her role as mother to the Lost Boys. The book ends with a glimpse into the chain of mother-daughter relationships that span countless generations. 

I took a careful look at the different roles of Mother that are described, whilst bearing in mind the ideas expressed by Winnicott (Winnicott, 1964) about mothering and attachment.  

Mrs Darling is shown from two perspectives. 1, how the children experience her and 2, her own mind from the perspective of an observer, as if we are in a corner of the ceiling looking down into her thoughts and feelings.  

Her general attitude towards mothering is positive. Initially she wants to keep her children, while Mr Darling is unsure if he can afford them (Barrie, 1999, p.6).  She holds them in a safe stable home, tidies their minds at night (Barrie, 1999, p.8) and is fully committed to the calling.  

The focus shifts to Wendy.  Starting with stitching on the shadow, she travels to Neverland to be a storyteller and mother to Peter and the Lost Boys.  We read about the different memories of Mother each boy has, and consequently their different relationships with Wendy.  She leaves home as a girl, yet slips into the role of mother perfectly naturally, reflecting what Winnicott writes about women trusting themselves to mother instinctively.  

Wendy begins to long for a more mature relationship with Peter Pan. Yet at the same time she can hold the idea that her role must include mothering him - soothing him when he has nightmares.  I am fascinated by the idea that in our adult relationships we have to keep space for nurturing another adult.  I want to learn more about how an adult in adult mode can nurture an adult who is in child mode.  

Peter ran away from his mother, then seeks a mother figure, and later forgets about her.   I think this says a lot about our own conflicting feelings about our primary caregivers.

Wendy is still actually a girl for most of the story.  I believe she reaches the end of her carefree childhood and passes into adolescence at the moment she realises that her own parents must be missing their children.  Now we come back to Mrs Darling who has insisted on keeping the window open, holding the image of her children in her mind.  Mr Darling’s exaggerated guilt over chaining Nana reflects his realisation that he hadn’t been good enough.  There is a joyful reunion which I think makes the reader wish for such an embrace from their own mother.  Mrs Darling sees Wendy longing to go back with Peter and she clings tight, she is protective.  But not restrictive; Wendy is allowed to visit once a year.  

Wendy grows up into a mother of her own children, and there is an intense display of her mixed emotions when her own daughter wants to go to Neverland.  Ultimately, she knows that her daughter needs a childhood, a phase of fantasy, so she lets her fly away, whilst herself remaining a touchstone of reality.  

I felt touched on many levels by this story.  I am currently  embedded in the role of mother, as I am a mother of four young sons, and pregnant with my fifth child.  It resonates to see motherhood portrayed as enjoyable, even blissful.  The way she went “from bed to bed singing enchantments over them, and little Michael flung his arms around her.  “Mother,” he cried, “I’m glad of you.”” (Barrie, 1999, p.21). I wish I could settle my children at night the way she had done.   Mrs Darling must have modelled mothering well enough for Wendy to move so naturally into the role when she arrived in Neverland.  I hope I can be good enough that my children can become nurturers when the time comes.  

Mothers often feel alone in their experiences and they need to connect to others who have shared a similar journey.  Being let in to explore Mrs Darling’s innermost feelings felt like an invitation to join a sisterhood.  I could link to the ongoing chain of mothers who have gone before me. 

As I deepen my understanding of what I am as Mother to my children, I am preparing to enter the world of therapy.  I am better equipped to perceive what my clients may have missed out on, how their attachments may be incomplete, and what I bring to them in my position as therapist.  I will explore my own feelings around Motherhood, and the mother-daughter chain that I am a part of to become better endowed to take on the maternal role of a therapist. 

Bibliography:

Barrie, J.M. (1911) Peter Pan. [reprinted 1999, Bath: Parragon]

Winnicott, D (1964) The Child, the Family and the Outside World. London: Penguin