Workshop Description:
Therapists support healing by acting as compassionate witnesses, using reflective listening, and fostering expression and resolution of conflict. Since trauma survivors often struggle to verbalize distress, art provides opportunities for metaphorical and symbolic expression that align with diverse trauma treatment approaches. Additionally, the therapist’s role in art-making can be defined through the concept of the “Third Hand,” which involves providing appropriate prompts and ethical guidance.
This workshop explores ethical guidelines and boundaries for incorporating art-making into trauma therapy. It focuses on the role of non-art therapists during the art-making process, including selecting appropriate art materials and activities to achieve therapeutic goals. Topics will include ethically discussing clients’ artwork and integrating art into trauma therapy techniques. The workshop will review Lowenfeld and Brittain’s stages of art development, highlighting their connection to cognitive milestones and psychological, traumatic, and emotional impacts. Participants will learn how understanding these stages supports ethical clinical assessment and treatment planning by answering critical questions: How can you recognize regressed art if you don’t know the client’s age-appropriate art stage? Is the regression due to emotional trauma, developmental delay, or another factor?
Throughout the day, participants will engage in hands-on art activities, exploring various forms of art media alongside interactive exercises and case examples that illustrate developmental stages for children, teens, and adults.
Learning Objectives:
1. Define the six stages of graphic developmental stages in relation to client's evolving cognitive and emotional skills and how impacted by trauma.
2. Demonstrate and practice three appropriate art techniques from a developmental perspective for children, teens. and adults.
3. Identify at least six ethical guidelines to using art in trauma treatment.
4. Identify at least four appropriate questions in discussing client’s artwork (process and product) ethically as a non-art therapist.
5. Name at least six art media in order from controlled to fluid.
6. Identify at least three ethically appropriate roles of the therapist as the client engages in art-making, from the “third hand “ perspective. (Kramer)