Comments on: Transformational Self Portrait Art Therapy Activity

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:54:22 +0000

JudyE – I love your concept w/ the ages as well! I see it as a completely different directive, but I still might try it as well. If I did that, I’d love to encourage them to draw like that age (i.e. draw like a 5y.o. if that is the age they’re relating w/)

I’m thinking about doing this sort of directive a bit differently, to fit my time frame w/ incarcerated youth… have them create initial artwork thinking about a past challenge, then modpodge tissue paper over areas, then do art over top. We’ll talk about how you can still see areas of the transformation underneath the tissue becuase they’re still a part of you, but you can add onto that identity to create new surface.

By: Irene

Irene — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:54:00 +0000

Hey there!

I am currently working on my dissertation about the influence of art therapy when working with a group of adolescents. Most of them have learning difficulties, they sometimes during highschool classes are aggresive, they find it very hard to verbally express themselves. I was wondering if you could give me some ideas of techniques that i can use with them. My goal is that at the end of these sessions the group is more united, they can better express their feelings and their needs, they learn to listen and respect any opinion.

I would really appreciate some advices
Thanks!

By: Allied Media Conference: Part 2 « Latino Sexuality

Allied Media Conference: Part 2 « Latino Sexuality — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:27:59 +0000

[...] shift in the Healing Practitioner space that was created. I was offering art therapy in the form oftransformative portraits. I had brought with me colored pencils, crayons, watercolor paints, and markers. I had about 5 [...]

By: Sue G LPC

Sue G LPC — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:48:23 +0000

@Judy E, I think your idea is brilliant and I can see it working with all age groups. I am eager to try it out on one of my groups this week. Keep coming up with good ideas. It is so helpful to read how others use art to move towards healing. Thank you for taking the time to record your experiences.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:33:35 +0000

I really like this activity. I am a therapist, working with kids & adolescents in a partial hospital setting. I plan to use this as part of our “Expressive Treatment” group!

Thanks!

By: JudyE

JudyE — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:34:45 +0000

I am the “art lady” at a homeless shelter for adolescents. Recently I modified this activity to fit the 2 hour time period and to fit the fact that I am not a therapist. Part of my role in the shelter is to provide, not only an activity, but also a safe place to talk. I had the kids pick three ages with which they identify. For example, a seventeen year old said that he often feels like he is 13, but sometimes he feels 6 when he is having fun or age 24 when he is having to make serious, tough decisions. Then, we took these three number and created designs on a small canvas which the client then painted. During the painting time, the clients felt free to talk about their ages and why they picked them. I felt it was very successful. No one was intimidated by having to draw people or paint well.

By: roxana De Peréz

roxana De Peréz — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:17:34 +0000

I work with women and most of the time their problem is that they are uptight about art.
Making a self portrait could intimidate them….

The tranformational sel protrait sonds great for me, but would it it be intimidating?

By: Patti Zordich

Patti Zordich — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:51:31 +0000

I love this activity. I’ve added it to my arsenal of “activity cards” that I make available in an art therapy room at a spiritual healing retreat for women and men who have experienced abortion in their lives. The retreat is called Project Rachel and one of the most loving and beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed. The room is open for the participants to use as they wish and I provide cards with ideas if they’d like to use them. Since art is something most of them haven’t done since they were children, the ideas help them alot. Last time was the first time we included the art room and the art that was created was incredible. Once I walked by the room and peeked in and folks were creating, talking with each other. It was beautiful. This art activity should be great for them.
Thanks again,
Patti

P.S. I’d like to contact the woman who talked about mixed media crucifixes. I’d like more information about that project please. If you can contact me directly I’d appreciate it. Thanks.

Patti M. Zordich, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Director/Founder Triangle Psychological Services
Raleigh, NC 27511
919.342.3458
http://www.trypsych.com
drpattiz@trypsych.com

By: Ku Yussof Engku Ismail

Ku Yussof Engku Ismail — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:58:56 +0000

I love to learn more about art therapy. been doing a bit of art with my clients. now training as a counselor
Quite helpful reading materials here

By: Wizard

Wizard — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:10:00 +0000

in response to:

Joe on December 10, 2009 8:03 am

“I like the way the activity flows from the past events in someones life to the future, that way a person can see what all they have gone through in their life. I work with drug & alcohol addicted adults. Do you have any more art therapy activities that would be good for them”

This is a very effective and amazing project for people of all ages and situations to work with, I myself have used this concept in my own work ( being a visual artist ) one thing i have noticed with others I have seen doing this is sometimes depending on the event in their past this can be a troubling task, with any sexually abused person child or not, things can get rough when visualizing past memories. I may try to alter the first step in these cases, to avoid this.
That being said, I believe it is really dependent on the individual. Some may find this vary helpful, my girlfriend for instance is an artist as well as survivor of sexual abuse as a child, even though those memories are a rough spot for her to go to, seeing her work i believe that it always finds its way back. And in some way it truely helps her.

I hope this helps somewhat, I am working currently on a thesis, on different art therapy projects and I will be studying closely how each one helps different groups so I will keep these findings posted as they come.