Comments on: Where Does Art End and Therapy Begin? http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/ Exploring creativity and the arts as a catalyst for healing & therapy. Inspiring others to create. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:20:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: abdullah http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/comment-page-1/#comment-5988 abdullah Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:52:34 +0000 http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/#comment-5988 thanks for knowledge but ? am not native so it s hard to understand ur comment for me please be clearer for those.. thx also ? agree with all of u thanks for knowledge but ? am not native so it s hard to understand ur comment for me please be clearer for those.. thx also ? agree with all of u

]]> By: Stephanie http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/comment-page-1/#comment-260 Stephanie Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:14:14 +0000 http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/#comment-260 I know I'm late to the party on this post, but I wanted to offer that the distinction being made here is, I think, best described as the difference between art as healing and art therapy. Art as healing is a belief held by art therapists, that the act of creating art itself is healing and therapeutic. However, art therapy is a theory of practice to USE art to deal with or identify problems or inconsistencies in a client's life. Additionally, I think effective therapy brings out growing pains and no person can ever be as effective as a therapist because we instinctively don't want to put ourselves through pain, which may be necessary for growth. I know I’m late to the party on this post, but I wanted to offer that the distinction being made here is, I think, best described as the difference between art as healing and art therapy. Art as healing is a belief held by art therapists, that the act of creating art itself is healing and therapeutic. However, art therapy is a theory of practice to USE art to deal with or identify problems or inconsistencies in a client’s life. Additionally, I think effective therapy brings out growing pains and no person can ever be as effective as a therapist because we instinctively don’t want to put ourselves through pain, which may be necessary for growth.

]]> By: admin http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/comment-page-1/#comment-96 admin Tue, 06 May 2008 20:23:16 +0000 http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/#comment-96 Fiona, thanks for the insightful comments. I definitely agree that a registered therapist of any discipline, art or otherwise, should be bound by a code of ethics, be insured, etc. I certainly understand the challenge and responsibility you must adhere to as a professional art therapist. You also bring up an excellent point that anyone seeking professional help should inquire about...<strong>clarifying with a potential therapist their qualifications, philosophy/style, and ethics.</strong> I'm sure there are instances where a "poor" professional therapy experience could have been avoided if this advice was taken. Additionally, I think one thing we haven't really mentioned is expectations. I think an important distinction to make is the difference between professional therapy and, for lack of a better word, "everyday" therapy. It's likely that a person looking to perform or enhance their "everyday" art therapy might not have the same expectations as someone utilizing professional art therapy. With regards to this site, obviously we use the term "therapy" more broadly, referring to more than just professional therapy. Thanks again Fiona, your comments are always appreciated! Fiona, thanks for the insightful comments. I definitely agree that a registered therapist of any discipline, art or otherwise, should be bound by a code of ethics, be insured, etc. I certainly understand the challenge and responsibility you must adhere to as a professional art therapist.

You also bring up an excellent point that anyone seeking professional help should inquire about…clarifying with a potential therapist their qualifications, philosophy/style, and ethics. I’m sure there are instances where a “poor” professional therapy experience could have been avoided if this advice was taken.

Additionally, I think one thing we haven’t really mentioned is expectations. I think an important distinction to make is the difference between professional therapy and, for lack of a better word, “everyday” therapy. It’s likely that a person looking to perform or enhance their “everyday” art therapy might not have the same expectations as someone utilizing professional art therapy.

With regards to this site, obviously we use the term “therapy” more broadly, referring to more than just professional therapy.

Thanks again Fiona, your comments are always appreciated!

]]> By: fiona ohara http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/comment-page-1/#comment-95 fiona ohara Tue, 06 May 2008 11:14:33 +0000 http://www.arttherapyblog.com/general/where-does-art-end-and-therapy-begin/#comment-95 Thanks for your response to my comment. I agree that undeniably art has always throughout history had a therapeutic benefit: Van Gogh and millions of other artists (famous or those working anon at their kitchen table) are a testament to it. This very attribute is what makes art therapy such a powerful medium. Perhaps the differing of titles such as art therapist and art psychotherapist don't help in the ambigutiy as to where the therapy begins and ends. As a trained and registered art therapist I am bound by a code of Ehics that ensures that I am Supervised, Insured, updating my training, and that I 'do not harm' by being aware of the psychdynamics of a therapeutic relationship.I have encountered many artists who work as artists within health care fields and it is an enormously beneficial medium however art therapy as a profession must always keep the client safe: I believe it is vitally important to ensure that a client is aware that they should and need to clarify with a potential therapist what their qualifications, philosophy, ethical boundaries etc are before embarking on a therapeutic journey at a vulnerable time of their lives. If this transpenancy is present and the client is aware that they are distinct differences between working with an art therapist and creating art alone then 'no harm' is a more likely outcome. As an artist myself I live a distinct difference between creating art and art therapy. I use my journal for dream work etc but for me the depths are only safely plumbed with the presence of the objective, safe guarded presence of an art therapist. The art(psyho)therapy is within the therapeutic alliance of client, art work and art therapist. Thanks for your response to my comment. I agree that undeniably art has always throughout history had a therapeutic benefit: Van Gogh and millions of other artists (famous or those working anon at their kitchen table) are a testament to it. This very attribute is what makes art therapy such a powerful medium. Perhaps the differing of titles such as art therapist and art psychotherapist don’t help in the ambigutiy as to where the therapy begins and ends. As a trained and registered art therapist I am bound by a code of Ehics that ensures that I am Supervised, Insured, updating my training, and that I ‘do not harm’ by being aware of the psychdynamics of a therapeutic relationship.I have encountered many artists who work as artists within health care fields and it is an enormously beneficial medium however art therapy as a profession must always keep the client safe: I believe it is vitally important to ensure that a client is aware that they should and need to clarify with a potential therapist what their qualifications, philosophy, ethical boundaries etc are before embarking on a therapeutic journey at a vulnerable time of their lives. If this transpenancy is present and the client is aware that they are distinct differences between working with an art therapist and creating art alone then ‘no harm’ is a more likely outcome. As an artist myself I live a distinct difference between creating art and art therapy. I use my journal for dream work etc but for me the depths are only safely plumbed with the presence of the objective, safe guarded presence of an art therapist. The art(psyho)therapy is within the therapeutic alliance of client, art work and art therapist.

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