Final Project!

I decided to do a 'short and sweet' comic of the misjudgments of art therapy. Many art therapists are mistaken with their judgement and that is why it's important to let the client tell the meaning of the image they created. I made this from an online comic generator (http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix).

If it is therapy, is it art?

I’m thinking that it is safe to assume that we have all seen the inside of a hospital. Have you ever paid any attention the interior design of a hospital? Probably not, but our brains have. The walls are usually completely white leaving no trace of creativeness anywhere. A children’s hospital is usually plastered in creativity, Doernbecher's hospital has animal or sun signs to direct people in the right direction. They have colored walls and more pictures on the walls. Why don’t adult hospitals do this? The question, “Are the paintings and artworks that hang in our hospitals as allopathic means of therapeutic healthcare?” has increasingly sprung within the last decade. Are the sculptures and detailed fountains that we see around our college campuses, hospitals, cities, etc. useful? These are all questions that the arts-in-healthcare-movement are trying to prove.

After 911 happened the New York Times suggested that everyone that was in the least bit involved of the attack should take on some form of therapeutic approach to help with the healing process. A large amount of galleries and museums opened their doors for no cost to citizens who were trying to seek recovery.  Local artists and citizens responded to 911 in an artistic approach.  They placed memorials all around the city that were tremendous impromptu creative outpourings that were created on paper, in wire, in wax, as sculpture, collage, in drawing, in painting, origami, and impressive flower techniques. Writers had even emailed poems and scriptures all around the world. They created new and exciting works of visual and poetic works of art. The horrific tragedy is believed to have brought an importance to the art world and art was far more appreciated after the event.

This focus is what I believe has brought art into a more serious manner in the last 10-15 years. Art has been used in more events big or small and has shown an important characteristic to the communities we live in. 

A part of having a healthy community is having healthy citizens. We stereo-type our neighborhoods that we live in by the income of the people that live in them. "Poor neighborhoods are where all the gangs are", which in most cases is correct. Instead of trying to prevent gangs from forming or breaking down the law for them, we affect the good citizens by raising the mortgage on all the homes within the community. That is why all of the gangs left North Portland and moved up to Gresham. Which didn't change anything, the gangs are still dangerous on our streets. What if we treated these gangs? We could put them in rehabilitation care or jail and get them the help that they need. The only problem that we would have is people complaining about their tax dollars being spent on these criminals. What most people don't realize is that the cost to move and the dramatic increase in mortgage rates can rather be spent on treating the individual instead of stressing them out, thus resulting in a healthier community. 

Gangs are afflicted with violence and drugs usage. Violence is mostly treated with anger management, but drug usage works best with art therapy.  Drugs also can cause the person to be more violent. If we can conquer the drug usage in gangs, wouldn't it be a nicer community to live in? We wouldn't have as many paranoia's or fears on the daily basis. 

The first step to becoming clean is admitting the certain intake of drugs that we take. The reason that the patient needs to be honest about the substances that (s)he is addicted too, is because of the constant need for prescribed medications.The survey that I conducted asked people about the medicines that they may take, I asked if people knew what was in their medications or if they were even self-cautious about their intake. I was pleased with the results. People either knew what ingredients their prescriptions consisted of, or they were self-cautious about them.  I for one don't like putting any unnecessary chemicals into my immune system. I am willing to pay extra for natural medications and rarely will take an ibuprofen. If the client is referred to a psychiatrist and they prescribe them with a pill that contains meta-morphine  and the client is addicted to meta-morphine--that results in a stronger addiction for the substance as well as the pill. Same concludes with other substances as well. 

Although art therapy has been proven to be the most effective way of therapeutic care, it is not effective on everyone. Some people disagree with the topic of art being therapy and that is perfectly fine. I believe that everyone should find a form of self-expression and pursue it. If we can find a way to release our struggles through a form of art that makes us happy, I believe that we can become happier individuals. Art can conquer any disability, depression, addiction, and struggle that we may have, and that is why I am so fond of it. I really enjoyed my topic and now I am certain that this is what I want to do with my career! I plan on continuing my research through my college experience as well as on my own time. Art therapy has become an outlet for so many individuals with their own experiences and stories. I can't wait until I become a licensed art therapist and I can start meeting people and hearing their stories through my own ears. I loved this class, and this project has definitely taught me a TON.  - Sarah Califf 

"Creativity is an act of defiance" 

                                          -Twyla Tharpe

Cozolino, Louis J. The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain. New York: Norton, 2006. Print.This book was really helpful on researching about the brain itself. I maintained a lot information on therapy as well as learning about disorders in the brain. Very helpful and was surprisingly fun to read

Hanes, Michael J. "'Face-to-Face' with Addiction: The Spontaneous Production of Self-Portraits in Art   Therapy." Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association (2007). Fine Arts and Music Collection. Web. 28 July 2013. This article showed the usage of substances and how art therapy was used in the cure of becoming clean. It displayed a couple examples of how drawing a self portrait and looking at different angles can result in therapy.

Horay, Brian J. "Moving Towards Gray: Art Therapy and Ambivalence in Substance Abuse Treatment." Journal of the American Art . This article looked as therapy as art, and created a different approach to art therapy with substance abused clientele. 

vanMeen, Karen. "Editorial: Media Art AS/IN Therapy. (News)." Afterimage Nov.-Dec. 2001:3. Academic OneFile. Web. 28 July 2013

Recap? My response.

In my survey I asked if people were self cautious about the medicines that they take, I also asked how concerned were they with their health, and what therapy exercises they felt were the most important based off of their health. My results had a bipolar stance on me, I felt surprised about some answers and was a little disappointed with the others. I knew that people would put physical exercise more often that others, since it's what the media produces as the most important role in our health. Our movie stars and music artists, have all made us self-aware of our image. After researching, I've learned that it's not even close. I'm not saying that physical exercise is not important, but the motivation to exercise comes from a healthy brain, which is what therapeutic treatment creates. 

The number one cause of depression is loneliness, people are lonely because of the lack of social interactions that they receive. Yet, people feel the need to say that it is NOT important? My earlier blogs stated the theory of mind is a factor that deals with our maturing brain. If the theory of mind and frontal lobes aren't attached correctly that is when we develop brain disorders. Social health is the most important factor to ones health, it's what makes people less afraid to go to the gym or to join the soccer team. It's what prevents suicides, serial killers, kidnappers, drug usage, etc. I found it quite hysterical for people to say that it isn't important. Being social is one of the healthiest things that you can do for yourself. 

"People who continue to maintain close friendships and find other ways to interact socially live longer than those who become isolated. Relationships and social interactions even help protect against illness by boosting your immune system." -Manchester 

Not every person has the ability to communicate with everyone, older folks don't often have the ability to interact with others as they did when they were younger. Art therapy is used for those who can not physically talk to other people. Art brings together different types of artists in one community, in one place for them all to interact with each other. "A picture says a 1,000 words", artists most of the time ask about the emotion and effort it took to complete a piece  Which is very therapeutic . Not only are you creating a piece of art, but you are sharing it with other people getting the social interaction that we desperately need.  Why do you think some of us get so drowned in the social media, that we decide we need more than just 1? 

“If plan A fails, remember there are 25 more letters.”  Chris Guillebeau

Caruso, Iyna. "The pictures of health: art's healing powers more than simply a statement of style, art can improve and enhance one's physical, mental and emotional well-being." Evening Post Jan.-Feb. 2009: 70+. Fine Arts and Music Collection. Web. 28 July 2013. This article explained the well being, and reason the usage of art therapy is used on patients.

Horay, Brian J. "Moving Towards Gray: Art Therapy and Ambivalence in Substance Abuse Treatment." Journal of the American Art Therapy Association (2006): 1-9. Print. This journal piece was the first thing I helped and the most helpful for this topic. It clearly stated everything that I needed and have yet to finish it. 
Riley, Shirley. "Art therapy with adolescents." The Western Journal of Medicine July 2001: 54. Academic OneFile. Web. 28 July 2013 This article covered everything I needed to know about art therapy and adolescents. 
"Selected Art Therapy Resources. (News)." Afterimage Nov.-Dec. 2001: 3+. Fine Arts and Music Collection. Web. 28 July 2013.
 Video: Art & The Mind – Creativity." Art Therapy RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. This blog is wonderful! It had an amazing documentary (with Lisa Kudrow) as well as useful information.
Bach, Matt, Peter Loken, Amy Voytilla, and Sivika Sirisanthana. "Art Therapy." Art Therapy. Malacaster, n.d. Web. 15 July 2013. This was by far the most useful website created by students, it briefly explained art therapy as a whole and was very useful. I learned about the approaches of art therapy and gained a lot of useful knowledge from this site. 

Cozolino, Louis J. The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain. New York: Norton, 2006. Print.This book was really helpful on researching about the brain itself. I maintained a lot information on therapy as well as learning about disorders in the brain. Very helpful and was surprisingly fun to read

Caldwell, Lore. "Welcome to Growing Up Easier Publishing." Help Children Overcome Problems Such as Abuse, Learning Problems, Autism and More, Growing Up Easier. Growing up Easier, 2008. Web. 02 July 201

Goldman, Alvin I. "Theory of Mind." Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Cognitive Science. N.p.: n.p., 2012. 1-25. Print.
Hansard, Glen. "Art Therapy: A Documentary." YouTube. YouTube, 08 Oct. 2012. Web. 02 July 2013. This YouTube documentary displayed a handful of students who talked about their journey through art therapy. I also got to learn a bit about the brain. This documentary is also what led me to the fabulous book by Louis Cozolin
Mindblindness." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 June 2013. Web. 15 July 2013.
RESEARCH INTO THEORY OF MIND." Autism, PDD-NOS & Asperger's Fact Sheets. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2013.

Theory of Mind-Robert Seyfarth." YouTube. YouTube, 19 June 2010. Web. 10 July 2013.

Theory of Mind." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 07 Sept. 2013. Web. 15 July 2013.

Self-portraits and Substance Abuse.

The core definition of addiction is engaging in a particular behavior or taking a particular substance to relieve pain. Every individual that turns to substances has some form of depression that is caused by a certain memory or event.We all know that chemically dependent people are the last to accept any sign of addiction upon themselves, but why? People put themselves in denial without even realizing it, this is an act to disavow the disease of addiction. It acts as a defense mechanism to avoid facing painful realizations.

Often in art therapy, the individual is asked to draw themselves. The self-image that the client creates reflects the will that they have to change their habits. Clients that were in an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital, began their sobriety by taking a tour of the art studio first. The studio, as described, displayed a sink, long tables, and drawers of different materials. A Non-Directive approach is used to employ in the sense that patients will use a more open-minded approach to the idea. The large variety of media is used for the individual to easily express them selves in the process.

The "scribble technique" is used for patients who are often stubborn and defiant of the idea of drawing themselves. Bob, a patient that stayed in a psychiatric hospital, was an alcoholic father who still lived with his mom. Hospitalized by a recent depressive episode and recent alcohol binge, Bob has seen previous treatment for his alcohol addiction. He explained his mom as a very controlling and domineering woman. He stayed for 5 short days in the physc. ward and experienced two group art therapy sessions. During the first session bob was periphery of the group, keeping his boundaries he expressed negative emotion toward the idea of art therapy. He was hesitant to engage with the art media, and sat silently through the entire session.

Michael Hanes introduced the "scribble technique" to Bob in order to decrease the self-doubt that Bob had shown. This increased the amount of spontaneous imagery, rather than having Bob focus on his inhibitions, which defeats the point of creating the self-portraits. Hanes, started filling the page with scribbles, he'd turn the page while using different types of media. He would have Bob fill in the shapes, and piece them together. "He felt encouraged to view the shapes and forms brought about by the intersecting lines with the expectation of discovering some approximation of an image."

Bob mentions that he saw the relevance of a face. Hanes then had Bob add and remove lines to create his own self-portrait. "That looks like one hell of a drunk", Bob had said (meaning himself).  Hanes felt accomplished as the self-portrait that bob had created stuck out and created a perfect resemblance to himself. "That's what I look like when I'm dunk -- I don't like what I see", bob revealed. This exercise helped Bob step out of his comfort zone, and come to a realization of his addictive nature without even realizing that he had done so.

Bob was then asked to turn the page in order to try and find a semblance. Bob had managed to turn his image upside down, and explained how he saw a man with a blindfold. "The man is wearing a blind fold and he is frowning". The blind fold may have acted as a cape or mask in order to hide the true identity of Bobs chemical dependency. This is also another sign of denial, the blindfold that Bob wore on a daily basis prevented him to see the world as it truly was. "I don't want to see my problem--I am a hostage to my addiction". The images that Bob created gave the vibe of helpfulness and anguish. Even though Bob only attended two art therapy sessions, he completed the first step in any therapeutic approach, facing painful realities. After Bob's hospitalization ended he enrolled him self into Alcoholics Anonymous as well as out patient services.

Cozolino, Louis J. The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain. New York: Norton, 2006. Print.This book was really helpful on researching about the brain itself. I maintained a lot information on therapy as well as learning about disorders in the brain. Very helpful and was surprisingly fun to read
Hanes, Michael J. "'Face-to-Face' with Addiction: The Spontaneous Production of Self-Portraits in Art   Therapy." Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association (2007). Fine Arts and Music Collection. Web. 28 July 2013. This article showed the usage of substances and how art therapy was used in the cure of becoming clean. It displayed a couple examples of how drawing a self portrait and looking at different angles can result in therapy.
Horay, Brian J. "Moving Towards Gray: Art Therapy and Ambivalence in Substance Abuse Treatment." Journal of the American Art . This article looked as therapy as art, and created a different approach to art therapy with substance abused clientele. 

New survey!

If any of you viewing my blog, would you please spend the time to take my new survey! It's anonymous and short, and would really help me.
Thank you to every one who takes it!
 http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7ZHRY7B