Nine investigations into the adaptability of art therapy as a healing tool

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

An art therapy workshop at the Indiana University Neuroscience Center. Eric Rudd, Indiana University

This is the fourth and final installment in a series of stories about Herron's 2021 graduates whose creative practices include research, teaching, and clinical approaches.

Since 2012, our two-year master's degree program in art therapy has taught students how to combine artistic expression, human connection, and research to contribute to the exciting and growing field.

This year's graduates are finishing up their theses and preparing to become Registered Art Therapists and Licensed Mental Health Counselors in Indiana. They will be able to work in a variety of settings once board certified, including but not limited to hospitals, schools, shelters, and community health centers.

We highlight their thesis research here to provide a glimpse into the many ways in which they will help people of all ages in not only overcoming trauma, but also restoring emotional equilibrium, improving mental wellbeing, relieving stress, and promoting personal growth.

Selfie of Angi Aldrich. Courtesy of Angi Aldrich.

Angi Aldrich
Indianapolis, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Heuristic Study: A Journey of a Young Widow"

Grief is universal, yet young widowhood is unique and individual. The goal of my research was to gain a thorough understanding of widows' lived experiences. My paper aims to enrich and emphasize the value of connectedness and narration throughout the journey and transition to widowhood.

Heuristic inquiry was used in the research, and data was analyzed using a combination of qualitative and thematic methods. My findings revealed that the most common themes were parenthood, emotions, waiting/routines, signs, and religion. I also discuss the implications of art therapy, narration, and a research gap concerning young widows and the impact of time on the grieving process.

Selfie of Amanda Dunn. Courtesy of Amanda Dunn.

Amanda Dunn
Greenwood, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Easing Transition: The Journal as a Transitional Object for Adolescents in Emergency Shelter Care"

There are 437,283 children in the foster care system who require special needs such as continuity, trauma-informed care, and positive relationships. My thesis paper investigates the use of reflective visual journaling as a transitional object to help adolescents in emergency shelter care.

As part of an integrative literature review, I critiqued and synthesized representative literature in order to develop new perspectives on the topic of journaling. The result of my research is a proposal to use this art therapy method during therapeutic workshops to aid in the healing of this population of foster care teenagers.

Portrait of Emile Gore. Courtesy of Emile Gore.

Emile Gore
Indianapolis, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"A Community Focus in Grief Groups: Cancer Related Parental Loss in Children"

In the U.S., approximately 2.85 million children under the age of 18 live with a parent who has cancer, the world's second leading cause of death. As a result, these children are vulnerable to developmental and mental health problems. My research aimed to gain a better understanding of how group art therapy can teach coping strategies for children and adolescents who had lost one or more parents to cancer.

A review of the literature on the impact of community-based art therapy revealed that it is an effective and beneficial treatment for working with bereaved children. Finding ways to help them process their grief can help to reduce developmental and mental health risks in the present and future. However, more research is needed to clearly determine the impact and definitions of community-based therapeutic interventions.

Portrait of Shawn Haymaker. Courtesy of Shawn Haymaker.

Shawn Haymaker
Indianapolis, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Community and Art"

Community can mean different things to different people and situations, which may or may not be bound by physical space. It is difficult to define, especially in the context of a literature review. I hypothesized that the definition would include similarities on a broader scale, with differences reflecting various cultural traits. I designed a simple survey to learn how community-based providers use the term in their work.

The most frequently mentioned concepts were connection, support, and commonality. Listening, dialogue, and communication were also identified as essential components of a thriving community. The survey results influenced a proposal for guidelines to help clinicians around the world, across cultures and ethnicities, better define community-based art therapy.

Selfie of Brooke Mourey. Courtesy of Brooke Mourey.

Brooke Mourey
Clayton, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Defining the Role: Pediatric Art Therapist"

In pediatrics, various teams of professionals work to help medically fragile children develop and maintain coping skills in the face of traumatic situations. The demand for these professionals has steadily increased in recent years. My research aims to dispel common misconceptions about one of these professions, pediatric art therapists, and how they work in the medical setting, allowing for better use of art therapy for their hiring employers and their patients.

A simple descriptive survey design was used in this qualitative study to collect data about medical art therapists' job descriptions and interpretations. According to the results, there is a wide range of credentials, position titles, job descriptions and role interpretations across the board. The more an art therapist understands their role in different settings, such as a pediatric hospital, the better they can provide for these settings, tailoring their skills to exactly what these job postings require.

Portrait of Katherine Newton. Courtesy of Katherine Newton.

Katherine Newton
Indianapolis, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Connecting Addiction Recovery with Creative Placemaking"

Art therapists have a unique perspective on helping society because they understand the healing power of the arts better than anyone else. There are numerous creative placemaking initiatives that add value to people's lives while also improving mental health. People in recovery from addiction may also benefit from a therapeutic arts approach to community wellbeing and economic development. My thesis research seeks to link substance abuse recovery with community-based arts services as part of the rehabilitation process.

Substance abuse disorder exists in a variety of social contexts and is not solely due to biological or physiological causes, so I propose a community-driven art therapy model to help people leave substance abuse treatment facilities and find support systems in arts communities. I recommend that patients be linked to geographically relevant services and resources as part of their individualized care and recovery plans.

Selfie of Mikayla Powlen. Courtesy of Mikayla Powlen.

Mikayla Powlen
Burrows, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"The Use of Art Therapy for Family Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia"

Art therapy illuminates the concept of artistic expression by allowing for nonverbal interpretation of emotions, bypassing cognition and bringing forth the benefit of art alone. Caregivers of all types can benefit from art therapy to reduce burnout, anxiety, and stress while also increasing social support. My thesis paper discusses dementia, the field of art therapy, and the role of art therapy in cultivating mental health for family caregivers of the disease.

A traditional literature review was used to investigate the experiences of caregivers who are related to the dementia patient. Art therapy is increasingly recognized for its positive impact family caregivers' emotional stability, and my research shows that reducing stress and anxiety can improve their overall well-being as well as relationships with their dementia-affected loved one.

Comical portrait of Alena Sentir, which is a picture of one of her domestic chickens. Courtesy of Alena Sentir.

Alena Sentir
Thorntown, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Art Therapy in Opiate Use Disorder: Moving Toward an Integrated Treatment Framework"

Drug addiction is a major public health concern that has negative consequences for both individuals and society, but with the right care addiction is a treatable disease. Despite the fact that there are evidence-based treatments for opiate use disorder, many people remain treatment refractory and die from overdoses. These individuals frequently present to treatment with dual diagnosis and polysubstance use, both of which add to the client's complexity and create barriers to recovery.

I conducted an integrative systematic literature review to examine how art therapy has been used in these populations and how it might be incorporated into current addiction neuroscience treatment. The end result is a six-session proposal to increase engagement in refractory populations. By integrating the the Expressive Therapies Continuum and modern addiction neuroscience treatment, my proposal aims to improve limbic to cortical functioning, stimulate motivation, increase empowerment, and support clients holistically during recovery.

Portrait of Macey Smith. Courtesy of Macey Smith.

Macey Smith
Pendleton, Indiana
M.A. Art Therapy '21

"Symbolism: An Arts-based Phenomenological Study Through Reflective Artwork of Graduate Students"

If one is willing to look for it, symbolism can be found almost everywhere and in almost anything. While symbolism has been studied for decades, art therapy has allowed people to explore it through their artwork. My research goal was to better understand the use of symbols in professional identity while hypothesizing that nature symbols and themes would be used in artworks created by graduate art therapy students.

An art-based phenomenological study was used as the research method. I discovered that professional identity is an ongoing evolution by investigating the integration of lived experiences and professional knowledge. This evolution can be guided by implementing new training for graduate students and emerging professionals pursuing a career in art therapy.

Herron School of Art + Design

Nine investigations into the adaptability of art therapy as a healing tool

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