The Healing Arts

The Restoring Power of Imagination

by Cathy Malchiodi

Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts Therapy

Trauma-informed expressive arts therapy is based on the idea that art expression is helpful in reconnecting implicit (sensory) and explicit (declarative) memories of trauma. Here is a primer to get you started. Read More

Art Therapy: There’s an App for That

Can an app on your iPad tell you all about yourself by analyzing the colors you use in a simple drawing task? Read More

Barry, You're Helping Us Feel Better

President Obama, in less than a minute your smooth vocal riff gave me just a little more hope and certainly put a little soul in my step today (and possibly an earworm that is going to make me hear this song when I want to fall asleep tonight). Read More

So You Want to Be an Art Therapist, Part Seven: Art Therapist Identity Confusion Disorder

Last year I posted a six-part series called "So You Want to be an Art Therapist," all about art therapy as a profession. Just when I thought that I had pretty much described what you'll encounter in studying art therapy and practicing as an art therapist, the field may be undergoing its own form of "identity confusion disorder." Read More

Getting Whole While Getting Even

When life's small atrocities lead you to thoughts of "getting even," try using the power of the creative arts and imagination to help you "get whole." Read More

Art Therapy Transforms Warriors into Artists

BBC Two is premiering a film about art therapy and veterans, "Art for Heroes." Is there really evidence that art and imagination can ameliorate PTSD in returning military? Read More

How Steve Jobs Helped the Healing Arts to Think Different

Those of you who know me know I am a Mac and not a PC. The death of Steve Jobs reminds me about not only the impression his life's work made on me, but also on the evolution of the arts therapies during the digital age. Read More

Art and Happiness: Is There a Connection?

The connection between artistic creativity and happiness is a slippery topic at best. After all, what about all those less-than-happy ending stories about artists with depression or other emotional challenges? Doesn't art come from emotional pain? But there is a growing body of research that underscores the contrary, that art has a powerful effect on us in positive ways. Read More

What Art Therapy Learned from September 11th

Art theorist and perceptual psychologist Rudolph Arnheim once noted, "Art serves as a helper in times of trouble." The events of September 11th, 2001 opened the door to understanding a lot more about how art serves as a helper in times of profound crises. Read More

Helping Children Cope with Hurricane Irene: Start with Family Rituals

Post-disaster, participating in a creative activity together empowers families and activates storytelling about positive events previous to time of the traumatic event. And it becomes even more effective if psychologists and counselors encourage families use creative activity to identify the rituals and traditions that help them recapture feelings of optimism and safety. Read More

What is Art For?

Catch-phrases like "art heals" and "art saves" are ubiquitous in our culture and among artists. But what is art actually for and why does it exist? Read More

Creativity in Counseling

It's the process, not the product that counts when it comes to creativity in counseling. And it's a growing movement, but is it really anything new? Read More

So You Want to Be an Art Therapist, Part Six: Should I Get a Doctorate?

As King Lear said, "oh, that way madness lies"...well, maybe not in every single situation, but it's complicated. Read More

So You Want to be an Art Therapist, Part Five: The Tale of Two Art Therapists

So can you find your heart's desire as an art therapist in the 21st century? Here are two of the more oft-told career narratives I have encountered during the last several years. Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first? Read More

So You Want to be an Art Therapist, Part Four: Can I Get an Art Therapy Job?

Seriously, can I get a job as an art therapist? It's complicated and I'll tell you why. Read More

So You Want to Be an Art Therapist, Part Three: The Art Therapy Credentials Maze

LPAT, ATR, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC, LPCC...which letters after your name will get you your art therapist dream job? Read More

So You Want to be an Art Therapist, Part Two: Art Therapy Education

It's all about the good, the bad, and the "challenging" about being an art therapist in the 21st century, starting with art therapy education. Read More

So You Want to be an Art Therapist, Part One: Art Therapy as a Career Path

So how cool would it be to get a degree in art therapy and become an art therapist? That's a complicated question; this series will give you the best information on how to make that decision. Read More

Military PostSecrets

If you follow the artworld or popular culture, PostSecret needs no introduction. Originator Frank Warren started out with little more than a blogspot, but it turned into a platform built on one great idea-- asking people to anonymously mail a secret never before revealed on a homemade postcard. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #1: The Art Therapist’s Third Hand

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #1 is not a technique or method, but the essence of what makes art therapists different from other professionals who use art in counseling, therapy and medicine. It's called the "third hand" and it's really art therapy's version of mindfulness, insight and empathy. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #2: Active Imagination

Active Imagination

Call it active imagination, free association, image dialogue, or even a rant. It's about helping the image to speak your truths, whether through words, visualization, or another art form-and it's one of the major centerpieces in the practice of art therapy. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #3: It’s All About the Metaphor

Draw a person in the rain. Make a picture of a bird's nest. Use clay to create an image of yourself as an animal. Or just paint whatever you'd like. Now talk about it with your therapist. It's all about the metaphor. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #4: Visual Journaling

The Cool Art Therapy Interventions Countdown is back; coming in at #4 is a popular technique most often known as “visual journaling.” Visual journals have been used for centuries as records of ideas and imagination, creative autobiographical expressions, and even have some wellness benefits. The process is based on one simple premise: Draw. Repeat. Read More

Using Photography to Create Positive Exposure

Most of us feel that we aren't photogenic. But what if you have a genetic condition or physical trait that really makes a difference in how you feel about yourself and how others perceive you? Maybe it sounds counterintuitive, but photography actually can be the cure for a broken self-image. It's all about a little "positive exposure." Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #5: Show Me How You Feel Today

Art therapists have a longstanding tradition of prescribing image-making to prompt expression of feelings, often by asking people to draw, paint, or sculpt "how you feel." It's one of the fundamental approaches in the field that distinguishes art therapy from verbal techniques that ask people to simply talk about their emotions. That's why it's Cool Art Therapy Intervention #5. Read More

Arts in Healthcare: Creativity for the Health of It

Do the arts really make a difference in health and wellness? Artists, architects, creative arts therapists, doctors, and art curators think so; this week they joined other grassroots advocates to state their case to Congress on National Arts Advocacy Day. It's all part of an international movement called "arts in healthcare" that recognizes the power of the arts to enhance lives, impact patient care, and improve hospital environments. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #6: Mandala Drawing

A circular form in art is often referred to as a "mandala" and is also known as a "sacred circle." Mandalas evoke the cycles of nature, personal and universal symbols, ritual, transcendence, and wholeness. It's a magic circle that can both soothe and illuminate and that's why it's Cool Art Therapy Intervention #6. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #7: Creating Together

There is a distinctive kind of creative energy generated when people work in a group to create art. Call it synergy or collective flow; whatever you call it, it changes our perceptions of who we are and shows us how to get by with a little creative help from our friends. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #8: Mask Making

Masks are worn for performance, entertainment, disguise, concealment, or protection. They have been around since ancient times and have been used in ceremony, storytelling, and dramatic enactment. Making a mask invites you to explore the persona you reveal or conceal from the world. It's why it's Cool Art Therapy Intervention # 8. Read More

Cool Art Therapy Intervention #9: Family Sculpture

Given a lump of clay or some canisters of Play-doh, how would you depict each member of your family of origin? It's cool art therapy intervention #9 and it's all about a creative way to explore your family system. Read More

Cathy Malchiodi is an art therapist, visual artist, independent scholar, and author of 13 books on arts therapies, including The Art Therapy Sourcebook.

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